Tanya | Week 7 | The Heart of American Broadway
I never used to be the kind of person who was obsessed with theater. I always considered myself as more of a movie kind of person, and I never cared for plays or theatrical works of any kind.
Then, I watched Hamilton with my family on Disney+ during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite not being able to actually witness this production in real life, I was instantly enamored with the world of theater. I couldn’t believe that someone had taken a concept as nonfictional as American history and produced an entire musical, especially one that was so engaging and intricate.
Ever since the opening of its first theater in 1735, Broadway has been a powerful symbol for “global entertainment,” dubbed the “centerpiece of American theater” by Roger J. Stilling. Today, Broadway has become one of America’s most significant aspects of culture, as it represents American creativity in a unique and expressive way. The very scale of Broadway is a direct reflection of the sheer amount of imagination and detail, not to mention the insane amount of effort, that goes into each and every production.
When visiting New York, many tourists flock to Broadway to partake in the signature experience of witnessing a Broadway show live, so much so that tickets were pretty much booked to maximum capacity when my family and I traveled to New York over the summer. I do hope to be able to attend one of these shows one day, as I have heard they are extremely worthwhile.
I also initially felt indifferent towards musicals and theaters—I just didn’t see the appeal in watching people sing so often in stories, particularly since the song styles just never stood out to me. Despite making a Hamilton reference in my previous blog, I never actually watched the musical… and so I definitely did not understand all the Hamilton hype in 4th grade. Who were the Schuyler sisters, and why did everyone keep mentioning them? Why were people asking about Aaron Burr, sir? My lack of consumption for theatrical works has become especially evident when hindering my karaoke experience with friends, where I am unable to contribute to La La Land singing sessions. However, the extra credit opportunity offered last year by my English teacher introduced me to the world of plays and musicals; Urinetown was quite entertaining to watch, and I’ve heard the musical for second semester will be Mean Girls, which I am looking forward to. It’s hard not to appreciate an art form when so much time, dedication, practice, and budget has gone into bringing these stories to life. With how smoothly everything goes, it really makes you wonder how many rehearsals and hours have been put in to present the audience with an unforgettable experience.
ReplyDeleteI think you’ve convinced me to give some classics a try, especially since all my peers continue pestering me about how good Lin-Manuel Miranda’s interpretation of Alexander Hamilton’s story is. And then from there, I might fall down the musical rabbithole…
Hamilton was truly an incredible event for musical lovers, being one of the most popular Broadway musicals of all time and a cultural phenomenon that has lasted a decade. I think it tells a fantastic story based on a very interesting historical figure, and, as was also the case with you, it got me interested in theater. My experience is limited, unfortunately, but that doesn’t stop the fact that I have loved every play I’ve seen. Similar to what you mentioned, I have also always been a big fan of movies yet was never really exposed to live theater. That changed one summer in India, when my family took me to see a Marathi play. Maybe it was because I had low expectations (as Marathi cinema is not up to par with its Western or Southern Indian counterparts), but I was very impressed with both the wit and precision with which everything was done on stage. As opposed to a movie, where dialogue can feel sloppy and some scenes can be drawn out, everything feels much more intentional on a live stage—it has to be. Despite potential commercial issues and the dominance of “blockbuster” shows in favor of original work, I think the theater scene (and Broadway too) is a fascinating place where talent of unimaginable scope can foster. Although I haven’t seen Wicked, I definitely look forward to rewatching La La Land soon (for the third time). Thank you for reminding me to do so!
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya! I’m a huge theatre fan and I’m so glad to see more people get into it. It’s such an amazing art and personally my favorite way to tell a story. Hamilton is such an important musical. It was a musical that helped bring the issue of diversity in theatre into the spotlight (no pun intended). I hope you get to enjoy a show in New York, I find live theatre so much more impactful than filmed versions. (If you want a recommendation for a show, The Great Gatsby: A New Musical is AMAZING and sparked my interest in the book, It’s also currently on Broadway in New York.)
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