I can't imagine how Sweeney can give a person chills. It's... yeah, I don't know.
During "One Day More", when everyone starts singing their own thing -- I have to agree, that's an awesome moment. Also, during "Finale", when the people begin to sing. I just love that.
Anything at the Palace, that place is freezing!!!!
Sweeney gives me chills for the opening. Hmmm lemme think of some more.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
The opening of every show. Whether it's a musical or straight play, Broadway production or community theatre, I feel a chill as the house lights go down and (if it's a musical) I hear the first notes of the overture or opening. A smile spreads across my face and I'll often close my eyes for just a moment - there it is, that wonderful moment of anticipation, the knowledge that, as soon as the curtain rises, I will have, for the most part, left reality behind and be looking into a different world. There it is, the magic of the stage, of living, breathing art, right in front of me.
As for specific shows that stand out to me...well, I hope this doesn't sound too silly, and I really hope it doesn't cast me into a stereotype, but Rent comes to mind. It was the first show I saw on Broadway - five years ago, on a class trip - and I still remember the thrill I felt at the end of the title song. The voices of the entire ensemble swelling into the final chorus, all that energy and vividness captured onstage - what an introduction to Broadway.
For a more recent example, I saw La Traviata at the Met last February. What an experience - I practically got chills as soon as I stepped into the building!
Zyla, I agree...the opening moments of a show are just awesome. Also, the opening moments of silence in Sweeney are one of my favorite theatre experiences...most of the audience having no clue what's going on and feeling awfully uncomfortable.
How did I forget Sunday in the Park...the London production remains to be the piece of theatre that moved me the most...I was just in awe.
Updated On: 8/21/06 at 12:05 AM
I agree with Light (especially the end of Act I) & the end of Miss Saigon....
Other times include: -when I saw Wicked for the first time, Defying Gravity gave me the willies!!!! -during Nobody Needs to Know during L5Y....crazy chills!!!!
At the beginning of Chita Rivera-The Dancer's Life when Chita is behind the screen in silhouette. Total chills of exhilaration.
In Sunset Boulevard when Norma pulls the trigger.
In Miss Saigon when Kim kills, again during the fall of Saigon and of course, the ending.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
When Michael Cerveris sung "Epiphany" and when Patti LuPone sang "Rose's Turn." Both those moments were beyond amazing!
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
The middle section of The Proposal in Jane Eyre had my pulse racing. It was one of those, stomach dropping out, body shutting down, because of the amazement of the music moments.
Simiar feeling, only twinged with that sick sadness for Nobody Needs to Know in L5Y.
Easy as Life - Aida
Ballad of Sweeney Todd - when done with a full sounding orchestra.
Little Shop of Horrors - Don't Feed the Plants. When the tour stopped at the Ahmanson, and the plant actually came out into the audience... my heart stopped. I never knew theater could be so totally engrossing. Even my fourth viewing, nearly a year and a half afterward when the tour came relatively close to my house, that song gives me chills. It's so happy, yet so pleading.
RENT - Will I? Near the end, when there's four or five different groups -- wow.
Now I really wish I was in New York -- I haven't really seen all that many shows and feel kinda stereotypical. 'specially with RENT up there.
"You mean what was the best picture of the year or what did they pick as the best picture of the year?" - California Suite