The Musical Theatre Tag

When I first started this blog over a year ago, I did a little thing called The Theatre Tag. I thought it would be cool then so that my readers could get to know me better. Since it has been over a year since that post went live and I have been exposed to more musicals, I thought I would do The Musical Theatre Tag.

Plays or Musicals?

I honestly enjoy both, but I love singing songs with lots of character portrayed in them so I have to go with Musicals

When did you start liking the performing arts?

When I was in 7th grade, over six years ago.

Ever been in a musical?

I have been in a few musicals, and I loved every second of it.

What was the first musical you saw on Broadway?

I have not seen any musicals on Broadway, nor have I been to New York. I hope to go there one day.

If you could be any female character in any musical who would you be?

Probably either Joanne or Mimi from Rent.

Which male character?

I would really like to be either Mark from Rent or William Shakespeare from Something Rotten!

Favorite musical song to sing in the shower?

Currently it is "Out Tonight" from Rent, but I also enjoy singing "Another Day" from Rent and "Easy as Life" from Aida.

Who is your favorite theatre actress?

This is really hard. I would probably say either Idina Menzel or Tracie Thoms.

Actor?

Definitley Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp and Jeremy Jordan.

Favorite film adaptation of a musical?

Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd and Rent. Also Mary Poppins, but the movie came out before the stage adaptation.

What do you think is the most overrated musical?

Lots of people I went to high school with really like 13, but I don't necessarily get the hype. It is a good musical, but the music is not for me.

What musical made you cry?

Rent, it still does.

What musical made you laugh?

Something Rotten! I was laughing so hard when I saw it.

Are there any musicals you saw and hated

I feel like there probably has been, but I don't remember. I tend to like most shows.

What musical do you want to see as a film?

Hamilton, Wicked, Something Rotten!, and Bare: A Pop Opera.

Which musicals are you dying to see?

Hamilton (which I am seeing in February), Book of Mormon, and Dear Evan Hansen
What is your all-time favorite musical?

Rent, if you couldn't already tell from my previous answers.

What would you do if theatre didn't exist?

I don't even want to think about that. So much in my life wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have met some of my amazing friends if theatre didn't exist. I have grown so much because I am a theatre kid and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

I tag all of my readers to do this tag. Leave in the comments of this post your answers because I would love to know.



Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

Seeing Something Rotten! at ASU Gammage

Stage

On November 4th, I went to see Something Rotten! at ASU Gammage, and let me tell you, it was unforgettable.

This started about two months before the show. My mom and I were talking and I mentioned the show and that Adam Pascal was in it. She responded by saying that we should get tickets to go see the show and that is how it all began.

My mom got these for me as a birthday present and bought an extra ticket so that I could invite a friend. I decided to invite my friend Liliana because, a) she loves musical theatre and b) she gets just as excited about musicals as I do. She said yes and everything was set in place for seeing Something Rotten! 

Program

In a blink of an eye, November 4th came around and the four of us (My parents, Liliana, and I) went down to Tempe to see a matinee showing of Something Rotten! We get there in plenty of time and were able to get our Playbills (or Gammbills as they call them) and find our seats before the curtains went up.

ACT 1

As the first act began, my excitement grew. It just seems so surreal to me that I was going to see Adam Pascal perform before my very eyes. The songs were energetic and funny and I was laughing my butt off. Watching this hilarious story unfold before me; there is nothing like it. I loved when the song "A Musical" started. A friend of mine had played me this song once before and I thought it was hilarious. I will say that my favorite part was all of the musical references in the song, and in particular, the Rent reference. When they started playing the opening piano of "Seasons of Love" I half expected Adam to pop on stage and start singing the song. But once the song finished, everyone was applauding and the applauding continued for about 1 minute with the actors just standing there waiting for us to stop.

Then it was time for "Will Power", the moment I had been waiting months for. The song was incredible and I absolutely loved all of the Shakespeare references. Plus I enjoyed watching Adam Pascal perform.

*I know I keep talking about Adam in this post. I am sorry, I was just really excited to see my favorite Broadway actor perform and I still can't believe this dream of mine came true.*

The act ends with the song "Botton's Gonna Be On Top" and it was magnificent. I actually felt like Nick Bottom's dream could come true, but as we all probably know, when you have William Shakespeare as your competition, there is no point of even trying.

Me and Liliana

INTERMISSION

Intermission comes and we are all in awe of what we just witnessed. Liliana and I are talking about it and we are over the moon.

Just before Act 2 started, Liliana and I went to the concession stand to get something to eat. On the way, we saw the souvenir stand and new we had to get something after the show was finished.


ACT 2

Act 2 kicks off and we are introduced to the song "Hard To Be The Bard". This ended up being my favorite song in the entire show. It was so cleverly written and gave us some insight into how Shakespeare was going to take on the Bottom Brothers.

As everything came together and more musical references came into the mix, I continued to enjoy myself and everything about this show. I laughed so hard during it. From Shakespeare putting on a fat suit to a Puritan saying "God Dammit".

When I wore my shirt to school

The show concludes and everyone is giving a standing ovation to the amazing cast and crew that put this show together to make it as amazing as it was.

Now we went to the souvenir stand and bought some merch. I ended up getting the t-shirt that has a picture of William Shakespeare wearing some shades and it says "IT'S HARD TO BE THE BARD". Liliana got the t-shirt that says "God, I Hate Shakespeare" with a tomato on it and a CD of the cast album.

But as we left the theatre, we wanted to get a photo in front of the Hamilton and Something Rotten! banner since we are now huge fans of both. We were able to get the Hamilton banner one, but unfortunately the Something Rotten! one was covered by a metal detector so we couldn't get that photo.

Hamilton Banner

We got to the car and asked my dad if he could put Liliana's CD into his CD player so we could listen to the album on the way back. We were all laughing along with songs and my mom even had to clarify a few lyrics, in particular, the line in "God, I Hate Shakespeare" that says, "Don't be a penis, the man is a genius."

That was the day when I went to see Something Rotten! It was by far the best show I say in 2017 and if tickets weren't so darn expensive, and ASU Gammage wasn't that far from my house, I would have definitely gone to see it again. I would highly recommend you see this show! Every actor was phenomenal and the writers of the show are absolute geniuses!!!  And I am so excited to go back to ASU Gammage to see Hamilton in a months time!!!



Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

Controversy Over Characters Sexuality

PC Here

For those of us who sing “Seasons of Love” as a pre-show ritual, it may be hard to understand why, when Rent went on tour for the first time in 1997, it would be viewed with such criticism for the contents in the show. But, Charles Isherwood, a writer for The Advocate, writes about Charlotte, North Carolina’s decision to ban the show from performing in their town. Isherwood mentions that there was a huge protest against a previous show called Angels of America and many feel that Rent would cause the same effect since both shows have homosexual tones displayed in the show. “Explaining why she passed on Rent, Judith Allen, president of Charlotte’s Blumenthal Center for the performing arts, said simply that the musical would be ‘too risky on a subscription series that’s only four years old.’”, yet she didn’t comment further on her statement. It was also mentioned by Isherwood that due to the town being very religious and conservative, they felt that Rent would be perceived as promoting homosexuality... Commissioner Hoyle Martin said when he was trying to decide if Rent should be shown in Charlotte, “I did not enter into this lightly...I sat down with 48 members of the gay and lesbian community because I think you always have to listen to the other side, but in the end, it only reaffirmed what I believe. There are many gay and lesbian people in Charlotte who are responsible to God for that--and who I have no problem with. But I have a problem when some of them shove it in my face. I don't shove myself in their face." But regardless of Charlotte, NC, they had no problems booking places all over the rest of the country, in places such as Chicago, Il, Salt Lake City, UT, and Columbus, OH just to name a few. They performed their tour through the years 1997-1998 and continued on Broadway, not needing Charlotte to help them continue to make this show a hit. Isherwood, Charles. (1997). Rent Control. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=4&docId=GALE%7CA19715192&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=ITOF&contentSet=GALE%7CA19715192&searchId=R2&userGroupName=azstatelibdev&inPS=true&authCount=1&u=azstatelibdev

Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

Tips: Preparing for a Performance (Voice)

So a while back, I did an Instagram story day where I talked about how I prepare my voice for days where I have a performance, specifically for when I need to sing. Now, I have wanted to put these tips on my blog, but because I waited so long to do it, I have deleted the videos from my phone. I do believe that I have retained my knowledge of what they are (especially since I used these tips for a performance I had recently) and I am excited to share them with you today.

I should point out that I am not an expert by any means, but I pulled these tips from what I have read and what I have learned since being apart of theatre.

PC Here

1) Exercise

This is something I don't do enough of and I need to start actively pursuing again. Even if it is just a light jog around the block, exercise is great for your lung capacity. Back when I would exercise more, I found that my lung capacity had significantly increased and I felt better throughout the day. Exercising can also help to calm feeling of stress and nervousness which is always good when you get pre-performance jitters.

2) Take Allergy and Asthma Medication if Needed

As someone with mild asthma and quite a few airborne allergies, I have found that taking care of them can definitely help with your singing. Making sure you take your asthma medication when needed, you are ensuring that you are able to take in as much air as you need when you're singing. Now I know allergies affect people in different ways. For me, my nose gets stuffed up and I need to breathe through my mouth more. In some rare cases, my asthma acts up, forcing me to use my emergency inhaler so I can breathe normally. This is why I believe that you need to make sure you take care of your asthma and allergies in order to sing to the best of your abilities. Also, it is better for your health.

PC Here

3) No Dairy

Now, this is where I have no choice but to get a little graphic. On the day of a performance, it is always a good idea to stop consuming any dairy products. This is because dairy can cause phlegm to build up in the back of your throat causing you to clear it in order to be able to speak clearly. You never want to have to clear your throat in the middle of a song. I have found in my personal experience that avoiding dairy helps to decrease the production of phlegm and helps to improve your singing.

4) No Caffeine

I know that many of us live off of caffeine, but it must be avoided when a performance is involved. Not only have I read about this, but I have seen one of my friends do this before. Caffeine can actually dry out your throat, thus causing the production of phlegm, just like dairy. I will say that a good substitute for caffeine is exercise since it helps to keep you alert, awake, and focused throughout the day.

5) Plenty of Water

I know this seems like a no-brainer, but singers actually need to consume more water than the average person. Singing actually exercises your vocal cords which is why your throat tends to dry out when you sing. On days where I am performing, I try to stick to drinking only water because it helps to hydrate my throat and also keeps me hydrated as well which is always a good thing when it comes to your overall health.

6) Hot Lemon and Honey Recipe

Lemon Honey Drink

This is a recipe I have been using for a few years now, and I absolutely swear by it. A friend of mine
gave it to me to help me with my vocal range. What I've found is that it really helps more with clearing out your throat. There is something about it that helps to not only clear everything out but also hydrate your throat at the same time.

I start with heating up some water. Now you could make non-caffeinated tea out of this if you'd like, but I much prefer just using hot water. Fill a mug with the hot water and add to it 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix it all up. After this, I add an ice cube so that the drink is still hot but it is not going to scald my throat. Then I drink it until the mug is empty

7) Warm Up Voice

Warming up your voice is key for any performance, so it is important to find the right warm-ups for you. Since my vocal coach records all of our lessons and emails them to me, I usually use the warm-up from my previous lesson in order to prepare my voice for all of the singing instore.

PC Here

It is important to warm up your vocal cords and go in cold because it could cause you to force your voice a bit, thereby hurting your throat.

8) Practice a couple of times

Before any performance, I like to practice my song(s) a couple of times. This helps to refamiliarize myself with the song(s) I need to sing. It helps to boost my confidence with that song and I end up going out feeling ready to sing in front of the audience. I will say, don't practice too much. You don't want to wear out your voice before you perform. Just a couple times so you are sure you've got it.

These tips have helped me a lot when it came to performing songs in front of an audience. It has helped me to maximize my voice so that I can sing at my full potential. I hope this helps you guys when it comes time for your performance.



Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

Story: The Worst Show I Have Ever Been In

Cast Shirt

Being in theatre, you have many interesting experiences. Believe me, I have seen quite a bit. And there are some of us who will say that this show or that show is the worst show we have ever been in. Well, I think I have a story that is quite literally the worst and here it goes.

I do want to make a disclaimer first because I want to make one thing very clear. I am in no way, shape, or form, discrediting the company I did the production with, the script, or the director. This is just what happened when everything went wrong. I have done many productions with this company before this and none of them were this bad. I hold my director in the highest regard because she is the reason I am even apart of the theatre community. I also wholeheartedly support this community theatre and everything they do.

So this all started in November of 2014, where I was a mere 16 years old and a sophomore in high
school. At this point, I had been working with this director for about 3 years. I was a part of the tech crew for this show. There were a total of five techies building the set and managing backstage.

Techs on a day where we had
nothing to do

The name of the show was Christmas on the Gangplank. It was about a group of pirates (or buccaneers as they liked to be called) who kidnapped Santa. Our director's husband wrote the show and I have to admit, the script was quite funny.

The rehearsal schedule was twice a week for about 6 weeks with some Saturday rehearsals. Now you may be wondering how that would all work out. Trust me when I say that I have done shows with her that were twice a week for 4 weeks before and they have turned out much better than this.

The first thing that went wrong with this show, which we didn't really realize until afterward, was that we were performing during finals week. This means that not everyone is learning their lines because of studying. We were even studying during tech week any chance we got. The only good part about this is that we performed the day finals ended, but we probably should have stopped rehearsals once our second problem arose.

We had about three weeks to go before opening night. I came into rehearsal ready to build, but also having the recent sadness of not receiving a callback for Wizard of Oz at my high school. I walked into the back where the stage manager, director, and the rest of the techs were. They are in the middle of a conversation, and I had no clue what it was about. I was kind of able to pick up that we had lost our actor for Grimm (a pirate with a long beard that can store practically anything). Then all of a sudden, our director looked up at me and said, "Unless you want to be a bearded pirate." I, having a need to perform after not doing well at my previous audition, said sure. She was half joking when she asked me, but when I said yes, she immediately took me up on it. And so, I became Grimm, the bearded pirate.

When I was practicing my
pirate makeup

This leads me on to the week of the show. It was still rough and we were still working out all of the kinks, but a cast and directors worst nightmare happened. Someone quit the week of the show and another techie (who is also an actor, thank god) had to fill in. She had even less time than I did to learn everything. Also, our director almost had to play a role because one of the girls was sick that week and didn't come to rehearsals without telling anyone. I completely get it if you are sick, but during tech week or anytime during the show, you should either come anyways (I've had to do that before) or at the very least, text or call your director if you are unable to make it. We didn't see her until the night of the show. And when I saw her, I jokingly said, "Yay, you're not dead!" That was when she told me that she had been sick.

So now we come to the day of the show. Everyone is freaking out because we have never had a successful run, and the girl who was sick didn't know any of the final touches we had made. I was getting my wig and vest finished up and we were probably all thinking, "Thank god we only have to perform this once." 

Then the show started. Let the fun (or disaster depending on where you stand) begin.

Just before the show started

The first thing that happened (which happened a lot with her productions so I wasn't surprised) was that not everyone had their lines memorized and my director was prompting said people. Quite a few did have their lines memorized, but the ones who didn't have their lines memorized knew practically nothing. I have never been in a production where some people had to have every other line prompted to them.

But this is where everything went to crap. The first big disaster that happened caused us to stop the show for a couple minutes. One of the girls fell off the platform onto the stage floor. Our director, who was in the front row, runs over to her as the house lights flew on to make sure she's okay. Also, I almost fell a few seconds later, but I caught myself.

Once we knew she was alright, we continued from where we left off, when I quickly realized I forgot the fake sandwich that I was supposed to "pull out of my beard". So last minute, I had to improvise. Now, I actually suck at improv, but this was one of the rare occasions where I was able to pull something out of my hat, or beard in this case. I pretended to pick crumbs out of my beard instead of having the sandwich. That was probably one of the very few times we were able to save the show from being an absolute disaster.

Well, we finished Act One, and when we were backstage, we were saying how the show wasn't as horrible as we thought it would be. Now, if you believe in jinxing as much as I do, you might be able to imagine why Act Two was probably the worst act EVER.

I remember that there was a scene in Act Two that none of us (including myself) knew extremely well, apart from lines. This scene was so bad that we ended up repeating it twice due to so many lines being skipped. I was late for a quick dance number and the whole thing was just disorganized and a mess. Plus, I had to jump "overboard" at one point and the jump they had me do was the most unrealistic thing ever. But, it wasn't the worst thing since they wanted me to land safely and not injure myself

On stage, after I jumped off
stage

This next part, I was not on stage for because my character had jumped overboard, but I was watching the silhouette on the wall behind us (we didn't perform on a real stage I need to add quickly) with the other girl who jumped overboard and the techs. This scene was a sad montage after we decided to jump. One of the characters had to swing a fake sword and then get really mad. As he was bringing it up to his left shoulder to swing it, he accidentally hit one of the girls in our cast, who was probably around 10 at the time, right in the nose. The audience gasps, as did I, and then he went over to hug her. Next thing I know, the lights go on. Our second stop of the show. I tell her sister (who was working as a tech) what had happened and she was about ready to kill the guy. I had to help her calm down by letting her vent to me about her frustrations with this show. Pretty soon. The entire cast is coming backstage and they are telling us that the girl who got hit started crying and her nose was bleeding so they had to stop to take care of the situation. Once that happened, they started the scene over again, but this time, when the boy was swinging his sword, the little girl took three steps to the left and everyone started chuckling. To be fair, so did I.

Now we are on to the final fight scene. That whole thing was a mess. Now I can't talk for everyone in that scene, but I can tell you how my fight with the guy who was swinging the sword (yes, funny isn't it) went terribly wrong. So I go on stage with my twin cutlasses and he has two swordfish. Now we have this whole fighting routine we are supposed to do. In fact, we were practicing that fight just before we started the show. Well, all of that choreography went out the window. he just started swinging his swordfish towards me and I had to keep blocking him as best as I could. That whole thing resulted in my knuckles getting grazed a couple of times and us being way past where we were supposed to be. Then he "stabs" me, actually grazing my side, which he didn't realize. I end up having to stumble all the way over to the platforms we had so I could fall on it, and say my line.

And then we had the end song that Santa had to sing. You know when I said that quite a lot of the cast didn't have their lines memorized. Well, Santa had barely any of them memorize and you could tell. Our director was in the front of the audience feeding him his lines as he was doing the song and he didn't even finish the song before the music was at its end and the lights were supposed to go out.

And then to end the show-off. We had technical difficulties with the ending slideshow that was apart of it so the guy doing the monologue had to ad lib a bit (like he doesn't do that already).

Then we took our bows, which we surprisingly didn't screw up, and the horror that was Christmas on the Gangplank was officially over.

After the show, our director told me that she had done this show three times and each time it went horribly wrong. And so she said that even though her husband wrote it and she loved the script, she was never performing this show ever again, which she hasn't. And I don't blame her

Now you see what I mean by worst show ever. I was in only one other production with her after that show but left that company due to the need to branch out and go learn from other directors.

Now that you know my story, I would be curious to know a stage experience that is classified as the worst show you guys have been in. I always find it fascinating hearing other people experienced, especially when it comes to what went wrong. So if you have any of those, please share them with me via Twitter, Instagram, or just the comments on this post. I think this is something that we can all bond over in one way or another



Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

December's Musical of the Month (2017): Aida

Album Cover
PC Here

Been a while since I have done anything with this series, so why not start the year off by reviving it. Towards the end of 2017, I started listening to a new musical that I ended up fell in love with. If you read my Musicals of 2017 post, then you know which musical it is. December's Musical of the Month is Aida.

According to Broadway.com, Aida is about, "...the exciting tale of a captured Nubian princess who falls in love with her conqueror, the Egyptian captain, Radames." (Full description here). I always enjoy stories that involve characters going against social norms to follow what they believe to be right and that is definitely the story we get here.

Heather Headley as Aida
PC Here

Aida is a musical I have been hearing about for over a year now and it wasn't until a friend told me that she had listened to it that I decided to give it a go. There was also the fact that Adam Pascal was a part of the original Broadway cast, so I had to check it out. I began listening to it towards the end of November on Spotify. But before I listened to it, I had to read a synopsis of the show on Wikipedia. Doing this actually really helps me to figure out the context in which the songs are performed. Otherwise, I would have been lost and not known what was going on in the show.

Sherie Rene Scott as Amneris
PC Here

In terms of the soundtrack itself, I am absolutely in love with it. I love how the instrumentals make you feel like you are in Egypt while also having a rock and roll flair to it. The melody of the lyrics fit with the music so well and the lyrics tell a story all by itself. They perfectly portray the conflict that weighs heavily on so many of the characters. The emotion is conveyed so well that you almost feel like you are there with them, feeling those same emotions. It is honestly beautiful.

Since I am a visual person (and I like watching clips of musicals) I looked on YouTube for clips of one of my favorite songs from the musical, "Elaborate Lives". I found many different versions that people had posted and eventually found one that was my favorite adaptation. This helped me to see what was going on and paint a picture in my head as to how the show might look.

Radames and Aida
PC Here

In terms of my favorite characters in the show, I have it narrowed down to two characters:
(In no particular order)

1. Aida: She is the princess of Nubia but has to keep her identity a secret when she is captured and thrown into slavery. I liked Aida because she is a very strong female who is unafraid to speak her mind.
2. Radames: He is the captain of the Egyptian army, soon to become the Pharaoh after the death of his fiance's father (the current Pharaoh). I really liked his character because he was able to break away from what his father wanted and was able to figure out what he wanted, which turned out to be Aida.

Favorite Songs:

(In no particular order)

1. Fortune Favors the Brave
2. Enchantment Passing Through
3. Not Me
4. Elaborate Lives
5. A Step Too Far
6. Easy as Life
7. Written in the Stars

Even though Adam Pascal was in this musical, that is not the reason why I recommend this musical. I recommend it because of the complex storyline and the amazing soundtrack. It is a musical filled with humorous and heartfelt moments, plus a touching ending.

Amneris, Radames, and Aida
PC Here

Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner

Twitter: @Theatre_Corner 

Rent: Written From Experience

Jonathan Larson
PC Here

In a 1996 article published by the New York Times, music critic Anthony Tommasini reflects on Jonathan Larson’s conception and creation of the Tony Award-winning musical sensation, Rent.

For those who don’t know what Rent is, it is an amazing show about bohemian starving artists in New York who are struggling to keep their heads above water with the underlying conflict of HIV and AIDS. In a moving piece of remembrance, Tommasini reflects on the struggles of this “composer with sad brown eyes.”

The man credited for this piece, Jonathan Larson, didn’t just write this to show the world his work, he wrote this in honor of his friends. So much of Rent is pulled from his own life. Tommasini mentions how he used to throw down his keys to friends who by his apartment to see him, just like Mark does in the show. It was also mentioned that Larson had the experience of watching his friends die from HIV and has even supported a few friends by going with them to life support meetings (the Rent equivalent to meetings at Friends in Deed).

After trying to write a hit show for so long, Tommasini explains how Larson came so close to

PC Here

experiencing the greatness that came with Rent, but he never got the chance. Three days before previews started for Rent off-broadway, Larson was feeling some pain and went to the emergency room. He was sent home, the doctors saying that there was nothing they could do. Two days later, Larson continued to not feel well, which resulted in another trip to the ER and another doctor sending him home. The show began previews and Jonathan had started to experience the thrill and excitement of his new hit show.  And just a few hours after his interview with the New York Times about his show, Larson passes due to an aortic aneurysm, causing a minor delay of previews. In this time of sadness, Tommasini discusses how Larson’s friends reflect on how characters and plot points from Rent were pulled from his personal life. One of his friends, Mr. Rosenstein, said, “This was his funeral, and Jonathan had written his own score for it. Listen to this show; Jonathan has prepared us for his death.”

Rent Opening night
PC Here

In reading Tommasini’s piece reflecting on Jonathan Larson’s life and his masterpiece, I realize how real the struggle with AIDS and HIV is even today. Luckily today, we have medication that can help to save a person’s life from these diseases, but back then not so much. Even today, I am sure not everyone gets the treatment they need and lose their life to this illness.

I also got a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the musical I love so much. I almost picture Larson himself throwing down his keys and helping his friends who are going through these horrible illnesses. I can now see where Larson came up with Rent, and it makes me love this show even more than I already do.

Tommasini, A. (March 17, 1996). Theather; “The Seven-Year Odyssey That Lead To ‘Rent’”. Retrieved From http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/17/theater/theather-the-seven-year-odyssey-that-led-to-rent.html 



Instagram:@The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner

Musicals of 2017

Happy 2018!!!!! Wasn't 2017 an amazing year? I hope 2018 will be just as awesome.

During 2017, I was exposed to quite a few musicals, some that I had seen, and some I had just listened to. I thought I would do a rundown of all the shows I was exposed to last year and my thoughts on them.

Quick note: Some shows overlap because I started listening to the soundtrack after I saw the show. I will talk about the performance aspect of the shows I saw. With the shows I listened to, I will talk more about the score and vocals.

Musicals I Saw in 2017

Mary Poppins (Perry High School): I had quite a few friends in this show who I went to support.
You could see the passion that the cast had for the show. The dancing was unbelievable and the fact that they used a flying rig was astonishing. Everytime an actor went up into the air was perfectly executed and none of the set was knocked over. Overall, a truly remarkable show.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Queen Creek High School): One of my oldest friends was in this show, so of course I had to come support her. And what can I say, everything was astonishing. The acting was spot on and the big dance number in the show was absolutely remarkable. I have to say, these young actors will go far.

Sister Act (Studio 3): As with most of these shows on my list, I had friends in this one too. Though there were problems with the mics, this was the best community theatre production I have ever seen. So professional. The actress who played Dolores was perfect for that role (she was not one of the friends I was supporting, but I was thoroughly impressed). Everyone in that show did such a phenomenal job and I am so happy I got to see it.

Bare (Nearly Naked Theatre): This show had an amazing cast and an amazing message to bring to everyone. Since I already have a review of the show posted, I will leave a link here so you can read my full thoughts on Bare: A Pop Opera.

13 (Perry High School): Again, I had friends in this show. I enjoyed the show very much, but it wasn't my favorite of them all (will explain more in the next section). But I will say, the acting was very well done and the actors singing was amazing. Plus, this show is relatable to pretty much everyone. I do feel you find a bit of yourself in these characters and the situations they go through. I know I did.

Something Rotten! (National Tour at ASU Gammage): MY FAVORITE SHOW OF THE YEAR!!!!! I wanted to see this show because I found out that Adam Pascal (who played Roger in Rent) was portraying William Shakespeare. The show was absolutely breath-taking. Every musical reference, every tap number, every song, just everything about it. I was blown away by this show. There will be a post later this month talking about my experience seeing this show.

Newsies (Filmed Live on Stage at Harkins Theater): This wasn't actually a production I went to see, but I felt I had to mention it because I know many theatre kids who were so excited to see this in theaters. This was my first encounter with the Broadway version of Newsies, and I was amazed. The dancing, the acting, the singing, the set. Everything about it was absolutely perfect. I am so happy I am able to relive every second of this because it was filmed. The beauty of Netflix I tell you.

Musicals I Listened to in 2017

Newsies: I began listening to the show immediately after I saw it at Harkins. I was familiar with the musical because of the 1990's movie of the same name. I am in love this soundtrack. I am always impressed when actors are able to incorporate their accents for a show in their singing. And every actor did exactly that. The New York accent rang out along with the beautiful score Alan Menken wrote for this. Every song has a place and a meaning and I love that.

13: Like I said earlier, this was not one of my favorites. Though I enjoyed seeing the show, it was mostly the music that didn't do it for me. The score is quite good, but the lyrics just don't do it for me personally. I think this is because I can't relate to the show so much anymore. The show is about junior high and growing up, and though I have gone through all of that, I am at the end of my teenage years. I will say though, the show has a powerful message that is displayed perfectly well through the music.

Aida: This is a show I have heard about for a little while now and it will be my December Musical of the Month. Since I will go into more detail there, I will be brief here. This is a musical that has Adam Pascal in it and I think you can tell I'm a fan. The score makes you feel like you are in Egypt with the actors but it also has a modern flair to it which I enjoy. The emotion could be felt in the actors singing, even when just listening to it.

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change: I heard of this show because my high school performed a shortened version of this for their one-act at the Arizona State Thespian Festival in 2016. The lyrics are hilarious and there is no question that you will be on the floor laughing after listening to this musical.

Something Rotten!: I decided not to listen to the soundtrack before I went to see the show because I wanted my first experience to be from an unbiased perspective. The score is phenomenal as well as the lyrics. And don't get me started on how amazing the singing is. Overall, an amazing musical that you should definitely listen to and see if you can.

Heathers: I had friends in my theatre class who were obsessed with this musical and during my summer break, I decided to give it a go. You do need to read a description of the show in order to fully comprehend what is happening with each song, but it is definitely worth listening to. It's funny and the vocals are amazing. I will say that this is not a show for young kids due to its mature content and language. But if you are of age, give it a whirl. You won't regret it.

With so many amazing musicals, it is hard to listen to them all. But I am sure that this year, I will be able to check a few off of my list. Here's to a New Year filled with seeing new shows and listening to new musicals.



Instagram: @The_Theatre_Corner
Twitter: @Theatre_Corner


Collage Photo Credits
Mary Poppins
Bare: A Pop Opera
Something Rotten!
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Sister Act
13
Newsies
Heathers