The Most Powerful Stage Gesture- Page 2

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 5:44pm

The most powerful is when the King places his hand on Anna's waist during "Shall We Dance" in "The King And I" Magic! I know Fred Ebb said that it makes him cry every time he sees it, and that he could watch it for the rest of his life. Amen!

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 8:40pm

HA! You guys haven't seen a powerful hand gesture till you've seen Jonathan Groff fingering Lea Michelle in Spring Awakening. Who has a picture of that?

[inick122492]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 8:56pm

That pointing gesture that Stephanie Block does is quite powerful during "so if you care to find LOOK to the western sky!" is quite powerful!

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 10:52pm

LOL @ AndAllThatJazz

though that did make me think of another SA gesture. Moritz slamming his foot down during Don't Do Sadness when the band comes in with the chorus. BAM! Love it!

[The White Half-Mask]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 1:39am

I'd add Raul Esparza sitting down to play the piano from the 2006 revival of "Company". It may seem like such a simple movement, but its significance in the context in this particular production was enormously powerful. Updated On: 5/11/09 at 01:39 AM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 2:07am

It has to be the Evita "thing"...because even though I am calling it a "thing", you ALL know exactly what I am talking about.
It is always copied...whether it is some Forbidden Broadway type thing or a regional production; they ALWAYS do it.

I think that's pretty powerful, that the one gesture has got into people's heads and if you think of Evita, that's what comes up instantly.

I also think there are so powerful ones in "Fiddler on the Roof". I always see VERY similar arm raising type dances in "Tradition" and "If I were a rich Man".

I might have confused powerful with iconic though...

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/3/09 at 9:10pm

I have to bump this in honor of the brilliant performance I saw at Next to Normal a few nights ago. During You Don't Know, when Diana was ripping into Dan, she waved him forward with her hand, daring him to come closer. It was scary. I hope Alice does that on the Tonys!

The image of Diana and Dan fighting over the music box was also very chilling. Side note: Alice's delivery of the line, "What was his NAME?!" was terrifying and perfect.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 6/3/09 at 9:24pm

Mine is in the recent revival of Gypsy when Patti and Laura are fighting in the dressing room and Patti knocks all the items off the table. Then they both quietly pick them up. Both moments were breathtaking and powerful moment where you could hear pin drop.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/3/09 at 10:55pm

I am now the proud owner of the Yul Brynner Cookbook.

[fellfromthesun]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 2:01pm

The end of the "Sunday In The Park..." Revival when George turns around to the "empty canvas" and puts his hand to his chest and gasps. What a beautiful moment, and so real and powerful.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 2:09pm

fellfromthesun, I had tears streaming down my face by the end of act II of Sunday..., but that moment killed me.


fashionguru_23, SO true. I never even thought of it, but you're definitely right on with that one.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 2:09pm

The most powerful gesture i have ever seen at least me being in the audience was in the Gypsy revival when Boyd would slam his hand on the table yelling "That is Right!" that was the most chilling moment in the entire show. Brilliant.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 6/4/09 at 8:31pm

I don't know about the most powerful, but I think this may count as the scariest and coolest.

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