Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

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Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:30am

I say:

GUYS AND DOLLS - "Fugue For Tinhorns"

CAROUSEL - "The Carousel Waltz"

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - "Tradition"

"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:34am

I totally agree with your choices! I love Fugue for Tinhorns, Tradition is perfect as a Prologue to Fiddler, and Carousel Waltz is excellent when done right.

I also like the opening of Rent. You don't even know it's started, then BOOM! The cast floods the stage. I dont know, I like that lol

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:36am

On The Twentieth Century

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:40am

Ragtime

A child melds into a white subculture which melds into a nation, which melds into a period, which melds into you and me now...simply timeless.

"Fundamentalism means never having to say 'I'm wrong.'" -- unknown

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:42am

Pab,

I saw ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY in Boston Tryout, but please refresh my memory.

How EXACTLY does show start?

"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:47am

There is some dialogue at first from Oscar and then it starts with the Porters getting the bags on the train and all the people running around getting on board as they all sing the song "On The Twentieth Century".

"New York in sixteen hours
Anything can happen in those sixteen hours" etc.

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:04am

Les Miz prologue
No One Mourns the Wicked (yea hate me for saying it, I think this is the best number in the entire show)

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:07am

COMPANY
INTO THE WOODS
SWEENEY TODD
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM
SEUSSICAL (I know, i know)
GUYS AND DOLLS
KISS ME, KATE

"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."

The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.

Updated On: 10/9/04 at 01:07 AM

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:22am

I love the Seussical opening. It sounds strangely like Ragtime's (I know, it's not that strange because they're both A and F, but still).

Parade-The Old Red Hills of Home
Assassins-Everybody's Got the Right
Sunday in the Park-"White. A blank page or canvas..."
Sweeney Todd-Ballad of Sweeney Todd

#10

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:23am

omg, i change my vote. Sweeney is the best opening hands down.

"Fundamentalism means never having to say 'I'm wrong.'" -- unknown

#11

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:32am

DREAMGIRLS and A CHORUS LINE -- Bennett knew how to grab an audience by the lapels and not let go from the moment the lights went down, establish all the characters and the conflicts, plant seeds, entertain and in 15 minutes set up the entire evening to follow. Genius.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#12

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 2:29am

ummm,guys(&gals)?
42nd st?
or hell,chicago?

Updated On: 10/9/04 at 02:29 AM

#13

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 7:48am

There are several terrific ones, can't pick just one

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA because there is a prologue before the overture and the way the overture is used to turn back time.

CHICAGO - the overture tied together with one of the best opening numbers ever ('All That Jazz'), simply WOW!

RAGTIME - catchy title number performed by the full cast.

CATS - think what you may of the show, but the opening song is great!

#14

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:02am

GYPSY - for the overture
42nd STREET - for the obvious
A CHORUS LINE - for the obvious
CHICAGO - pretty great too

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says, "I will try again tomorrow."

#15

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:27am

I'd have to agree with Margo - A Chorus Line pretty much sums it up.

I'm intrigued that The Lion King hasn't been mentioned. I know it's not a favorite on this board, but the power and strength of the opening number is rarely questioned.

#16

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:32am

Ragtime - Beautiful intro to the story
Titanic - Epic!
Grand Hotel - Intricate introduction of the characters, fantastic!

#17

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:32am

Right. The amount of people who, when I express my total lack of interest in seeing Lion King, tell me that I should at least find a way to sneak in and see the opening number, is uncanny.

Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.

#18

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:40am

I find it hard to argue with any of your choices.
The opening number for "On The Twentieth Century" was exciting indeed. So are the others listed here. "Les Miz," "Fiddler," and OMG "Carousel" -- at Lincoln Center-amazing! Both productions of NINE had great opening numbers as did GRAND HOTEL and RAGTIME.

I would add "WICKED." I'm not sure if the material is on par with "CAROUSEL" but the excitement level in the audience was right up there. The set elements and talent factor on stage was enormous, (at least with the original cast.)

Also of note would be "BALLROOM". It was very simple, just a song by Dorothy Louden but boy oh boy did it presage a great show to come. Not sure the rest of the show managed to equal the wonderful opening number.

" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."

Updated On: 10/9/04 at 09:40 AM

#19

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:56am

Follies. Magical set, mysterious music and 7-foot-tall ghostly chorus girls.

#20

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 9:58am

I say Gypsy. It has one of the best overtures. And then the entrance of Rose with "Sing out Louise." WhenI saw Tyne Daly doing Rose she entered from the back of theater andI had a friend with me who had never even heard of Gypsy and she now loves the show because of that moment.

So my dear you think you can get to Broadway. Well, let me tell you something. Broadway has no room for people like you. Not the Broadway I know. My Broadway takes people like you and eats them up and spits them out. My Broadway is the Broadway of Merman, and Martin, and Fontaine, and if you think you can build yourself up by knocking other people down... ...GOOD LUCK... Seinfeld

#21

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 11:29am

Wonderful Town has one of the best overtures out there and then it moves right into the fabulous number that is Cristopher Street! Plus Ragtime, duh!

"Did you know that if you take the first two vowels in Olive and rearrange them it spells I-Love?"-Spelling Bee "It's night like this that hotel bars were specifically made." Light In The Piazza

#22

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 11:55am

A Chorus Line has a great opening number. I love Magic to Do also.

#23

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 11:57am

This interesting.

When I posed this question, I wasn't thinking of the "Overture" as being part of the show's opening; but just a way to get people comfortable in their seats before show began.

But all of you are right: The OVERTURE can set the mood and tone of the show!

Case in point: You can discern virtually the entire story of GYPSY by listening to its Overture.

Thanks for the enlightment! :)

"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."

#24

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 11:59am

Hairspray-'Good Morning Baltimore'
i don't know if this counts, but... Bat Boy- 'Hold me, Bat Boy'
Phantom of the Opera
Thoroughly Modern Millie -Title Song

"People asking questions, lost in confusion. Well I tell them there's no problems, only solutions." ~The one and only John Lennon

#25

re: Which Musical Had The BEST OPENING?

Posted: 10/9/04 at 12:03pm

"The Who's Tommy" had a great overture/prologue. From what I recall, the overture started with no warning...and it blasted the Colonial Theater in Boston where I saw it. Hehe..it was about 10yrs ago and I think my ears are still ringing......

I do also think that the firt 20 seconds of "Hairspray" is amazing. It's a very simple trick of how they set up Tracy's bedroom, but it's very effetive. And that downbeat at the beginning of "Baltimore??" Gets me going.

"Y'all have a GRAND day now"

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