Musical Theater Class Link List

A deep dive into the world of musicals.
The forms and elements of the genre and the people who created and expand the form.

SONG & MUSIC TYPES | THE CREATORS AND INNOVATORS


 

 

Song and Music Types in Musical Theater

Opening Numbers | I AM Songs | The Eleven O'Clock Number

 

Opening Numbers

The what, the where, the who of the musical. Good ones immediately tell you who the protagonist is, what kind of person they are if they are loved or hated, where they are physically in space or emotionally and what is happening right now in the world of the musical. Sets the stakes of the world. Great examples are:

I AM Songs

This is the main character stating who they are. What they hope for or wish. What they demand. It is the clear statement to the world of who I am in the world. There can be many I am songs in a show.

The Eleven O'Clock Number

So this term came to be because the theater used to start at 8:45pm meaning that around 11pm you were getting ready to end the show and you wanted to put one last big number in the show for the lead character. It usually is the number in which the lead makes their biggest realization, defines themselves and lets the audience know how they are going walk into the rest of their way in the world. It should stun the audience bring you to tears or to your feet.