The Most Hauntingly Beautiful Images on Stage- Page 5

[JHartnow]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:02pm

These are my personal, favorite "haunting" memories from shows that I've seen. Most of these have been discussed already. I've had many, but these are stand-outs:

Lily Craven hanging in the frame.

When Mike tells Jonathan he's sick in tick, tick, BOOM.

The white light where Angel once stood.

Mary Poppins flying over the audience with that brilliant, amazing orchestration.

Elphaba's ascent.

Marius holding Eponine as she dies.

The end of the 1998 revival of CABARET.

The minimalism of the death scenes in the 2005 revival of SWEENEY TODD. Whoever thought that a bucket of blood could be so...beautiful?

The hotel set from THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA with the light-projected hallway. Hell, ALL of the sets from PIAZZA were stunning.

Kim's suicide in MISS SAIGON.

"Some Things Are Meant To Be" from Little Women. Especially the ending.

[love you forever]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:06pm

1. The ending of BILLY ELLIOT when he kisses Michael then walks into the audience. I love it.

2. The ending of CABERET for sure.

3. The ending of AIDA with the tomb, and when they see each other in the mueseum.

4. The Fire Within Me from LITTLE WOMEN. I love how she's all alone in the dirty old attic.

5. I also for some strange reason love the ending of EVITA when che explains that her body went missing. It gave me the chills remembering the light was just on him, then shut off.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:14pm

Love You Forever, I saw a touring production of EVITA that had a similar effect: Evita's casket is center stage while Che explains that the body went missing. There was this blinding pulse of light accompanied by a deep "throbbing" sound before the entire stage went black. I can't really explain it very well here, but it gave me goosebumps.

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:37pm

-Two things in WICKED. The end of Defying Gravity, when Elphaba sings "Bring me down!" and the ensemble runs out from behind her looking up at the sky. I love it! Also, the entire song "No Good Deed" was amazing to watch.

-I must admit, the act one finale of THE PIRATE QUEEN was absolutely beautiful.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:48pm

- During "The Guilt Inside Your Head" in Miss Saigon, when Chris suddenly appears out of nowhere. I think it happens during the line: "You think your Marine's not like other men." And then after Thuy's line he yells "I'm getting you out," grabs Kim, and the lights flash. AWESOME. This was the National Tour, btw.
- Speaking of Miss Saigon, the Act I ending with the boat people and the gate, and the smoke.
- All of The Light in the Piazza. Haha. But definitely the number one in my head is during Clara's Interlude.
- In the Evita tour, the lighting and staging of "Montage."

[Sant]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 5:08pm

The boat crossing the lake during the title song in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The smoke, the candles and candelabras, the mirror on the back wall, the barely visible bottom-edge of the stairs, the descending gate... and of course the boat with Christine and the Phantom. The most amazing image I've ever seen on stage.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 5:43pm

Good call on W;t, doodle. I can't even read the play without crying. Somehow I doubt I'd be able to get through a live performance.
My pick for Les Mis is the finale, starting with Eponine and Fantine's harmony and continuing through to the end. It's so beautiful.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 5:58pm

Debra Monk standing.

[Blonde]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 5:59pm

"I Hate the Bus" in Caroline, or Change comes to mind.

Also Little Edie turning on the record player at the end of Grey Gardens when it plays The Girl Who Has Everything. Really I found most of the second act chilling and wonderful.

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:37pm

"I saw a touring production of EVITA that had a similar effect: Evita's casket is center stage while Che explains that the body went missing. There was this blinding pulse of light accompanied by a deep "throbbing" sound before the entire stage went black. I can't really explain it very well here, but it gave me goosebumps. "

That's the original great Hal Prince staging--it's such an odd ending but I agree really amazing

[dashb10ard]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:13pm

I'm going to go with Little Edie right at the Prologue of Grey Gardens, where she's in the window with the mirror in front of her face. Very scary, but very beautiful.

And there are a few more from Grey Gardens but that's the first one that came to mind.

[raphael06]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:21pm

The end of the CABARET revival is quite chilling.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:22pm

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seeing Moritz and Wendla climbing out of their graves covered in mist in Spring Awakening.

The very last image of "Those You've Known." The lights are fading as Melchior sings, "And one day all will know."

[Phantom23]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:14pm

-POTO: The reprise of All I Ask of You when the Phantom's hand reaches up out from behind the angel statue and he slowly pulls himself up.

-Like many others said, basically all of Piazza, especially the silhouette moment.

-Also like others said, the barricade moment in Les Mis.

-I once saw a stunning local production of 1776, and "Mama, Look Sharp" absolutely qualified as hauntingly beautiful.

Some non-musical love:

-When King Lear walks out holding Cordelia's body, my heart just breaks.

-Many parts of Equus. The lighting, and the stylized horse heads, and the tension... Love it.

-Call me a sap, but I love the end of Romeo and Juliet.

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:27pm

The end of Blood Brothers with Mrs. Johnstone grabbing the hands of her dead sons and putting them together.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:33pm

- the prologue of Beauty and the Beast. the music is so gorgeous and haunting at the same time, and the visuals (the enchantress, beast leaning over the rose in despair, etc.) are absolutely magnificent to me, as well as "If I Can't Love Her".

- "Elaborate Lives (Reprise)", followed by "Enchantment Passing Through (Reprise)" in Aida when they are in the tomb. i was just weeping uncontrollably.

- the headshot scene in A Chorus Line. and also when they all come out for "One" at the end. I know that that part is supposed to be joyous, but to me it is haunting because you know that only a few actually made it, and yet they all still come out and dance, even the rejects.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:33pm

With the right actors : Angel and Collins during "Without You" in Rent. Yes, it can be overdone, but when you have the right actors it is very beautiful and can easily divert my eyes off from Mimi and Roger.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:38pm

I'll ditto the close of Act 1 in TPQ. Best song of the show IMHO.

And I still say that for non-musicals the very opening of The Year of Magical Thinking with that music swell and curtain drop gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. The whole show is haunting, but that initial moment... WOW!

[broadway1208]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:39pm

I agree with what people have said about those you've known in spring awakening,I thought that whole scene was haunting with all the fog and how wendla and moritz came up out of their graves.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:39pm

I'm crying while reading this thread. Not in a sad, pitiful way, but in an almost happy way.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:41pm

Me too! I love that chill you get in during those beautiful scenes!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:43pm

Horses galloping through the snow toward the audience in SHOGUN.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:45pm

Thank God, hj. I thought it was going to sound kind of creepy.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:08pm

The toy ship being pulled across the stage at the end of Act One of TITANIC.

Just kidding.

Seriously, I love that we can all come on here and talk about the stage moments that affect us, and whether or not we agree, we all UNDERSTAND that goosebumpy feeling. Try to explain it to a non-theatre person and you're generally met with a blank stare.

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:23pm

THE SECRET GARDEN: At the finale to Act 1, when Mary embraces her father, Albert and he shows her the door to the garden.
Chills everytime.

THE LION KING: Circle of Life

WICKED: When Glinda mourns Elphaba's death.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: When the wedding party begins to clean up after the raid to Tzeitel's wedding.