Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical- Page 4

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 10:47am

A Chorus Line
Ragtime

[jeremykushnier1fan]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 11:05am

RENT-RENT

*mamie i love your picture of scout(that's who it is right?)*

[matiboi]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 11:09am

Audition from 42nd Street
Wilkommen from Cabaret
I Hope I Get It from A Chorus Line

Don't shoot me but . . .
Jellicle Songs from you know what

[Mamie]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 11:13am

jk fan - Yes - that's Scout. Merry Christmas!

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 12:16pm

Another vote for Titanic here. A very breathtaking 15 minutes of music. From the opening chords through "Godspeed Titanic" it is truly wonderful onstage sequence.

A few other suggestions:

The classic opening songs in Kiss Me, Kate ("Another Opening, Another Show") and Annie Get Your Gun ("There's No Business Like Show Business") are two of musical theatres most recognizable show business anthems.

"Runyonland" from Guys and Dolls

"Ragtime" from, well, Ragtime

[Logainne]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 12:30pm

Yeah, I must say Titanic is a favorite as well..its a great way to set the scene for the show.

And I'm not sure if anyone said this because I didn't read every post, but I love the opening to "Your a Good Man Charlie Brown", more on the revival recording with the neat added parts.
"Into the Woods" also I love and "Sweeney Todd" is so haunting and awesome.
Also "I Hope I Get It" I love love and it starts off the show nicely.
Umm..I love "25th Annual..." and "Statues and Stories" makes a good opening to Light in the Piazza.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 1:01pm

"Colored Lights" - The Rink
The opening segment from "Kiss of the Spider Woman"
"All that Jazz" - Chicago
"Will-a-Mania" - Will Rogers Follies
"There you are" - Edwin Drood
Opening from "Into the Woods"
"Sweeney Todd" - ALL Versions!
"Cabaret" - the 98 revival
"Urinetwon"
"Good Morning Baltimore" - Hairspray
"There's no business like show business" - Elaine Stritch-At Liberty

[kate2]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 1:24pm

"Every Story" AIDA

[Whiteguy2088]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 8:41am

I am reviving this thread :)

Anyways...

"Circle of Life" - Lion King [best song from the musical (with close second "Shadowland" and "He Lives in You")]

"We Dance" - Once on this Island [amazing]

"Prologue" - Ragtime [Honestly the best opening number in my eyes]

"Opening Night" - The Producers [for some reason I love this number...starts the comedy out right]

"The New World" - Songs for a New World [gives me chills]

"It's Your Wedding Day" - The Wedding Singer [best song from the show...at least it starts out good]

Honorable Mention:
"No One Mourns the Wicked" - Wicked
"Work Song" - Les Mis
"Every Story is a Love Story" - Aida
"Prologue - The Enchantress" - Beauty and the Beast [those coords that remind you of the film as a child just cant be beat]

Yeah my list is long...but I felt the need to celebrate all the best ones :)

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:00am

Prologue/Belle - Beauty and the Beast
Thouroughly Modern Millie
Two Worlds - Tarzan

[leefowler]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:00am

"There's No Business Like Show Business" isn't REALLY the opening number of Annie Get Your Gun, even though it became so for the revival. The actual opening number is "Colonel Buffalo Bill", which I like, actually, although it's unlikely to make anyone's list of favorite opening numbers.

And by the way, even though not a note is sung, let's not forget the opening to "The Music Man".

[Mark_E]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:04am

I love "It Sucks to be me" from Avenue Q. It pretty much sets up the entire show.

Also like Not for the life of me in Millie and NOMTW from Wicked

[Princeton78]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:15am

Tower of Babble/Prepare Ye....

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:47am

Sweeneyfan said;
I might have said Ragtime, myself, except that I can't get past the Boy...perhaps the single most annoying child actor/voice to ever grace a Broadway stage....

I totaly agree, but has anyone herd the little boy on the Concept CD???? OH my lord this child is 10 times worse. But Alex Strang (OBC Boy) is not that bad actually. If you judge him off of the CR your inpression of him would be wrong, but once you see him in the show, he totally fits the part as a curious little boy, who is living through a time of change, he works very well, except his annoying Mushroom Haircut!

[Anthony3]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 9:51am

I like the Hannibal scene in Phantom.

Also,

No One Mourns The Wicked
All That Jazz

theres too many good ones!

[The White Half-Mask]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 11:24am

"Opening Night/The King of Broadway" from The Producers
"The Circle of Life" from The Lion King
"It Sucks to Be Me" from Avenue Q
"All That Jazz" from Chicago

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 11:35am

All That Jazz-Chicago
I hope I get It-A Chorus Line
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd-Sweeney Todd

Honorable Mention

Every Story-Aida
No One Mourns The Wicked- Wicked

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 11:48am

good morning baltimore

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 12:16pm

"I Ain't Down Yet", the opening number from THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN(1960), with Tammy Grimes and her brothers.It was the thrilling highlight of the show which unfortunately went steadily downhill from there.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 12:19pm

Now/Later/Soon

I could listen to it for 24 straight hours and not be bored with it...

[BroadwayBaby21]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 12:24pm

My favorite is the Audition Dance from 42nd Street... I love the way the curtain rises up and all you see is the 'dancing feet' for a few seconds. :)

I also love the Prologue of Into the Woods, and Ragtime's opening.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 1:02pm

The opening of Ragtime makes me WEEP.
Not because it's particularly moving, but just because it is utterly brilliant.

Kudos to Danielle, Ahrens & Flaherty.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 1:13pm

"giving them what they want from DRS"

how many shows have you seen? it's funny but not jaw-dropping. and love that show, it's one of my favorite, but i really don't think it can compare with some of these amazing opening numbers..

-no one mourns the wicked
-the opening in west side story [yah it's a prologue, bite me.=)]
-the new world
-statues & stories
-circle of life [unfortunately]
-in aida, i love the way the first song goes in fortune favors the brave, though i guess it doesn't really count as an "opening" persay.
-the opening number in WORKING is amazing, if done to justice.

but there are some amazing ones. when an opening is especially outstanding, it really gets you into the rest of the show, it's like bait to the audience where they need to be. and besides, who doesn't love a good opening?

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 1:31pm

Yeah, 42nd Street's opening takes the cake for me. = ]

[Junior]

Posted: 11/25/06 at 2:47pm

OK. Let me start off with saying that I'm not a big fan of the show, but I like Tarzan's opening sequence. Watching it in the video preview on here, I was like wtf? but after seeing it, It makes much more sense. True, the perspectives are a little "different" (when tarzan's parents are basically walking/ descending down the backdrop that's supposed to be the shore) but overall I liked the underwater effects and the projections.

I second Circle of Life, but agree that it basically sets a tone for the rest of the show that isn't met.

I also love the opening number of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. I know it's a simple show, but I've done it and its one of my favorite theatrical experiences to date, so it will always have a special place with me.

I also liked the opening of Jekyll and Hyde. It sets a good tone for the show, and sucked me in right from the beginning. It's not flashy or anything, but it explains why Dr. Jekyll does what he does.