What's an Eleven O'clock Number? And Hey, Why Do They Call it That?

Have you ever wondered what people are talking about when they mention “eleven o’clock numbers?” If they’re talking about musical theater, they’re referring to a show-stopping song (aka number) that signifies a lead character’s realization, change of heart, or another big moment. The song gives the character time to work through his or her transformation and leads us into the finale, which should bring some sort of closure to the world of the play.

Why do we call these songs eleven o’clock numbers? As it happens, plays used to start later (especially on Broadway), so the song traditionally appeared along about eleven o’clock. Hopefully, if you were falling asleep, the eleven o’clock number woke you up; and to do that, songwriting gods (whoever they are) say it should have at least three of the following traits:

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Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash