Worst Opening Number- Page 4

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:47pm

I love the opening number of La Cage

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:51pm

Best:
Ragtime
Sweeney Todd
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof

Worst:
Mamma Mia!

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:56pm

I'm doing FOOTLOOSE now. I love the opening! I think many of the songs are weak when compared to how they were originally performed on the movie's soundtrack, but this one definately sets the mood for the show. You have some high-energy dancing, and then you're quickly thrust into the choir-music style that Ren and his mom have to get accustomed to. In a way, it takes the audience with Ren as he moves from the big city to a small town. We, too must make the transition from the rock music we love, to the church music we might not love, but we don't really have a choice either way.

But I'm playing Rev. Moore. Maybe I'm biased because I really like my intro in the show.

Enough about FOOTLOOSE. My pick for worst opening goes to..."In" from CARRIE. I love the song to death (I love listening to the show, period) but I hate the choreography. It's too much for the singers/dancers to handle at once. You can hear their voices shaking while they try to keep up with the dances. I blame the show's failure on Debbie Allen. None of the dances were right for the scenes they were in, and I won't forgive her for what she did to the prom scene (song "Wotta Night!"). If the sets (or lack of sets) and costumes had been even remotely close to good, her dances still would have kept the show in the "laughable" range of things.

Best: The "Bobby" chant from COMPANY. I haven't seen the current production, but I love it on the cast abum. If you want to be picky, then "Company" is the actual opening number of COMPANY, and it's even more enjoyable than the "Bobby" chant, though I love both. It does a wonderful job of getting the point across that Robert is swarmed by these friends of his, as well as his girlfriends, and (when sung properly) you can tell right away that Robert has gone through this enough times before that he might just be numb to it all by now.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:28pm

A little off topic but, what about the worst song from the Oscars? Celine Dion singing an incomprehensible song from a beautiful Moricone music.

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:49pm

""At The End Of The Day", the opening number in the original Paris version of "Les Miserables". "


Is there an English translation?

[ahmelie]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:50pm

I think Colored Lights from The Rink is pretty weak.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:59pm

SweeneyPhanatic, I agree that the opening number in FOOTLOOSE is a blast. The show was a flop, but the opening number is its saving grace.

Lizzya, I had to perform it in college and I had a lot of fun with it. Maybe you're in a poor production or perhaps performing just isn't your thing.

Updated On: 2/26/07 at 09:59 PM

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 2/26/07 at 10:35pm

"Is there an English translation?"

EDIT: Found it. Check this out

http://mmebahorel.cafemusain.com/translations/ofc.html

Updated On: 2/26/07 at 10:35 PM

[mattonstage]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 2:31am

Best: Ragtime
Sweeney Todd

Worst: That damn chandelier taking 10 minutes to go up at the begining of POTO. In 19 years (or whatever) they couldn't improve that and make it more exciting?

Posted: 2/27/07 at 7:47am

ALso check out the TOny performance of Hope I Get it on the TOny Awards in the 70s at that site you know about--basiclaly same tempi as the recording

[K2503]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 8:01am

Can not believe anyone has not said The Sound of Music as the Best *runs for cover*

Especially the film version can never get enough of that opening number! Although the London rivival gets me going every time!!!

Is it just me????
Updated On: 2/27/07 at 08:01 AM

Posted: 2/27/07 at 8:06am

It's funny, yet very sad, that so many people on this list just don't seem to "get" the brilliance of Rock Island Line from THE MUSIC MAN. I guess they've never NOT been spoon-fed their culture.

[Christoph]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 3:01pm

I absolutely cannot abide the opening number in The Music Man, which is a musical I love. It seems to be very difficult to sing and a lot of people marvel over it, but chugging along on the train really grates on my nerves.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 3:28pm

Rent opens badly. IIRC, the first number or whatever is one of those dumb sung-through answering-machine things (maybe two of them), then the show's title song, which is possibly the worst one in the whole show and sounds like a parody ("Rent, rent rent, reeeeeeent!! Rent, rent, rent, reeeeeeent!"). The show doesn't even begin to take off until "One Song Glory", like 20 minutes in.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 3:30pm

I remeber doing "Rock Island Line" when I did the Music Man. It's really not so difficult (unless people don't have their lines memorized). I really do like the way it sets the stage for Hill, but it's not something I enjoy listening to over and over.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 4:03pm

Pfft. Wannabes, all of this. Arguably the *worst* of all time has to be "We're on the Barbary Coast" from BARBARY COAST, which was a bound-for-Broadway xtravaganza written as a vehicle for John Raitt and which quite properly closed in San Francisco.

Imagine: in the prologue alone, *four* full stage set changes and a working cable car turnaround, as tourists in gorgeous 19th century costumes sing manically for five minutes, "We're on the Barbary/We're on the Barbary/We're on the Barbary Cooooooooooooooooooast!"

My teeth hurt in memory of it.

[incupsofcoffee]

Posted: 2/27/07 at 4:08pm

The opening of The Music Man makes me want to kill myself. The opening of Sweeney Todd is beautiful.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 5:39pm

Wanna Be a Foster, who the HELL do you think you are to say "performing isn't my thing"??!!! You know nothing about me or what I like to do. Go fu** yourself and let me have an opnion. dammit some people on here are such retards.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 5:46pm

Best - Will Rogers
Worst - Wicked

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 5:49pm

ahaha. Lzzya9 is my favorite!

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 6:18pm

Lizzya9 strikes again! Such Maturity.

I wouldn't think of Wicked as the worst. I think its OK.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 6:23pm

LOL i luv you 2 caroline


Footloose is growing on me now. we perform in 4 days and it is fun. our lead is incredible. but if I have to sing "on any sunday here we'll be..." once more... = /

best: Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King
worst: Spring Awakening

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 6:25pm

"best: Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King
worst: Spring Awakening"

You haven't even seen Spring Awakening.How can you say its the worst? I don't think you've seen The Lion King either...

[Julian2]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 6:33pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I <3 this thread!

[jg4892]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 6:35pm

lizzy- you know you haven't even seen Spring Awakening and barely know anything about it. the only reason you don't like it is because you're too obsessed with your disney musicals to realize that sex ACTUALLY exists!