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What does “showstopper” mean in Broadway lingo?

Retry Correct Incorrect In Broadway terminology, a “showstopper” was any time during a musical number the audience’s applause was so intense that performers paused the show. A well-known example is the performance of “Circle of Life” during the Lion King.

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Bruce Glikas/WireImage/Getty Images

Bruce Glikas/WireImage/Getty Images

What does “showstopper” mean in Broadway lingo?

• A performer has an injury
• The audience’s reaction to a musical number is so intense performers “stop” the show
• A technical difficulty
• A stagehand was seen on stage