Main Things that Made me the Fan of Musicals today

As musical fanatics know, your love for musicals needs to start somewhere. It can’t just show up out of nowhere. I have three main things that made me the musical fan I am today. What are they?

Family

Yes, I am referring to my Family. They raised me on musicals. We went to both stage shows and musical movies. I am talking about the classic Disney musicals to Wicked to Oliver (which I don’t remember), among a couple of others. In terms of musical movies, I saw a lot more with my family this way: Annie, Sound of Music, Grease, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, and Wizard of OZ- ones I saw in elementary school. Now, I am still seeing musicals with my family. If it wasn’t for them, there is no way I would have loved musicals.

Wicked

My mom and I went on a trip to NYC alone. Part of being in NYC belonged to seeing a musical on Broadway. That was Wicked, and little did I know that when I stepped foot in Gerswhin Theater that I would be changed “for good”. Wicked sparked my love for musicals. I realized what it meant to have an emotional connection and began to understand the emotional and complex side to musicals. It has now been 14 years since I first saw Wicked in August 2006. Wicked in so many ways was the beginning of my musical theatre journey.

Les Mis

I honestly thought I knew musicals, but then one musical truly changed the way I view them. My love does start with the film-which I had to give a second chance. I still do not why I did that due to not really appreciating it when I first saw it. I must have formed some emotional connection that first round without knowing.

Les Mis tested and challenged a lot of things. I thought sad was not that capable when it first came to the forefront through Wicked. Les Mis literally brought out heartbreak. Its’ emotional capabilities is something I had not found in musicals before: they are epic, powerful, passionate, and highly emotional. I believed that death would not be memorable or happen during a song: Les Mis sure proved that wrong. I still can’t believe that in high school, I said I would never love a tragedy. Les Mis went against everything I truly believed existed in musical theatre.

Now, I am more open to musicals. That means I wouldn’t be as surprised when something new enters the musical theatre world. I don’t mind seeing other tragedies. I always hope that each year, I would see at least one musical, which usually ends up being two-four musicals a year.

Conclusion

If it wasn’t for my family, Wicked, or Les Mis-that love for musicals wouldn’t have existed.