The 2009 Tony Awards Opening Number

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 5:09pm

This has to be the best opening ever, right? I mean yes, Elton John's mic isn't turned on right away. But there are SO many moments here that are golden.

Bret Michaels 'hit in the head' accident, Stockard Channing dueting with Aaron Tveit, the hilarious part where Karen Olivo and Josefina's mics are turned on early and you can hear them warming up before they go on. Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli etc etc. oh I also love after Shrek ends and you can hear Sutton and Brian running and breathing into the mic.

and I love the Guys and Dolls guy because he seems like he has
no idea when to come in to sing for that mash-up

Hair at the end was so special to me. Watching it live I got goosebumps. I could feel that community feeling that is what Broadway is all about and I wanted nothing more then to be in that room :) x


The Best Tony Opening Ever?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 6:36pm

The sound issues killed it for me. It could have been one of the best. It's certainly one of the most eventful. I remember it got a lot of press at the time because of the Bret Michaels thing, but if that sound guy hasn't been banned from the biz there's no justice.



Updated On: 6/9/12 at 06:36 PM

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 8:22pm

Totally epic. I love it.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 8:24pm

I think "One Night Only" in 2004 was pretty terrific, and much better, honestly.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 9:06pm

The Tonys seem to have major sound and camera issues every year, and this one (however eventful) was no exception. What gives?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 9:20pm

My two favorite parts of that opening number:

1) Liza clearly not knowing the lyrics to Let the Sun Shine In (but faking her way through it and looking she was having the time of her life)

2) Angie leading the ovation from the audience at the end, looking like she'd have loved to been up onstage.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 6/9/12 at 10:41pm

The opener was good but I preferred NPH's rendition of Tonight as the closing number.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 6/10/12 at 9:08am

I agree that this was the most memorable. It was absolutely amazing to watch, and I was in tears by the end. I still have it saved on my Time Warner DVR.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/10/12 at 9:37am

While I would agree that it was eventful and had some great potential there were some major issues I had with it. The sound issues (obviously), the Brett Michaels incident, whoever let Stockard onstage without taking a brush to her hair, the pairing of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" with "I'm Alive" (sorry, it just didn't work for me), the reminder of how much I hated Andy Blankenbueler's choreography for 9 to 5, these all combined to kill it for me.

I would argue that the best opener ever was when A Chorus Line performed the entire "God I Hope I Get It" sequence, not only for the performances and the utter and sheer excitement you felt from both the audience and the performance, but you could see what could have been if Michael Bennett had been allowed to actually film the movie version of the show.

My favorite, in terms of the years I've actually been watching, was 2001 with the company of 42nd Street. I loved everything about that sequence, from the pre-recorded opening at the Ford Center, the company pouring out of the theatre and onto the subway, and finally revealing that amazing ensemble onstage at Radio City. Just genius (and notice, nobody's mic was turned on early or late that year).

ETA - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS1XDaNgH1Y
Updated On: 6/10/12 at 09:37 AM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/10/12 at 10:42am

Epic...for all the wrong reasons!!!

It made me giggle to see Anne Hathaway cheer for Liza :)