best/most powerful finales of a show — Page 2

Melissa Errico at the end of the concert style Finian's Rainbow doing the reprise of "How Are Things...". I Love her.

Cabaret Revival finale.

Jersey Boys finale.

I do not like Woman In White, but I will admit that I do like when Maria Friedman does her last bit ("I close my eyes...")

PIAZZA ending w/ Fable!

And I know its not on broadway now and its not really a finale, but I LOVE the ending of Carnival when Lili picks up the puppet and walks off with Paul.

Carousel Finale.

Sweet Charity Finale. Best part of the 2005 revival.

"Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George. It's breathtaking.

The end of the Cabaret revival is definitely the most jarring and creepiest that I can think of.

I also agree with BroadwayChica about the Ragtime finale... it's one of my favorite musicals (as might be a little obvious), but "'Til We Reach That Day" (Act I closer) is much more powerful than the finale.

Does Rose's Turn REALLY count? It's an 11 o'clock number, and the last one sung in the show, but it's NOT the end of the show exactly...

I would add the signing at the end of 1776 (did I give it away?) to Les Mis, Sweeney, and Cabaret.

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"A Chorus Line", "Hairspray", "Saturday Night Fever" (megamix at the end), "Cabaret", "Gypsy", "La Cage Aux Folles", "West Side Story", "Funny Girl"

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Updated On: 2/19/06 at 06:01 PM

Camelot, because my heart just goes out to Arthur.

IMHO...A Chorus Line is the ending that defines, celebrates and encapsulates ALL other Broadway endings. How could a finale to a Broadway show be any more...well...final? ACL is the ultimate "big finish." A literal "signature" on one of Broadway's greatest achievements. The fact that the entire show preceeding the Finale is almost totally devoid of any sort of costumes, scenery, flash or spectacle (except for the mirrors/periaktoi mechanisms) only heightens the thrilling absolute magic that literally rushes out over the footlights into the audience during the Finale/bows.

Every time I've seen a competent production of ACL the "peak" moment of the Finale (when the music swells as the dancers move out of the circular formation and travel upstage to reform the line, turn to face the audience, tip back their hats and begin moving downstage "as one" while the orchestra brass blasts away and the "starburst" side of the periaktoi turns into view) not only gives me full-body goosebumps, it nearly makes me weep in amazement at the sheer genius/effectiveness of Michael Bennett's penultimate moment. After that, a gentle fade to black with never-ending kicks....

I can't WAIT to experience it again on Broadway this year.

Updated On: 2/19/06 at 06:29 PM

1. The Phantom

2. Hairspray - awesome

3. Wicked

At the risk of sounding totally cliche, Phantom and Les Mis.

I'd have to agree with "Cabaret", too.

You know I did not like the ending of POTO. The mask and the chair. To me it was kind-a weak.

I remembered a new one.... Sunset Boulevard when she goes totally wack job is amazing!

Parade's finale is amazing

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Let's see...amazing finales:
Les Miserables
Titanic (a personal fave)
Piazza
Hairspray
Cabaret
Parade

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Love the Lion King ending cause everyone is out there with their crazy costumes.

Les Miserables always gets to me. So powerful!

Mamma Mia is so much fun because you can sing and dance at your seat and is fun.

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Most powerful - the finale of LES MISERABLES! It was very uplifting, maybe because it was performed in a historical context and somehow one feels that the emotions were very real!