3488 - Broadway's Greatest "11 O’clock Numbers" (Bill Nigut)
Course Description
Instructor: Bill Nigut
We'll delve into the iconic tradition of the 11 o’clock number—the late-in-the-show showstopper that delivers emotional climax, character transformation, or cathartic release in many classic Broadway musicals. Often arriving just before the finale, these songs give leading characters their defining moment and galvanize the narrative’s resolution. We'll play videos or listen to audio recordings of some of the great numbers in musical theater history.
We’ll study standout examples such as “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy, a searing breakdown-come-breakthrough that lays bare the psyche of a stage mother; “Back to Before” from Ragtime, where personal awakening reflects societal change; “Memory” from Cats, which turns a fading star’s longing into a theatrical apex; and “Being Alive” from Company, a reflective plea that crystallizes the lead’s emotional journey.
Bio: Bill Nigut has been best known for his career as an Atlanta television and radio political analyst and reporter. But less known is that he studied acting and theater history at one of the most prestigious theater colleges in the country - the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago. He founded his own theater company in his hometown of Chicago, studied improvisation at Second City, and was a member of a Chicago improvisation troupe developed by improvisation guru Del Close. Bill saw his first Broadway musical - the original production of The Sound of Music starring Mary Martin - when he was 12 years old - and has been passionate about musicals and straight plays ever since.