Standing Ovation: Why I Love Musicals

Photo 1: Jodi poses by the Ragtime musical poster outside the Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. / Photo 2: The stage curtain before the performance of Death Becomes Her musical on Broadway. / Photo 3: Playbills for the Fiddler on the Roof production at The Muny outdoor theater in summer 2024.

Musical: a play or movie in which the storyline is interspersed with or developed by songs, dances, and the like.

If I were defining a musical, I would add that it’s my favorite theater genre. In fact, who doesn’t love people bursting into song or starting a dance routine at just the right moment in the story? Okay, not everyone.

But I think it would be pretty cool – except maybe not in the quiet section of a library. On second thought, there’s the scene in The Music Man when Professor Harold Hill sings “Marion the Librarian” to the female lead as she is working at the library. Maybe not for a story about murder – well, that was covered in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I’m sure the talented writers, composers, lyricists, and choreographers out there could come up with a way to incorporate song and dance into any storyline.

My recollections of enjoying musicals for the first time date back to the late 1960s. As a young girl I watched the annual TV broadcast of Cinderella, a second live performance version that aired in 1965 and ran during the holiday season until 1974. Then a couple of years later my family and I attended a production of Kiss Me Kate performed by high school students at the school where my uncle was the vocal music teacher. By then, I was hooked on musicals.

My love continued with the help of my mom, who was also a musical fan, especially the “classics” featuring songs written by Richard Rodgers (musical score) and Oscar Hammerstein (lyrics). She owned videotapes of their musicals, including South Pacific, Oklahoma!, and The Sound of Music. Mom also introduced the musical genre to her grandchildren, often taking them to productions by local theater groups. One of my favorite memories is taking Mom to The Muny outdoor theater in St. Louis along with my sister-in-law and two nieces to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, a favorite for both of us.

The opening set on stage for a performance of Ragtime at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York City.

My own family shares my passion for musicals. My husband, who was very active in high school, community theater, and college productions and even started out as a theater major in college, is always ready to get tickets to see a musical. Our daughter and son also enjoy going to musicals. We just spent the weekend in New York City to see two musicals: Ragtime and Death Becomes Her. It was my first time attending a musical on Broadway – and hopefully not my last!

Besides my long “history” as a musical lover and the strong bond that they create within my family, I also attribute other aspects of this genre to my “big fan” level of enthusiasm. 

There’s a Song for That 

For me, it’s always the songs that stay with me long after I’ve watched a performance. No matter how I’m feeling, I can recall a song from a musical that fits my emotions perfectly.

• Feeling a bit lonely, listen to “You Will Be Found” (Dear Evan Hansen). 

• If sad about losing the hopes and dreams of your youth, consider “She Used to Be Mine” (Waitress).  

• Looking for your soulmate, think of “Lonesome Polecat” (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). 

• Wanting to express your love for that special someone, be inspired by “If Ever I Would Leave You” (Camelot) or “I’ll Cover You” (RENT). 

• In a silly mood, laugh along with “Hard to Be the Bard” (Something Rotten!), “Agony” (Into the Woods), “Anything You Can Do” (Annie Get Your Gun), or “The Stepsisters Lament” (Cinderella). 

• Worried about someone you hold dear, wallow in “Bring Him Home” (Les Miserables).  

• Looking for advice for finding a woman, study “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” (Kiss Me Kate). 

• Pursuing your dreams, be inspired by “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” (My Fair Lady) or “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” (The Sound of Music). 

What songs would you add to any of these categories?

Incredible Talent in Musicals

Photo 1: The In the Heights stage set at Bartlett (Illinois) High School in 2016. / Photo 2: My son Ryan, a member of the tech crew, poses on set following a performance.

Whether I’m attending a production on Broadway or in a big city theater or in a high school auditorium, the astonishing talent I witness never ceases to amaze me. I’m a mediocre singer at best (not that it stops me from singing along to the radio!), so I truly appreciate the vocal talent I hear from these stages – the difficult lyrics, the range of notes hit, and the emotion that comes through. From a young age, I singled out my favorites, including Howard Keel, Julie Andrews, Debbie Reynolds, Doris Day, and Robert Goulet. Since then, I’d add Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth, Nathan Lane, and Jonathan Groff – just to name a few.

Coupled with incredible vocal talent, these performers also showcase their acting skills – sometimes deeply emotional or with precise comedic timing. And then there's the dancing! The precision, expression, and artistry of their physical movement add interest and depth to the production. In the older musical productions that I watched as a young girl, I marveled at the dance routines, featuring intricate choreography. My favorites are the barn raising dance in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, the rain-soaked walk down the sidewalk by Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, the titular tap dance routine in Anything Goes, and the dance at the gym in West Side Story.

Finally, I can't forget the set designers -- from simple and sparse to elaborate and involved. Their design and craft helps bring the whole production together. I especially admire how parts of the set (a staircase, for example) are moved around and repurposed for different scenes. Stages with revolving center areas or platforms that raise and lower -- and how the performers interact with these spaces -- adds a rich layer to the telling of the story.

How can so much talent fit on one stage?

Entertainment With Something Extra 

As with other forms of theater, musicals entertain us but also motivate us to think and learn. I enjoy the variety of storylines – from comedic to tragic to enlightening – and how the music, dialogue, dance movement, and overall effect of the stage bring the storylines into focus.

In the comedies, I can laugh at the witty lyrics, farcical plot twists, and crazy antics of the characters. My new favorite musical comedy is Something Rotten! It’s historical fiction set in the time of William Shakespeare and recounts the “next big thing” in theater – the musical, as foretold by a soothsayer. The placement of the invention of musical theater within a musical just adds to the overall playful charm.

I attended a performance of The Light in the Piazza at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago. This charming story also carries important social messages about how we look at disabilities and everyone's right to find love in their lives.

 Musicals with more serious storylines are equally entertaining. They force us to think about important social issues, such as: 

• Racism, class distinctions, and pregnancy out of wedlock in Ragtime 

• Prejudice, acceptance, and authoritarianism in Wicked 

• Poverty, addiction, gentrification, and the AIDS epidemic in Rent 

• Domestic abuse, motherhood, and infidelity in Waitress 

Drawing inspiration from a historical event or time period provides a great framework for musicals. One production I’m hoping to see soon, as I’m already a fan of the soundtrack, is SIX. It tells the stories of Henry VIII’s six wives but staged as a singing competition or pop concert. Each wife tells her story in a song with witty lyrics and contemporary references. This past summer I also saw Come From Away about days following the September 11 attack when several planes were forced to land in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. I learned a lot about what happened there and how the community welcomed and cared for the passengers and crew members. 

If you’re also a fan of musicals, which ones are your favorites? For the uninitiated musical viewer, why not ask your friends or coworkers for a recommendation and then check it out? Don’t be surprised if you’re joining in the standing ovation during the curtain call!

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~ Heather M. and Jodi B.