Musical Lyrical Lingo
We're Musical Lyrical Lingo!
Join Tim and Lj who delve deep into the wonderful world of musical theatre and more importantly the lessons they have learned from different musicals.
Join them as they explore some of the greatest musicals ever created, from the classics to the new and exciting shows that continue to teach us something new.
So whether you're a seasoned fan of the stage or a newcomer, this podcast is for you.
So sit back, relax and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of musical theatre.
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Musical Lyrical Lingo
Curtain's Peak: The Art of Act One Finales
The curtain falls, the house lights come up, and you're left sitting in your seat, utterly stunned by what you've just witnessed. That's the power of a perfect Act One finale in musical theatre – a moment that leaves you counting the seconds until the second act begins.
Tim and LJ explore the special magic of these pivotal theatrical moments, breaking down what makes certain songs so effective at closing the first half of a show. Is it the spectacular staging of "Defying Gravity" as Elphaba rises above the stage? The emotional devastation of "I Am Telling You" from Dreamgirls? Or perhaps the surprising depth of "Tomorrow Is" from SpongeBob the Musical?
Through personal stories and passionate analysis, the hosts reveal how these musical moments combine vocal power, narrative tension, and often breathtaking visuals to create unforgettable theatrical experiences. Tim recalls being moved to tears by "You Will Be Found" from Dear Evan Hansen, while LJ shares experiencing a spontaneous standing ovation during Amber Riley's performance of "I Am Telling You" – before the act had even properly concluded.
Beyond their personal top five, they discuss beloved classics like "One Day More" from Les Misérables and "Tonight (Quintet)" from West Side Story, exploring why these Act One finales have become legendary in theatre circles. The conversation reveals how these songs serve multiple dramatic purposes: resolving first-act tensions while setting up new conflicts, showcasing characters at pivotal moments, and sending audiences to intermission buzzing with anticipation.
Whether you're a seasoned theatre-goer or just discovering the world of musicals, this episode will enhance your appreciation for these carefully crafted theatrical moments and might just inspire your next ticket purchase. Share your own favorite Act One finale with us on social media – we'd love to hear what musical moment left you breathless as the curtain fell.
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Hello and welcome to Musical Lyrical Lingo. We're your hosts.
Lj:Tim and LJ. Today and every week we will be discussing musicals, but specifically what they taught us.
Tim:You're getting faster and faster. Like you fire through that now. Do I, you really do? Yeah, it's like that was really good. That wasn't an electronic sound effect, that was me. I made that myself. That was really good, I know and we do have executive producer Aaron in the room today who could do that. Do you remember when he did those terrible like sound effects? They were awful. It really cheapened the podcast.
Lj:It completely cheapened it.
Tim:We're so much better than that.
Lj:Our advert revenue went down that week.
Tim:We're only joking. It's so lovely to have you with us, aaron. It makes us, as we said, off air. It makes us all warm and cosy and fluffy. He's also here because he's got a very special job, because we're doing something a wee bit different today. We are, but here. Before we start, I want to talk about something slightly controversial. What is it Before? I give you some theatre news? So we now know that Cabaret in Broadway is closing. Yes, has it closed yet or is closing? It's closing. It is closing, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, and Billy Porter has had to step away from it because of illness. He had sepsis, but I wanted to check. He's getting absolutely terrible slating online and lots of people are blaming him for the closure. Now, that's obviously not the case, like the closing notice came before he got sick. But why? Why? Why is it so successful in London and not successful in Broadway?
Lj:I don't get it it's so strange how, in musicals, that happens, isn't it? It's a different audience and I think he's also getting deleted because people didn't like how he was doing. I mean, you know, he made a comment or one of his performances.
Tim:I certainly know his comment in an interview probably was ill thought out, thought out and did him no, you know favours.
Lj:Cabaret is it?
Tim:like is it more of an English audience musical than an American audience musical? Because I wondered if that was the case but then I went but there have been really successful. You know productions of Cabaret in Broadway, like Alan Cummings, like that was a huge hit I know. You know the production he was in.
Lj:Isn't it? We've had this conversation many a times. There's something wrong with Broadway. I think we need to go and hold.
Tim:There's something wrong with Broadway. I think we need to go and hold out America and sort out Broadway.
Lj:Yes, try and figure out what is happening.
Tim:Like, obviously it's a lot more hardcore over there, in that if it's not making money, it's off, it's over, whereas I do think there's an element of giving it the benefit of the doubt, maybe, or giving it a bit more time in in the west end. But I just like, I have seen that production. It is one of the best productions I've ever seen.
Tim:It's not that it was like yeah not a very good revival, like it's probably up there with one of the best revivals there's ever been. And then I was looking at something else and they were saying but they didn't have the big enough names. But when you look at the names that have been in to that Broadway cabaret like Orville Peck, yeah, and Adam Lambert I'm like like what bigger names do you want? Yeah. So essentially I feel sad for my friend. I know, marisha. I know because obviously all of their contracts are ending early and it's just very sad, but they knew they were going to be the last two.
Lj:Yeah, I know so they knew that they were going to close them, but the fact that it's closing earlier than what was intended is.
Tim:And their stint has been cut in half, hasn't it? It's sad.
Aaron:Yeah, so the internet is saying that there's significantly higher production costs and union-driven operating expenses in New York and the production's immersive style being less familiar and appealing to American audiences and the weighty socio-political themes resonating uncomfortably with the current American political climate.
Lj:Oh, very clever.
Tim:That's why it's here, See.
Lj:this is why we like when you're here, that's why it's here.
Tim:I'm going to thank Google for that one. But on to more uplifting news about our good friend of the pod, and just all round like superstar, sarah McFarlane.
Lj:Oh, my goodness.
Tim:And to our listeners who have been listening for many, many a year now. Sarah was on our pod the last time talking about Six. Well, it was announced. She announced this week I've known for a while but I've had to keep my mouth shut that she is going to be going on the next national tour of Mamma.
Lj:Mia.
Tim:Mamma Mia as ensemble and first cover Sophie, yeah. So well done to Sarah, and she's already said she'll come back on the pod Amazing, and she manifested that on the pod. She did. She just wanted to play. Yeah, she just wanted to play.
Lj:That is her dream role.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:So could not be more delighted for her. Yeah, and if you don't currently follow Sarah, follow her on the socials.
Tim:Sarah McFarlane on the socials she is outstanding an absolute dote. So that tour is opening in the Mayflower Southampton on the 24th of October. It's not I've already had this out with her. She's not happy either. It's not coming over across the water, but it is in Edinburgh for Christmas.
Lj:Oh.
Tim:Just put it out there that might be a nice trip, a wee nice trip for anyone who's interested. So there you go. Well done her, and we look forward to hearing from her Absolutely Other. So there you go. Well done her and we look forward to hearing from her. Absolutely Other exciting news across the pond Broadway is getting a Dreamgirls revival.
Tim:Yes, they are To open on Broadway in 2026. Now the only thing I'm a wee bit about this is they are going to do a worldwide search to find the next Dreams. I hope it doesn't become one of those reality like publicity things. Do you know what I mean? I hope I mean Broadway deserves a proper revival.
Lj:But I mean again, our podcast elevated that because we only did Dreamgirls not that long ago.
Tim:And we said about the lack of revivals.
Lj:See the producers are listening.
Tim:We just have the power, don't we?
Lj:Yes, we do.
Tim:Another person who has the power is Cameron McIntosh. Les Mis is doing another special concert performance of Les Mis.
Lj:Yeah, it deserves it, doesn't it?
Tim:40 years, I mean they love a good old anniversary at Les Mis, don't they? So Les Mis has revealed a special gala performance to mark the 40th anniversary, with performers including Paddy LePone, michael Ball, alfie Bowe, samantha Barks, matt Lucas, michael Ball, alfie Bowe, samantha Barks, Matt Lucas. Oh, franche, fran Ruffel, ruffel, ruffel, the original. Oh no, that's awful, I need to know her name Frances Ruffel, I think the original, ebony Carrie, hope Fletcher and Bonnie Lankford, and that's going to be in the Sondheim Theatre on the 8th of October. What.
Lj:Well, oh, no, no, I'm excited. I was like hmm, Another Les Mis Another. Les.
Tim:Mis, I'm Les Mis'd out, even though I'm sitting here with Les Mis. Who do you want?
Lj:Can, because you mentioned Harriet Fletcher.
Tim:I know, just hot off the presses today. Yeah, go on then.
Lj:Well, there's two very exciting things about her.
Tim:Yeah, she's going to be a busy girl.
Lj:Yeah, so is it a wee bit too early to mention it? It's not too early to mention it, so Christmas is just around the corner.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:And her and her lovely husband are going to be an elf.
Tim:Yeah, so Jo Montague is going to bef and Carrie Hope Fletcher is going to be Julie, isn't it?
Lj:Yeah, and then yes, as you said, hot off the press today it was announced that Carrie Hope Fletcher is going to be playing Jenna in the UK and Ireland tour.
Tim:Yeah, that's a sugar butter flower casting right there. Now she's going to be playing the role of Jenna for a limited run. Yes, but she is to play Dublin.
Lj:Mmhmm, so that's will that be you in your trip, or is it on sale?
Tim:well, she's very showbiz, mmhmm, I think, for that role, waitress mmhmm. So it'll be interesting to see what she, what she brings mmhmm to it. I mean, she's amazing, I think she's fab, but it's not a role that you would have gone. Oh, carrie Hope Fletcher yeah, true, so it's fun casting. So, yeah, without any excuse to see Waitress, to be quite honest with you and I'm up there, it opens in the new Wimbledon Theatre on the 28th of March in 2026. Love it. So there we go. That's a lot of exciting news, isn't it Very?
Lj:exciting, very exciting.
Tim:For a Monday morning, afternoon, evening, whatever time you're listening to this pod.
Lj:But it feels like there has been like lots and lots and lots and lots and lots this week. Oh, my goodness, this week has been I feel like we're almost just going to continue to get better.
Tim:Yeah, and it's just going to continue to get better. Yeah, which is always so exciting. Like every day, this week, there was something, wasn't there. Yeah, yeah, very, very exciting.
Lj:Well, speaking of exciting, we've got an exciting episode.
Tim:I know we haven't done an episode like this for a while, but they are. I'll be completely honest with you. They are sometimes my favourite type of episodes.
Lj:Yeah, so we are, and it was inspired by a couple of episodes ago. So we are, and it was inspired by a couple of episodes ago. It was when we were talking in our legally blonde and talking about how great, so much better is an Act 1 finale.
Tim:Yeah, and how important to have a good Act. 1 finale number.
Lj:Yeah, so then so we thought let's do a whole episode on it.
Tim:Yeah, so we do love our top five episodes, don't we? The last time we did one was way, way back many centuries ago in February, when we did our top five love songs, so we thought we'd do it again.
Lj:And you know what we really challenged ourselves, because we are really thinking about you guys, our listeners, because we could really do a top 10 each, but we're like that would be a lot. So we break it down to five.
Tim:So we're doing a top five with a hundred Honourable mentions. Honourable mentions, exactly. Yeah. Now, before we get into your top five, what to you makes a good end of act? One finale number oh, interesting.
Lj:So one, I think, that definitely makes you turn around to whoever you're with at the theater, or just the person sitting beside you, and say, wow, isn't that amazing? So it's that sort of feeling that you get, but also one which makes you excited about the curtain arising for Act Two. So, there's a kind of a mixture and I think that's kind of will be reflected on the choices that I made.
Tim:I think so too. I think when you break it down. The Act One finale numbers are quite complex Because, as you said, it has to give you the wow factor, it has to have an impact for you going off to the bar to have your interval drink, either buzzing and wanting to dance on top of the bar, or either like shell shocked as to maybe something has just happened. You're like what? For me, I like an emotional climax to um, to the end of an act, you know, delivering a powerful emotional punch just as the curtain comes down, leaving the audience feeling thrilled, moved or in awe yeah, that is good so I have a few of those okay, so this is what I'm going to say.
Lj:I will 100% get messages and emails being like I can't believe that such and such a song was not in your top five. So I'm also going to say that I didn't put in maybe Some of the ones which you expect.
Aaron:Yeah, because.
Lj:I did do it on personal preference.
Tim:So did I Okay yeah.
Lj:But I think, if we were to revisit this, which is sometimes nice to do, yeah and if we were looking at it overall, for, like the top 10 at one, our lists would be very different.
Tim:I think so.
Lj:So when anybody coming at me I can't believe you left such and such off your list.
Tim:But you know what I mean. I can't believe you left such and such off your list. But you know what, if you are one of those listeners that are giving off at our top five, let us know. Yeah, let us know on our socials what would your top five have been. Or what Act One finale number are we missing? Yeah, you know, with an Act One finale, there has to be a build-up and a payoff to them. Do you know what I mean? Like songs that often build on a theme and conflicts introduced throughout the first act, or like take it in a different direction for the second half. Do you know what I mean? That's it.
Lj:That's it, so will we start with mine?
Tim:Okay, are we ready? Yeah, so the reason we've got Aaron here is we might get wee snippets of what we're talking about.
Lj:Yeah, so I'm going straight into it with what you said there.
Tim:What did I say?
Lj:About how you can take it in a new direction. Okay, so my number five is Okay, so the title is Tomorrow Is From SpongeBob the Musical what? Okay, so the title is tomorrow is from spongebob the musical what?
Tim:okay, like I never in a million years would have thought spongebob, the musical would appear on any top five of yours yeah, so so tomorrow is. We only have tomorrow To try to save the day Okay. Okay so it's very slow compared to the rest of it's slow for an Act One finale number To the rest of SpongeBob, and I love SpongeBob the Musical.
Aaron:It's one we haven't done yet on the pod.
Lj:I love it. So this song in particular is written by the Feming Lips, who are an American psychedelic rock band, because SpongeBob was kind of written by lots of artists, musical artists, but the line in Tomorrow Is is we only have tomorrow to somehow find a way to save ourselves tomorrow? There's only one more day.
Tim:Okay.
Lj:And it's obviously SpongeBob set in Bikini Bottom and there's like they're all going to die. They think that's what's going to happen and there's like real're all gonna die. They well, they think that's what's gonna happen and there's like real hope in this song and I love that it is completely out of the blue okay and I think that's something for me.
Lj:I was like I want to put that in my top five because I find it very emotional and I love that. All the characters get a little bit and you see them, but they're all worried about the next day. That's so true. We don't know what's going to happen.
Tim:And that's what I love about Act One finale numbers. It often brings often it's like a full company number, isn't it? And it brings all these different characters onto the stage at the same time and they all have their own wee parts to play within the plot. And, yeah, I love, I love that kind of like makeup of an act one finale. Okay, interesting, it sounds like everybody should hold hands in the audience when it comes to that act one finale number. Okay, well, my act one finale top five. Number five is Esmeralda from Hunchback of Notre Dame, and get yourself ready towards the end. Go to the end there, aaron, because the end is the most spectacular bit but that is the most spectacular musical.
Tim:Yeah, don't forget as much love as needed music by Alan Manken and lyrics by Stephen Swartz. Hit it. I like this part coming up.
Aaron:Love it.
Tim:I'm not love it yeah, it's, it's big, isn't it? Like that big sound, the ahs at the end, the clashing last chord is just like that. Wow, that you mentioned I also love em. It sounds so militant. Yes, you know, like hunt down the gypsy Esmeralda and then, if you stick in, like flaming torches and pickaxes and you know all of that. I also just love the big cathedral choir, like I mean, a lot of Hunchback of Notre Dame is choir-like anyway, but those big cathedral vocals but also throughout the numbers.
Tim:So much is happening in the plot. You know Phoebus disobeys Frollo for the first time and he goes nah, I'm not, I'm not hunting Esmeralda, you can do it yourself. You know, I also love like wee. Snippets of other songs come in, like God Help. The Oddcasts is mentioned. You've got the. I love this too. This is one of my favourite things about musicals when, like, two or three characters are singing their own, like musical motif, but at the same time and overlapping each other. So you've got like Frollo, phoebus and Quasimodo singing at the same time and overlapping each other. So you've got like Frollo, phoebus and Quasimodo singing at the same time and Quasimodo singing out there.
Lj:You know, it's yeah, it's class yeah, beautiful, beautiful musical, yeah, good choice thanks well done.
Tim:I am proud of my top five. I have to say yeah my number four yeah on the four.
Lj:La Vie Boheme.
Tim:Oh, I love you for picking La Vie Boheme. It was one of my honourable mentions.
Lj:Yes, yes, so it's from Rent, written by the wonderful John F Larson, and this is all about celebrating modern bohemian life.
Tim:Wine and beer.
Aaron:Love it.
Lj:We are just dancing away here. Thank you so much.
Tim:Creating a commotion.
Lj:Love it. Yeah, I love that musical. As we've discussed, we both love that musical but it really celebrates, as I say, modern making in life. It honours unconventional artists. It shows all of those characters their friendship. It shows them individually.
Tim:It shows how close knit of a group they are and just having fun at midnight yeah you know late eating food when you're young, it just is class yeah, I agree and I love well, we know that, we love that musical. But a lot of the numbers within that musical are like duets or solo numbers and it's one of the first times that all of the characters are together and also like having a party. So the like, the numbers are upbeat and happy and free spirited, free spirited, yeah, yeah.
Tim:And then you've got your the iconic like choreography where they're all sitting at the table and then they start pumping their heads like a chicken. It's class so that's my number four and the way they shout, and that takes you into the interval wow, what is it I'm watching here? He knew what he was doing. God bless him, jonathan Larson. Well, my number four maybe isn't as happy.
Lj:Okay.
Tim:And celebratory as yours, Mine is. Till we Reach that Day from Ragtime oh it's such a good one.
Tim:Yeah, so music by Stephen Flackerty, who did Once on this Island and Seussical, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens I think it's because she was somebody's child. There are heroes out there, there are people out there. We're looking for a day of peace, A day of pride. So I know I've realised I like a big sound, don't I? Yeah, you do, I do like a big sound. There's something about like a wall of voices just hitting you in the face as you go out for your you know gin and tonic or your glass of wine. At the interval, yeah, we said at the beginning, obviously our choices were very personable to us. Yeah, I remember seeing Ragtime and actually I was relatively young Like I was still in my teens when I saw it and the impact that show left on me was huge and it still upsets me that I've never seen it again since because it hasn't come to London since. It's lovely that it's been revived in America and is coming back to the Lincoln Center and oh my goodness, I would like if they could do a pro shot of that. I would be delirious. I also hope they do a cast recording of it. But to give you a bit of background, it's set in early 20th century and Ragtime tells the story of three groups in the US the African Americans, presented by Cole House Walker Jr this is the character, a Harlem musician and then the second group is like these upper suburbanites, and then the third group is Eastern European immigrants. And how just the lives of these three different groups intertwine. The show also incorporates historical figures including Evelyn Nesbitt, booker T Washington, emma Goldman and JP Morgan. So till we reach that day.
Tim:The final number is a conclusion to Act One is a conclusion to Act 1. After Sarah, who was Cole House Walker's fiancé and mother to his child and unborn child, she's beaten to death after falsely being accused of having a gun at a campaign rally. What happens is Cole House Walker's car is stopped and is trashed because of the colour of his skin and he goes. This can't happen and he vows not to marry Sarah until it changes. So Sarah goes to this rally to get help to explain the situation and they think as she is approaching, she has a gun and she's killed. So this number is at her funeral, where the black mourners are demanding an end to such injustice and a pray for true equality, all whilst coal house weeps at sarah's grave.
Tim:I love it actually starts with a coal house roaring like screaming in absolute agony that this has happened. Like what a beginning. Yeah, and I just love those rallying choruses. The words are massively important a day of peace, a day of justice we have been denied. We'll never get to heaven till we reach that day. It's heartbreaking and it had a. Really it left me numb, but it is a fabulous way to go into an interval.
Lj:I know I'm dugging it out on the board. I'm looking forward to doing it. I'm looking forward to doing it as well so it was my number four beautiful, depressing, sorry as well but yeah so it was, it was my number four.
Tim:Beautiful, yeah, yeah, depressing, beautiful sorry I would love to say it gets better and actually, but I don't, I don't think it does from memory number three is one that probably most people would have on their list.
Lj:um, and I put it as number three and I could have left it off, but deep down in my heart I was like I needed to put it there. Defying Gravity from Wicked.
Tim:Oh, what a good choice, Lauren. You might hear a Defying Gravity from me later too.
Lj:Do you want to play Defying Gravity? Evie.
Tim:Or will I just sing it? I hope you're proud how you would go on with your mission to be your own ambition.
Lj:So, though I can't imagine how, thank you for that, that was really nice, obviously Defying Gravity from Oathcage by the amazing Stephen Schwartz the climax of the first act, and I think this was one of the very first ones that, whenever I first seen it, I did turn around to my mum and sister and was like this thing's amazing, and I think it was how she's flying.
Lj:I love how there's the slow tempo, you know, in between where you start to really see the change in the dynamic between Galinda and Elphaba. And this is you know, hopefully everybody knows by now. But she's really, elphaba has realized the truth about the wizard and this is her vow to fight him. So you really, once that curtain comes down, you're like, oh my gosh, what is going to happen in the second half, especially? If you have been a Wizard of Oz fan and you haven't read the Wicked books, and you have no idea what's going on right now.
Lj:Once that song is over, you're going. What could happen next? Yeah, which is how I was saying. A lot of people, including ep in the corner, are feeling right now about the film yeah, the second part, yeah, that's it.
Tim:Well, that's it, because the end of act one is truly the beginning of alphabets evolution into the Wicked Witch of the West that everybody knows from, and it, it, yes. You feel something rumbling until this number and then you're like, oh, my goodness, like everything's about to change. Yeah, and that excitement. Another reason why I was in my top five too, is another like element of an act one finale. We haven't talked about much, which is staging and visuals and how important that is. Like the spectacle from clever staging tricks or the sheer, you know, powerful ensemble numbers and like defying gravity, is like the definition of that. The fact that she flies, the fact that the rest of the company all come rushing in, whether they're a guard or whether they're a member of, you know, a citizen of Oz, but you know, and looking up at her as she's soaring above them all, like that's a pretty massive spectacle of a visual that's like pure theatre.
Tim:Unless it doesn't work and it's a no-fly show which I couldn't imagine that Aquantan finale having the same impact. It couldn't, it just couldn't.
Lj:The only thing, unless they did old-school pantomime style where she's in a box. Do you know what I mean? But you'd have to get up to the box she's on the stage.
Tim:You don't know. You wouldn't have known whether the fly was going to happen. Until it doesn't happen, yeah, and then it's a no fly show.
Lj:We had a no fly show tonight and have somebody dressed as Elphaba, like mime.
Tim:I'd be asking. I went to a no-fly show. I have to be honest.
Lj:Oh, it would be.
Tim:Yeah, but it's life-changing, if you've seen it and you've experienced it like, I think, we might be going back to Wicca to see it, oh yeah, well, now that we've seen the film, Okay, need to experience. It's nice to experience it in its original format. Do you know what I mean?
Lj:Yeah, well, well. Obviously it was last year that I got to see it again yes, like so. I was like, yeah, it'll be not enough time. Yeah yeah, yeah and yeah the whole household actually is super excited about it. Yeah, it's so close though are we going with Timothy again?
Tim:yes, we are obviously was that a? Like please can we go with Tim, or was that a do we have to go with?
Lj:Tim. No, it was like that's definitely what's happening, right? Just checking.
Tim:I also love how that builds. It's a perfect example of how a number like it's very just the two of them, and then they start singing over each other and it's fabulous. My number three is also fabulous. Mm-hmm, it is, and I Am Telling you, from Dreamgirls. Wow, yeah, the music's by Henry Krieger and lyrics by Tom Iain Go to the end there. That was so good. Get you up, get you up, love me, love me, love me.
Aaron:Love, you're gonna love Love.
Tim:Love. Stop it, Aaron, stop it. Do you know what?
Lj:That is so funny. That is the first time where EP has gone. I'm not turning this off.
Tim:I'm listening. You liked that. Did you Cry her voice? Yeah, well, to be fair, you did pick a good version. You did pick Jennifer Hudson. Yeah, she won an Oscar for that, you know, for official YouTube as well, yeah, so yeah, yeah, it's a torch song, isn't it? Sung by Effie White to her manager, curtis, who's romantic and professional relationship with Effie is ending. Often considered to show signature tune. It describes Effie's love for Curtis, both strongly devoted and defiant, proclaiming and I'm staying and you.
Lj:It describes Effie's love for Curtis, both strongly devoted and defiant, proclaiming and I'm staying and you and you, and you, and you're going to love me. And also gives that real insight that we spoke about, or, sorry, that real feeling of, oh my gosh, what's going to happen, because the first act has been about the dreams and how they're succeeding, and now as a group together. Oh, that's not happening anymore. Yeah, yeah.
Tim:I mean, it's been a big song for a lot of people. You know, jennifer Holliday originated the role in Broadway in 1981. She won a Tony Award for her performance as well as a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Then you have Jennifer Hudson, who we've just heard Aaron couldn't turn her off. She portrayed Effie in the 2006 film adaptation. She won her Oscar, um, and her version of it was in the top 20 R&B singles.
Tim:Uh, the reason it's in my top five at number three is because Dreamgirls was. We mentioned it when we talked about the show. I had always it had always been a musical I had wanted to see. I then did get to see Amber Riley and it was one of the first times I experienced a standing ovation and like that wasn't at the end of the show. Yeah, do you know what I mean?
Tim:And it was hilarious because actually it's not the very end of Act One. So she finishes the number and then you see the dreams going on without her and like they only have like an eight bar phrase or something. They're like I love you, baby, just to bring it to an end, and then the curtain comes down. But they may as well have just gone straight back to their dressing room because nobody could hear nor were paying them any attention, because they were just all on their feet, like in rapturous applause for Effie who was still on stage, just not moving Like as a performer, like what an experience that must be, but like talk about a dramatic way of bringing the curtain down at the end of act.
Lj:One like wow, yeah fantastic, yeah, fantastic good choices thank you good choices um. My number two, yeah, is one that I think I always think about, whenever I do think about an act one, but it's not not my number one. Everything's coming up bruises just think it is. You're witnessing a woman at the end of her like tether type thing, she's going, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay.
Lj:June's left, that's fine. But when I'm still over, I've got always Okay, we're going to go, and she literally makes everything up. So go for an EP if you would like to play. Honey, everything's coming Up roses and daffodils, everything's coming Up sunshine and satin cloths.
Tim:This isn't a good episode. I've got a bad neck.
Lj:Oh no.
Tim:And I keep moving and dancing and like performing to these tracks. We do see this will appeal to you yeah, let's hope the power of musical theatre.
Lj:Yeah, so from Gypsy, by Jill Stein and Stephen Sondheim. This is where she's really positive quick thinking. Make Louise the star.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:But it's still all about her. It's still all about. I can't feel at this.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:I need somebody to be famous. I want to be famous.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:Okay, but we're going to push it all onto Louise and I just think that if you really look into the psychology of that character, she's having a breakdown, a thousand percent Like a complete breakdown.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:And that's where I love it, like everything's coming up and it just almost depends on what actors do.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:That as well. They can go crazy and crazy and crazy. Yeah, just for fun.
Tim:And it's interesting because there's not very many musicals where the main character would have such powerful and iconic numbers in both halves, but Mama Dawes in Gypsy, she has that at the end of Act 1, and then she has Rose's turn quite close to the end of Act 2 as well. So yeah, that's a great shot. Well done, super, super one love it very good. And well, we all know, surprise, surprise, my uh number two was defying gravity from wicked. So shall we talk about some of our honorable mentions that didn't quite make it this time round yeah, let's do before we talk about who is getting our top top spot.
Tim:Well, I talking about it's quite a well known act. One finale I suppose I love the end of Phantom, mainly because you talk about breakdown. The Phantom basically goes on a breakdown and has the chandelier come crashing down onto the stage. That is a wow moment, you know, particularly for the staging and the visual tricks of it all. But it's quite like shocking if you're not expecting it, especially if you see it in London and you are like in the first two or three rows. You genuinely think that chandelier is going to hit you. Like it comes so low, like it. Just when I saw it, it just skimmed the conductor's head. That's crazy.
Tim:Like they don't mock about it comes close doesn't it you feel it like you feel it as it passes you by. So I really like All I Ask of you the reprise, which is the act one of Phantom lovely one of mine was just because it's close and dear to my heart. Anything goes oh yeah, it takes you out to you know tapping, doesn't it?
Lj:again. It's one of those where you're like, okay, you know, now I think there's. There is just like one wee tiny number slightly after that um or a praise, but I do love that. It's like a big dance, does anything goes, not take you out some, some people have the second. You're the top, really.
Tim:Oh God, no, cut that End on anything goes. I think any of the ones we did it ended on anything goes, didn't it? Just in case someone goes. Actually it doesn't end on that number Just because it's near to the heart, yeah. One of mine that was honest to goodness was like so close to making it into my top five and I didn't think of it as an act. One finale number Like that was, you know, worth mentioning until I saw the show again recently is man Up from Book of Mormon.
Lj:It's on my honourable mentions too.
Tim:Like it is a brilliant finale number.
Lj:Same and I have it because I was like that was brilliant, because you are going what is going to happen in the next act?
Tim:Yeah, and I love you know the fact that Sudley Cass comes in and so like.
Lj:I've got in my yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tim:Like all of those characters come back in. You know, elder Cunningham was obviously taking the lead. He's like I'm gonna do it and he's mental. But you then also have Elder Bryce, who's like singing about Orlando Do you know what I mean? And they just all come in over the top of each other and I'm like that's a really good way to end an act. And it was only until I saw it in Dublin, like this year, that I went oh my God, that's a brilliant end of an act. One.
Lj:Yeah, the same. That was so close to making my top five but I had to put of down the snow. Emotion Another one, I suppose it is really close to my heart. Our heart too is Go Go Joseph.
Tim:Oh, the end of Joseph's. Yeah, go, go, go, joseph, you know what to say.
Lj:Because it's literally and if you read the Bible and you know what happens, like actually at that point, whenever Joseph has interpreted the dreams for the baker and the yeah, actually in the bible he gets beat up, yeah, but actually in the musical it goes Joseph and everybody just sings yeah. So it's actually we're just going to skip over.
Tim:I'm glad they ended the way they do, not the way the bible tells you to end up. People will complain if we don't mention One Day More from Leigh Wears, but I kind of feel like that is like a worldwide just given, like quintessential end to.
Aaron:Act One finale number.
Tim:So same and same with Tonight the Quintet from West Side Story. Again, everybody knows it's like in there, in like musical theatre folklore for being the way to end an act. The last two that I kind of thought about were Ever After the end of Act 1 of Into the Woods. Oh lovely, I love how, because actually the way it's written it's almost like the end of Act 1 of Into the Woods. Oh lovely, I love how. Because actually the way it's written it's almost like the end of the show and then they come back in Act 2 and flip the whole thing on its head. But it's such a great way to end an act. And full disclosure from Adam's family.
Lj:Great choice.
Tim:Yeah.
Lj:Great choice.
Tim:Yeah, I mean, as you said at the beginning, it's really hard to pick 5.
Lj:Yeah, you, I mean, it's as you said at the beginning, it's really hard to pick five. Yeah, yeah, you could pick 55, you definitely could. So my last two were non-stop from Hamilton. Yeah, another. I knew you'd have a Hamilton in there every sort of character comes in and then gave my life for you, miss Segal. Oh yes, because it's such foreshadowing as well and heartbreaking, yeah.
Tim:And the image of that, how that's staged and I think it's been staged in every like Cameron McIntosh production of it Like when she like takes the child's hand and the engineer comes to get her and they all turn upstage and walk up, almost like they're walking off into the with all this, like big, walking off into the with all this, like big, massive, like orchestral class. Yeah, on to your number one then, what we've all been waiting for.
Lj:Oh, have I? You mentioned my number one and it is, and I'm not telling you, and I am telling you, yeah, and I'm not telling you, and I am telling you, and the reason I put it down number one is because I think it does everything. It does the wow, it does the emotion and it builds, it makes you want to come back for the second half it strips your heart out. And also you're in awe at whoever is playing Effie White because, let's be honest, you can't have a bad Effie White.
Tim:Fair enough. Yeah, I'm going to be really naughty, though. Like who is the best? Effie White, you've heard. Whose version do you?
Lj:I think, jennifer.
Tim:Jennifer's your yeah.
Lj:Yeah.
Tim:Fair.
Lj:Yeah, that thing's true.
Tim:Good stuff.
Lj:So that was my number one.
Tim:Well, my number one. I've gone for Pulling at the Heartstrings, oh yeah, rather than big wow. Staging it is, you Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen. Yeah, benji Pasek and Justin Paul both wrote the music and the lyrics for this Act. One finale number, yeah.
Lj:Love it.
Tim:And again, it's because of my experience of experiencing that show and that song for the first time. Now I think the power of the song has been Diluted. Diluted a bit Because it then, after me, having experienced it and seeing the show, it was used so much by so many people because of its message and listen, absolutely, get it out there and get that message out there, because that's the importance of the song. But I think, as a song, you know it's, you've overheard it now, but when I first saw it I had never seen the show and it was only you'd only maybe heard the song on like promotional things for the musical. Do you know what I mean? Uh, the song begins during a kickoff assembly, uh, for the Connor Project, which was a, the student organization that Evan Hansen had formed in order to keep the memory of a fellow student, connor Murphy, whose suicide set off events in the musical, alive. After fumbling through his note cards, evan, who is autistic, begins to have a panic attack and he sits down on the ground as his anxiety takes over, he takes a deep breath, stands up and starts over and gives his new speech through this song. And to see that and to see how it builds from this you know anxious, autistic boy to then how the, the message and the video of the assembly gets out and becomes a viral sensation and the chorus builds and builds and builds until they're all singing that important message that you're not alone, you will be found, there's somebody there for you. Reach out. It's emotional and I'm not lying to you.
Tim:I sat in that auditorium and could barely see the stage for the tears that were coming from my eyes. And I looked around and everybody was exactly the same. Like everybody didn't matter what gender you were, what age you were. Everybody had the same effect, like that song and that staging of it and that story had the same impact on everybody. And I couldn't talk the whole way through that interval because I was just left totally dumbfounded by the whole thing. So that's why it was my end of act one for not like big show busy wow reasons, just like oh my God.
Lj:But how? What theatre does? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Moved you.
Tim:And theatre hasn't moved me like that since.
Lj:Okay, yeah.
Tim:I haven't come across a story or a performance or a production that's done that yet.
Lj:Ah, interesting.
Tim:So it'll be interesting to see what breaks that yeah, what breaks that?
Lj:yeah they were really good.
Tim:Top five, yeah it was a fun wee top five. I do love a wee top five like. So listen, if your top five or your top act, one finale number was not mentioned in our top 5, let us know. Send us a message on the socials. We will get it out there to the millions absolutely because I'm sure there's some top 5s, our Act 1 finales, that we haven't even thought of well, we didn't even put in Legally Blonde, which kind of kicked it all off you know, there's so many.
Lj:There's even like brand new musicals which are coming out, yeah, which have some beautiful songs which, if you did this in a year's time, yeah, they could be added. So, yeah, Absolutely.
Tim:Can we have a round of applause for our executive producer today?
Lj:Thank, you so much Thank you.
Tim:He's had a great time.
Lj:Yeah, he has and he loves us. He's had a great time.
Tim:yeah, he has, and he loves us and so have we, and if you've had a great time, come back next week please do until then it's a bit darker next week oh yeah, I mean very different we're going dark and different and dark, different, new, exciting upcoming unusual unusual, that was good.
Lj:That was good.
Tim:That was good. Come back and find out what we're talking about.
Lj:Until then Bye.
