These finale songs left the theater speechless. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the closing numbers that leave us with chills strong enough to carry us down the aisles and out of the theaters after the curtain falls.
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00:00No one mourns the wicked, now at last she's dead and gone.
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the closing numbers that leave us
00:12with chills strong enough to carry us down the aisles and out of the theaters after the curtain
00:16falls. Since these songs come at the end of the show, plot points will be discussed, so this is
00:22your spoiler warning.
00:43If this musical were a puzzle, Flying Away would be the final crucial piece that reveals the big
00:48picture. You can't help but be moved when our protagonists unite in breathtaking harmony,
00:53piecing together some of the show's most poignant moments.
01:09As each snapshot flashes by and every note hits just right, it's almost impossible not to feel
01:14every emotion that swirls inside of Allison. After all, it taps into something we all crave,
01:20acceptance of ourselves and others, and peace of mind. It all comes together when Allison finally
01:25captures a major core memory, and let us tell you, those goosebumps will want to give her a standing ovation.
01:32Fly, I'm so high.
01:38Number nine, Children Will Listen, Into the Woods. Fairy tales, come for the magic and wishes,
01:44stay for the moral teachings, are we right? Children will look to you for which way to turn
01:52to learn what to be. In Into the Woods, the theme that threads through the narrative is that often
02:00what goes around comes around. As the characters gather for one last song, they reflect on the
02:05journey that brought them here, with all its twists and turns. Sometimes people leave you
02:12halfway through the world. Do not let it grieve you. No one leaves for good. It's a haunting melody
02:25that sticks with you, reminding you to carry those lessons into the real world and to be the light
02:29you want to see. The ensemble unites for this bittersweet finale, marking the end of one chapter
02:34and the start of a new one, as the baker shares this tale with his baby. Careful the tale you tell,
02:41that is the spell. Children will listen. Number eight, Finale B, Rent. There's only us, there's only
02:54this. Forget, regret, or life is yours to miss. If Rent teaches us anything, it's to live for today
03:04and never take tomorrow for granted. As Mimi pulls through, the gang celebrates another day together.
03:10Their harmonies, as they revisit songs heard throughout the show, drive home the importance
03:14of living in the moment. As Angel rejoins them on stage, we feel our hearts might explode. It all
03:33hits even harder when you remember that the show's creator, Jonathan Larson, never got to see his show
03:38open off-Broadway or enjoy the phenomenon it would become. As the story goes, after the first
03:43performance, one audience member broke a long silence by calling out, Thank you, Jonathan Larson.
03:48Thank you, Jonathan Larson, indeed. Number seven, The Flesh Failures, Let the Sunshine In, Hair.
04:14Set in the Vietnam War era, Hair focuses on a counterculture quote-unquote tribe
04:19rallying against violence and advocating freedom and equality. The mood grows heavy as Claude,
04:24one of their own, gets drafted, leading to a bittersweet ending. Yet, the creators wanted
04:30to leave the audience with a ray of hope, urging them to let the sunshine in.
04:34Audience participation during the curtain call has become a tradition, inviting anyone who wants
04:39to stand up for unity and activism to raise their voice alongside the cast. Whether you're dancing
04:44in the theater or at home, this rallying cry will inspire you to grow out your hair,
04:48grab your placard, and fight for a brighter future.
05:04Number six, Falsettoland Reprise, Falsettos.
05:16It's hard to imagine anything more emotionally gripping than What Would I Do? That is,
05:23until you hear the final number, Falsettoland Reprise. After all, earlier on, Mendel welcomed
05:29us to Falsettoland with such joy and optimism that we couldn't imagine anything like it.
05:33Falsettoland Reprise is a tribute to Falsettoland, a band that has been around for a long time.
05:38It's a tribute to the Falsettos, a band that has been around for a long time.
05:42with such joy and optimism that we couldn't imagine anything going wrong.
05:46However, that all changes when Whizzer gets sick and ultimately succumbs to AIDS.
06:02Chills ripple through in the show's final moments as we reflect on all the happy moments
06:06that preceded this one, and our frustration at society's tendency to sweep the AIDS epidemic
06:11under the carpet. If you're left with sorrow and anger bubbling up inside you,
06:15then the number has truly struck the right chord.
06:34Number five, Finale Ultimo, Old Man River, Showboat.
06:41Showboat is a groundbreaking musical that delves into themes of love,
06:55race, and societal change in the American South. It follows the lives of those who
06:59work aboard the Cotton Blossom Showboat. Old Man River, particularly in the Finale Ultimo,
07:04sung by Joe, a black stevedore, shines a harsh light on the challenges faced by African-Americans
07:09against the unyielding current. However, there's still a glimmer of hope and healing.
07:27Some of our characters come to grips with their pasts and look ahead with cautious optimism.
07:32Despite its age, songs like this one make us face up to historical injustices that still matter
07:37today. It'll give you all of the chills. Number four, Light, Next to Normal.
07:57Next to Normal took Broadway by storm with its candid exploration of mental illness.
08:09The show treated the subject with the utmost care and consideration,
08:13and continues to update its plot as more is learned about conditions like bipolar disorder.
08:18However, the show ends on perhaps the most important message it can offer its audience,
08:22hope. As each member of the family comes to terms with their grief,
08:35they're finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's a poignant reminder that pain
08:40is real and can't be ignored, but is often temporary. These lyrics, sung by the cast
08:45with heartfelt emotion, resonate deeply, leaving us a mess of tingles and tears.
08:52Number three, You'll Never Walk Alone Reprise, Carousel. When Rogers and Hammerstein decided
09:07to turn Ferenc Molnar's 1909 play Lilium into a musical, they thought it could do with a happier
09:14ending. Set during Louise's graduation, Billy finally finds redemption.
09:35As You'll Never Walk Alone Reprise fills the air, he ascends to heaven. It's not a flawless ending,
09:41needless to say it certainly wouldn't fly had it been written today, but it's powerful.
09:46The song has even transcended its roots to become a global symbol of hope.
09:59The harmonious voices alone can stir something deep within us. As it reaches its climax,
10:04it effortlessly sends shivers down our spines and taps into something deep inside,
10:09reaching straight for our souls.
10:32Number two, Finale, The Old Red Hills of Home, Parade.
10:40Parade tells the true story of the trial and lynching of Leo Frank,
10:47a Jewish man wrongly accused of murder in early 20th century Georgia.
10:51It opens with The Old Red Hills of Home, a soldier's parade for Confederate Memorial Day.
10:55By the time we circle back to it in the finale,
10:58we've been through a sob fest with songs like All the Wasted Time and Shma.
11:10As the show draws to a close, the ensemble, led by Frankie Epps,
11:14sings about yearning for the familiarity of home, yet they acknowledge that innocence
11:18is lost forever after the tragedy of Frank's death. The song doesn't offer closure,
11:23just a raw reflection on the lingering pain and injustice.
11:39Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:43Climb Every Mountain Reprise, The Sound of Music. The ethereal voices of the ensemble
11:48send the von Trapps to safety and the audience back to their worlds.
12:09Anatevka, Fiddler on the Roof, a devastating ending as the community
12:15looks back on what was once their sanctuary.
12:34Finale, Come from Away, a poignant reflection on the days that have passed.
12:40The Impossible Dream Reprise, Man of La Mancha. It might not be happy,
12:56but it will move you down to your very bones.
13:09The Song of Purple Summer, Spring Awakening,
13:15sending audiences away with the hope of a better tomorrow.
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13:42Number 1. Epilogue, Valjean's Death, Do You Hear the People Sing Reprise, Les Miserables.
14:00Few finales have an easier time sending our chills into overdrive than this striking final curtain.
14:06As Valjean's story comes to a close, he takes stock of his life. He then reunites with Fantine
14:11and Eponine, who help him transition to the afterlife with some of the most heavenly
14:15harmonies you'll ever hear. Honestly, you could sprout wings just listening to it.
14:37Just as you think your nervous system can't take anymore,
14:40the company joins in for a deeply stirring reprise of Do You Hear the People Sing.
14:44The anthem's echoes grow louder as it carries its message beyond the show's confines
14:48to touch the hearts of all who hear it.
14:51to touch the hearts of all who hear it.
15:05Which musical finale gives you the chills?
15:07Share your thoughts in the comments.
15:16Do you agree with our picks?
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