Defying Gravity

Have you ever wondered what happened before Dorothy came along? Enjoy one short day in the Emerald City and you'll know all about it! This is the story of Elphaba, a girl who was born green. Yes, she becomes the wicked which of the west. But she definitely didn't start out that way. Lessons about friendship, love, finding yourself, and being happy make for an unforgettable musical! The songs from Wicked are definitely some of my favorite Broadway tunes. I saw this musical in Seattle with my parents and my sister. Of course I absolutely loved it and hope I can see it again someday!

Jacob and Sons!

I find that the most effective way to teach bible stories is through music. It makes them a lot easier to understand and once you know the songs it's easy to remember the story. An example of this is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As with many other musicals, I grew up watching the movie. And once again, I have all the words memorized. I've only seen this on stage once, a couple of years ago when my high school put it on. It's so fun and upbeat and I always enjoy reading this story in the bible! Especially because this story is important even today as it talks about what is to become the 12 tribes of Israel. Once again, Broadway delivers something amazing!

Masquerade

I think it would be so much fun to go to a masquerade. Everyone is a mystery and I'm sure it would be very entertaining to try and figure out who was who. Full of prima donnas, phantoms, love, and the theater, Phantom of the Opera is fantastic! I think this was the first professional musical I have seen. My parents, my sister, and I went to Seattle to see it when I was younger and it was amazing! We were pretty far back but at intermission, we moved forward and it was amazing how much better you could see just a few rows closer. Ever since I was little I can remember putting in the CD and listening the songs over and over, having all of them memorized soon enough. It's always fun to put a live story to the words though and I loved it! I've shared so many musical moments with my family and I'm so grateful for that! I also love this movie and dream of being Christine, or at least having her voice!

My Favorite Things

Yup, you guessed it; The Sound of Music. Such a classic and so wonderful! I'm a fan of anything that has Julie Andrews in it. She is amazing! I feel like a lot of musicals are stories that can be loved by people of all ages and Sound of Music is definitely one of them.

I have a special connection with Sound of Music because I was able to be Liesl in a Broadway Revue two years ago. It was fabulous and I loved every minute of it. It's fun to portray a character I can really connect with and who is close in age. Several people have told me I look like her which makes me think I am perfect for the role :)

Last summer, I went to an outdoor production of the musical. Outdoor theater is so much fun and especially with songs like Do Re Mi, you feel like you can be singing along right with the characters. In fact, they even invited us to do so. It was sunny and warm and we were sitting in nature. It was a blast!

Such a classic. I could never get tired of watching this movie and singing along!

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The motto of the French Revolution in 1792. The nationalism and love they felt for their country led them to give their lives for their freedom. Les Miserables is a love story placed right in the middle of the French Revolution. This is probably my favorite musical. With thrilling lyrics, dynamic characters, and heart wrenching scenes, watching Les Mis makes you feel like you right there beside them. I could never tire of listening to the songs! I've had the opportunity to see it twice. Once at my high school and the other at an outdoor theater. They were both fabulous and so professional! I also read the book last year and loved it! The detail added so much to the story and made me enjoy it even more. This year, a new edition of the movie comes out and I'm so excited! There are some of my favorite actors in it and it should be wonderful!

 

Tale as Old as Time

Yup, you guessed it. Beauty and the Beast! I was 11 years old in New York City. It was such a fun family trip filled with so much sight-seeing and memorable events. One of which being a visit to Broadway!

At the time, I watched Disney Channel all the time and I thought Christy Carlson Romano was SO pretty. And guess what? She was playing Belle at the time! I was so excited and even got her autograph after the show. My dad pushed my small little self to the front to see her and I was so happy!

But back to the show...We were in the very back row but we could still see great! I love that about theaters. There's rarely ever a bad seat in the house. Although I don't remember a lot of the details, I know it was a great experience and one I will never forget!

One thing I've realized now is that the story is the same, but a lot of the songs are different from the Disney movie that I grew up watching.

Here's a couple I really enjoy!

I love fairy tales and this is definitely one of my favorites! I think I like it so much because it has such a great message about not judging people from the outside and really getting to know them. Also about protecting the ones you love and doing what's best for them. I also can connect with Belle because we both love to read! And the musical is french! I love the french culture and now that I've studied french, there are subtle details in the story that make more sense!

There's No Business Like Show Business

The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props 

The audience that lifts you when you're down 

The headaches, the heartaches, the backaches, the flops 

The sheriff who escorts you out of town

The opening when your heart beats like a drum

The closing when the customers won't come 

There's no business like show business 

Like no business I know 

Everything about it is appealing 

Everything the traffic will allow 

No where could you have that happy feeling 

When you aren't stealing that extra bow 

There's no people like show people 

They smile when they are low 

Yesterday they told you you would not go far 

That night you opened and there you are 

Next day on your dressing room they've hung a star 

Let's go on with the show 

The music, the spotlights, the people, the towns 

Your baggage with the labels pasted on 

There's no business like show business 

If you tell me it's so 

Traveling through the country is so thrilling 

Standing out in front on opening nights 

Smiling as you watch the benches filling 

And see your billing up there in lights 

There's no people like show people 

They smile when they are low 

Even with a turkey that you know will fold 

You may be stranded out in the cold 

Still you wouldn't trade it for a sack o' gold 

Let's go on with the show! 

Oh what perfect lyrics to describe Broadway! I love everything about it and wish i had endless amounts of money to go see all the great shows. Or I wish I lived in NYC where I could waltz through the streets of the theater. It would be a dream come true. The next few days on this blog I'm going to highlight some of my favorite musicals that I've seen on stage. So many wonderful lyrics, dancing, costumes, and effects. I come out of every production literally in awe. And being both a performer and a spectator, I have a different perspective which makes it so much more fun! As much as I love being on the stage, sometimes it's nice to just sit back, relax, and enjoy a good show!