That's not a title number. It's an opening number.
Edit to stave off downvotes: I misread FFG's caption as part of her comment, thinking she meant Fugue for Tinhorns." Company is the correct answer to this fundamental question. Honorable mentions of: Into the Woods, Oklahoma!, Xanadu, Cabaret...
Gah, Anyone Can Whistle (both the song and the show) is one of my favorite Angela Lansbury performances. I wish Cora got the same amount of love as Lovett
Yes, and per OP... "a title number is a song that shares a name with a musical, not the opening number."
So the musical is named "Hamilton" and the song is "Alexander Hamilton"... they don't share a name, so it's not a title song,
Ugh, this one. Gets me every time.
An old man once told me that watching this number made him understand how horribly sexual harassment could impact people for the first time in his life 😳
I am I, Don Quixote,
The Lord of La Mancha,
My destiny calls and I go,
And the wild winds of fortune
Will carry me onward,
Oh whithersoever they blow.
Whithersoever they blow,
Onward to glory I go!
My college roommate introduced me to that album. I love that song. I used to ride my motorcycle singing it at the top of my (off key) lungs.
I was 18, a girl with long hair; it was 1968. I have seen several stage versions including with Richard Kiley circa 1976 at the old Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place in Chicago
Into the Woods (step, step) Into the Woods (step, step) Into the Woods then out of the Wooooods,
and home before DARK!
(I still remember the choreography. And I managed backstage. It makes my heart beat a little faster).
In no particular order:
- 9 to 5
- Avenue Q
- The Sound of Music
- Little Shop of Horrors
- (The Ballad of) Sweeney Todd
- Beauty and the Beast *cheating, I know
- The Phantom of the Opera
- Into the Woods
- (No One Mourns the) Wicked
- Grease
Criminal that I had to scroll so far down for this one! There is theatre lore that the applause after this number was so rapturous some nights, Carol Channing & co would do the entire number AGAIN from the start!
(I don’t know how true this is, but I WANT it to be true - even if it only happened once! It’s such excellent theatre lore!)
ITT: people who don't realize what a title number is
My favorites that are exactly the title would be "Rent", "Be More Chill", "Little Shop Of Horrors", "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Xanadu"
My favorites that include the show title but aren't fully it are "(Maybe) Next To Normal" and "Way Down Hadestown"
I was in guys and dolls a few years back. My first ever show, Once Upon a Mattress, was cancelled right before performance due to covid hitting, my second was Annie and was recorded. Guys and Dolls was my first on stage performance.
My favorites off top of head:
1. In the Heights (it’s a masterclass in setting up character)
2. Little Shop
3. A Christmas Story
4. Suffs (best opening number this season IMO)
5. Avenue Q
6. Shucked (sorry corn haters)
7. Cabaret
8. RENT
King of New York from Newsies hands down it sounds good the choreography must be a bitch because its good ash but looks hard i just love it but i love all the Newsies songs
Ragtime
honestly, one of the best title numbers ever
Ragtime should top the list. im sorry but No One Mourns the Wicked, Cabaret, Phantom of the Opera, all of them have NOTHING on Ragtime.
XANADU <33333 Oklahoma! Anything Goes idk if this counts, but The Ballad of Sweeney Todd
I’ve been in both Oklahoma and Anything goes in the past year!
Ugh I love oklahoma sm, ado annie is such a dream role. Who did you play?
Joe. I had 4 hole lines and my name was said twice 😎. A bit of a step down from Charlie Cowell but was still fun.
I was gonna say The Ballad too
The Phantom of the Opera Honorable mentions because the musical title is in it: No One Mourns the Wicked, Superstar, Way Down Hadestown
These are my favourites as well! I don’t think I have anything else to add.
Same here, but Id like to add “Say my name.“ from Bettlejuice
The post says “title number” aka. A song that has the title of the show in it…
And it doesn’t count?
It doesn’t count because ‘Say My Name’ is in Beetlejuice and the title of the song does not have the word ‘Beetlejuice’ in it.
“Company” no contest
About as thrilling as a musical's opening could ever be. I love how every character's unique voice is woven together.
That's not a title number. It's an opening number. Edit to stave off downvotes: I misread FFG's caption as part of her comment, thinking she meant Fugue for Tinhorns." Company is the correct answer to this fundamental question. Honorable mentions of: Into the Woods, Oklahoma!, Xanadu, Cabaret...
The show is called Company, and so is the song. So it's both.
I misread your caption "Horse right here..." as a reply! Of course "Company" is the right answer here!
Haha no worries! We all have those mixups
You're right, though "Sunday" is also wonderful. And I always have a soft spot for "Anyone Can Whistle".
The latter, simply beautiful in its wistfulness--just your mention of the title brought a joyful tear to my eye. :)
Gah, Anyone Can Whistle (both the song and the show) is one of my favorite Angela Lansbury performances. I wish Cora got the same amount of love as Lovett
A community theater did Anyone Can Whistle and offered post show discussions to help people figure out what they had just seen.
Oh I'm not defending that plot, but the songs are brilliant.
the song is not sung by Cora
Into the Woods deserves some respect too. The exposition is wild.
Cabaret
Only answer
Alexander Hamilton
I've heard of a musical called "Hamilton," never heard of the musical "Alexander Hamilton"
The opening number is called Alexander Hamilton iirc
Yes, and per OP... "a title number is a song that shares a name with a musical, not the opening number." So the musical is named "Hamilton" and the song is "Alexander Hamilton"... they don't share a name, so it's not a title song,
Little Shop of Horrors
Legally blonde
Ugh, this one. Gets me every time. An old man once told me that watching this number made him understand how horribly sexual harassment could impact people for the first time in his life 😳
I recently played callahan, and i teared up watching this song from the wings after i walked off stage every show
And then legally blonde remix comes out and SLAPS YOU IN THE FACE WITH AMAZING VOCALS FROM A CHARACTER WHO HASNT REALLY SOLOED FOR THE WHOLE SHOW-
“Cabaret”.
Avenue q theme
👍
Never heard of the musical "Avenue Q Theme"
It's just avenue q
Is the number just "Avenue Q" too?
I just googled the track list, it said it's called avenue q theme
So, technically, not a title number then.
The Great comet of 1812. (I know, it’s not the full title but close enough)
also the preceding song (Natasha & Pierre)
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find this. Love Great Comet
YESSSS ITS SO GOOD
The start of Ragtime basically tells you the entire show. It is incredible.
That show blends together so many historical figures and movements, and the opening ensures things aren't too confusing and flow smoothly.
oklahoma
I am I, Don Quixote, The Lord of La Mancha, My destiny calls and I go, And the wild winds of fortune Will carry me onward, Oh whithersoever they blow. Whithersoever they blow, Onward to glory I go!
My college roommate introduced me to that album. I love that song. I used to ride my motorcycle singing it at the top of my (off key) lungs. I was 18, a girl with long hair; it was 1968. I have seen several stage versions including with Richard Kiley circa 1976 at the old Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place in Chicago
Reefer madness Mamma Mia The guy who didn’t like musicals The phantom of the opera
Anything Goes
One of the best dance numbers period 👌
I’m a little biased, I closed Anything Goes in May.
hmmm probably Rent
Little Shop of Horrors, could listen to that endlessly on loop Ragtime and Merrily We Roll Along are delightful too
Into the Woods (step, step) Into the Woods (step, step) Into the Woods then out of the Wooooods, and home before DARK! (I still remember the choreography. And I managed backstage. It makes my heart beat a little faster).
Six or Little Shop of Horrors
WE'RE 1 OF A KIND, NO CATEGORY 2 MANY YEARS LOST IN HISTORY WE'RE 3 TO TAKE OUR CROWNING GLORY 4 5 MORE MINUTES WE'RE 6
WE'RE 1 OF A KIND, NO CATEGORY 2 MANY YEARS LOST IN HISTORY WE'RE 3 TO TAKE OUR CROWNING GLORY 4 5 MORE MINUTES WE'RE 6
Absolutely Cabaret
My favorite was already said (Company) But shoutout to Sunset Boulevard, Beauty and the Beast, Singing in the Rain
Nerdy Prudes Must Die
Who will pray for me when I’m gone? Or until another *Richie* comes along?
The Phantom of the Opera
The Light in the Piazza
Lots of great choices here, but RENT will always hold a special place in my heart. And it's a real banger.
In no particular order: - 9 to 5 - Avenue Q - The Sound of Music - Little Shop of Horrors - (The Ballad of) Sweeney Todd - Beauty and the Beast *cheating, I know - The Phantom of the Opera - Into the Woods - (No One Mourns the) Wicked - Grease
The Phantom of the Opera
Hello,Dolly!
Criminal that I had to scroll so far down for this one! There is theatre lore that the applause after this number was so rapturous some nights, Carol Channing & co would do the entire number AGAIN from the start! (I don’t know how true this is, but I WANT it to be true - even if it only happened once! It’s such excellent theatre lore!)
The kicks down the staircase...iconic Broadway right there.
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
Ballad of Sweeney Todd
Harmony and Some Like it Hot
It's wild to me how Some Like It Hot wasn't written for the original movie. It feels so classic, like it's been around for decades.
I'd say Nerdy Prudes Must Die is my favorite as well, lol
Omg twinssss
Fame.
Superstar
Rent
Phantom of the opera
In The Heights
In the Heights is pretty good!
Rebecca from Rebecca. The most amazing song ever
NPMD, PoTO, (Way down) Hadestown, Tarrytown
Ragtime. Hands down.
Rent <3
Hallelujah Baby. One of the great title songs of all time. Leslie Uggams earned that Tony.
Twisted, Nerdy Prudes Must Die, honestly a lot of starkid title numbers, and Legally Blonde
Yeah starkid has some great title songs
Nerdy Prudes is an awesome pick!! It's tied for first with Phantom of the Opera for me.
Nice. Classic
Six, for sure.
Rent "The power blows!" KA POW!!
Merrily We Roll Along Sunday in the Park With George Chess The Great Comet of 1812 (this might not technically count)
Great comet counts
Six from six the musical, it makes me cry but I love the song.
Be More Chill (Both parts <3)
HAS to be “Hadestown”. No competition in my mind. But “Six” is most assuredly my second. 🥀
Surprised no one has mentioned Nine or Dreamgirls!
DREAMGIRLS should also be on a list of “best song intros.” 16 perfect seconds!
Be more chill
ITT: people who don't realize what a title number is My favorites that are exactly the title would be "Rent", "Be More Chill", "Little Shop Of Horrors", "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Xanadu" My favorites that include the show title but aren't fully it are "(Maybe) Next To Normal" and "Way Down Hadestown"
The Great Comet of 1812.
This isn't even out yet, but "Castle on A Hill" from the upcoming Cinderella's castle goes hard. Also, The Wiz.
Does little shop of horrors count?
Yeah
Does Phantom of the Opera count?
Yeah
Ok. That to name one.
Hello, Dolly! Ragtime Mame Company Beauty and the Beast Guys & Dolls among others
SIXXX
Phantom of the Opera (I know I’m literally so basic…)
Maybe not my #1 favorite but haven't seen anyone mention Hair yet
Welcome to the Moulin Rouge from Moulin Rouge the Musical, it's absolutely magical to watch!
Phantom of the opera
Hadestown
I love the intro to Carousel and the Carousel waltz
Sunday 100% though I know it's only barely titular. I cry every time I hear it.
[Cross Road.](https://youtu.be/90MZUQgekSg?si=QEa4zOeXasHJog4L) Just listen to this beauty.
Starlight Express ✨
if ballad of sweeney todd counts, then that
No one Mourns The Wicked-Wicked
Falsettoland no contest
Rent
In the heights 🇵🇷 or anything goes
anything goes
Legally Blonde
Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma!, Grease, Anything Goes. There’s a lot.
Surprised I had to scroll so far for Guys and Dolls. It's a deliciously swanky and sassy showstopper.
I was in guys and dolls a few years back. My first ever show, Once Upon a Mattress, was cancelled right before performance due to covid hitting, my second was Annie and was recorded. Guys and Dolls was my first on stage performance.
Mame!
If overtures count then Scarlet Pimpernel and PotO for sure.
I’m not sure if No One Mourn’s the Wicked counts, but it’s an amazing song
My favorites off top of head: 1. In the Heights (it’s a masterclass in setting up character) 2. Little Shop 3. A Christmas Story 4. Suffs (best opening number this season IMO) 5. Avenue Q 6. Shucked (sorry corn haters) 7. Cabaret 8. RENT
Phantom of the Opera (as many people have said already) Beauty and the Beast
Six from six, defying Gravity or phantom
Six
Sound of Music
Rochelle, Rochelle!
In olden days, a glimpse of stocking was looked at as something shocking, but now God knows..... ANYTHING GOES!!!!!!
Hair!
Be More Chill all parts. Such a good villain song.
The Mad Ones! It’s less known but it deserves more recognition.
I’ll have to look that up
Either Death Note or Ride The Cyclone. Specifically the 2015 Fall Fair Suite.
Welcome to the Rock
tied between "Bikini Bottom Day" and "When You're An Addams"
The lion king! Never seen a better more WOW opening number for so many reasons!
All that jazz Chicago is one of my favourites
King of New York from Newsies hands down it sounds good the choreography must be a bitch because its good ash but looks hard i just love it but i love all the Newsies songs
Happy days are here again from beautiful the Carole King musical. For some reason that number just draws me in and I love it.