Thrilling theatre moments/twists — Page 3

Lansbury and Hearn's A Little Priest"

The ageless Chita Rivera in KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

Chip Zien singing "homosexuals... women with children..." while shining two flashlights out at the audience in FALSETTOS.

The "When It All Comes True" pas de deux, choreographed by Susan Stroman, originallty performed by Karen Ziemba and Jim Walton in AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND.

The sheer joy of a cast of non-dancers dancing like crazy in URINETOWN's "Snuff That Girl"

The original cast of RENT receiving a standing ovation at the TOP OF ACT 2 when they came on stage to sing Seasons of Love, a couple of night after all the Tony nominations.

My first Broadway memory: the incredible revolving unit set of the original OLIVER!

The Night Waltz in the last revival of Night Music was so haunting and chilling that it will always stay with me. Perfect view from the Mezzanine.

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I was not crazy about the show as a whole, but Joanna Lumley's entrance in La Bete was pretty damn spectacular.

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JCS - Ted Neeley "Gethsemane" and the floating cross from the 90's tour.
Les Miserables - "Bring Him Home"

Billy Elliot - and of "Solidarity" when he first gets it and Swan Lake flight

Sweeney Todd - "Ballad" at the beginning and the end.

Ragtime - opening number

Wicked - Defying Gravity

Lion King - At the top of the show when Rafiki starts the chanting in the Circle of Life (and the rest of the song when the animals come in)

Mary Poppins - Mary's flight over the audience

Phantom of the Opera - When the Phantom appears in the mirror

Les Miserables - One Day More

jamie-the only thing more shocking about Mattie Fae's twist is how Violet reveals her knowledge of what Mattie Fae said (I don't know if I've heard an audience gasp so loudly as I did when she said that).

Those final moments of Death and the Maiden, stunning in every way.

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Seeing Merman do "Rose's Turn"

Act one finale (okay, Act Two finale too) of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Alexis and company doing the "Lucy and Jessie" number (I think I just fainted)

Also, there were so many thrilling moments in The Pillowman but definitely when we found Michel killed the kids.

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In THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN, when Babbybobby beats Billy --

I didn't see that one coming, and the way he did it was so cold and emotionless that it took my breath away

Also in THE SEAFARER -- Lockhart describing Hell to Sharkey gave me chills every time I heard it

And in JERUSALEM, when Rooster came out of the trailer, bloody and burned, it was a little jolt of horror every time

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Updated On: 7/9/12 at 01:01 PM

"I Am the One (reprise)" in NEXT TO NORMAL is one of the best twist I have ever witnessed. Then entire time you see Dan as the rock of the family. Someone that's moved on from his grief. You think that his only problem is his wife, and then during this song you find out that he has been seeing Gabe all these years too. He's just as hurt as his wife. It was heart-breaking."

This, so much of this. For me, this has always been the biggest moment. I remember seeing it back at NYMF in 2005 and while I was a blubbering mess for almost the entirety of the second act, that moment pushed me over a cliff.

What I really loved was that with the new version, at least in the Broadway staging, they foreshadow that with the tiniest bit of staging in Just Another Day. Gabe is standing stage left on the second level and Dan starts to walk across the second level gets about half a step past the stage right stairs, catches himself and goes down the stage right stairs instead of crossing. A small, second long moment of recognition and a choice being made to avoid Gabe. It made the "No, why couldn't you just go with her" revelation even more devastating.


Also, while it's a comedy, the reveal that Edgar and Shelly are siblings in Bat Boy was a nice twist and really made the Greek Tragedy of that show even more biting.

Beauty Queen of Leenane.

When it is revealed that Maureen killed her mother. The way it was revealed was chilling (mother sitting in a chair quietly, head drops and blood oozes out of her mouth).

I still find the whole set from "An Inspector Calls" to be amazing!!!!!

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