They’re an essential part of any show – but most people probably don’t even know what they’re called! Today, I’m discussing 11 O Clock numbers.
Your first questions are probably what the heck are eleven O Clock numbers and your second question is probably why are they called that? To put it simply, an eleven O clock number is a spectacular musical number, nearly always performed by the protagonist, which always occurs in the climax of a show and most commonly shows an important realisation, although there are exceptions to this.
The name might seem a bit strange, but its origin isn’t particularly complicated. Back in the days when theatre performances would start at 8:30, this number would end up being performed at about eleven o clock.
Although these are some of the least recognised numbers in musical theatre, they can actually be some of the most important moments in shows, both from an emotional and a performance perspective. For example, No Good Deed in Wicked is Elphaba’s eleven O Clock number and is the key moment of her journey, the moment where she truly becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Another example of a very different 11 O clock number is Sit Down Your Rocking the Boat, which is famously one of the most spectacular musical numbers of all time!
What are some of your favourite 11 O Clock numbers? Let me know in the comments!
