I chanced upon a very good article a few days ago, about why we love musicals so much and why musicals still matter in the world today.
Article (here).
I think it summarises very well exactly why musicals are still relevant in this day and age.
There is nothing in the world of arts and entertainment quite like a great musical.
Let me quote my favourite paragraphs:
“In one evening at the theatre you will see a melding of story, music, lyrics, often dance, and, nearly always glamour, that you’ll find nowhere else.”
“But musical theatre, in the widest sense that stretches from Puccini and Verdi to Abba and Mamma Mia!, offers us escapism, spectacle and, above all, emotion. Often plays can be too precious for their own good. So afraid are they of falling into melodrama, they just don’t embrace our deeper feelings, and we sit there, numb with boredom, wishing for the interval. Musicals, on the other hand, take aim right at our emotions. It’s all right to cry in a musical. Anyone who has seen West Side Story knows that.”
I guess the writer hits the nail on the spot.
Musicals are all about emotion. They take aim right at your heart.
And as a great Broadway composer once said, there is nothing greater than telling a story through music.
Musicals are about having you feel for a certain character, and having you go through the myriad of emotions with this character.
And at the point in every scene where the emotions have reached a peak, that’s where the song comes in.
There’s nothing quite like expressing one’s innermost feelings and desires through song.
Your entry is frankly what I feel about musicals as well. As a child I was introduced to the world of theatre via books, so much so that now I’m in NY I jumped at the chance to catch as many Broadway shows as I can! The first being the Phantom – I was so in awe. Next – hopefully Mary Poppins! :)
Hey, was thinking why not write a musical like an orchestral piece in 3 or 4 movements?
LF: Wow, whatever gave you that idea? I must say it’s quite a radical idea! I’ve never thought of it that way before. What would you say is your impetus for this approach?
I thought about it last night at the Makoto Ozone performance…I think it was when he was playing “Laura’s Dream”.
I see. But why split a musical into 3 or 4 movements? What is the rationale behind it?
It’s just like you have different acts or scenes, but you use the concept of the movements instead to play it out, allegro, andante, etc.