Thrilling theatre moments/twists- Page 3

[Jon]

Posted: 6/30/12 at 11:56pm

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!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 12:52am

In The Lion King, when the Mufasa's spirit is formed.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 1:02am

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.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 1:23am

Wee Thomas' unexpected appearance late in Lieutenant of Inishmore.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 3:35am

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

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 3:45am

Dracula has a lot of thrilling moments even though it was an atrocious wreck of a show in terms of the book and the score. The ending with the dust falling through the castle window is pretty awesome, and the music playing is extremely beautiful and haunting. The act 1 finales is pretty cool too where Dracula hangs over Mina's bed. I have only seen these effects on video, but they're pretty awesome.

[Outoftowner2]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 11:20am

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

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 5:34pm

"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.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 7/1/12 at 5:47pm

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

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 4:40pm

The last 15 minutes or so of Ragtime are chilling and quite intense when done right. Also Mattie Fae's confession in August: Osage County is a great twist, I think.

[dreaming]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 5:38pm

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).

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 5:57pm

The last two minutes of The Phantom of the Opera.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 9:06pm

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

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 10:58pm

My first Broadway show was the 03 revival of Gypsy. I knew absolutely nothing about the show. When Louise re-entered as Gypsy Rose Lee for the first time, that was thrilling and I had no idea what was coming.

The second act curtain of August: Osage County

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 7/8/12 at 10:59pm

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)

[little_sally]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 10:37am

I have to agree with that Once moment. The whole hill scene is fantastic actually.

The last fifteen minutes or so of Jerusalem. The day I saw it, you could hear a pin drop in the audience.

[little_sally]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 10:39am

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

[followspot]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 12:19pm

Ellen Barkin - Act 2 monologue - The Normal Heart

[fosca3]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 1:01pm

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

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

[PapaGe]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 1:19pm

Seconding the "I Am the One (Reprise)". "Gabe. Gabriel." "Hi, Dad." Heart stopping.

In a similar ghostly vein, when Lily and Colin sing "Come to My Garden/Lift Me Up" in The Secret Garden.

"Back to Before" in Ragtime.

[ChanceEncounter]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 2:01pm

"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.

[BwayEqs]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 2:03pm

When Elphaba didn't really melt in Wicked -- It was a plan by her and Fiyero to get out of Oz. That really suprised me.

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 3:28pm

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).

[little_sally]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 3:28pm

^ I second that

[JRybka]

Posted: 7/9/12 at 3:45pm

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