I’ve always loved musicals. I’m not sure if it’s that every Disney movie has a singalong soundtrack, so I was indoctrinated early or what, but I’m always up for a movie or play where people burst into song as if it’s a normal part of conversation.
Today I saw The Greatest Showman which is a musical about P.T Barnum and his circus. Spotify has been teasing me with shot clips of a few of the songs over the last month, so I was excited to hear them in full and see how they would fit into the storyline. Overall I enjoyed the movie. I was expecting a happier story, but it was still highly entertaining with good music. I tend to tie memories to musicals, and I expect to remember this musical as the one I saw with my family at Christmas one year.
Some of my other favorite musicals are:
Phantom of the Opera
I got the song book for Phantom when I took piano lessons as a kid, and I would pound away at the keys while playing the dissonant run. I owned the soundtrack, saw it at the Fox Theatre, and went to see the movie when it came out as well.
Hairspray
I wasn’t familiar with Hairspray until the movie came out in 2007, but I quickly fell in love (hey, Zac Efron!). Again, saw the movie, bought the soundtrack, bought the DVD, etc.
Moulin Rouge!
I suppose I saw this in middle school? I don’t remember watching the DVD too many times, but my sister and I would belt out “Come What May” in the car on the way to Wednesday night youth group attempting to hit the high notes and harmonize to the best of our (limited) abilities.
Rent
Who doesn’t love that 525,600 minutes song (aka “Seasons of Love”)?
Into the Woods
My familiarity with Into the Woods started with Gilmore Girls when Paris tried to intimidate Brad by singing the song under her breath when he was near. Then when they made it a movie staring Anna Kendrick, I was sold!
Into the Woods is also special to me because one Friday I had a particularly bad day at work, and I decided I would do see it that evening (my husband had no interest, so this was a solo trip). We lived across from an AMC where you buy your seat, and as I was in line to buy my ticket, the show sold out. Devastated, I went back to my car and sat there crying before composing myself, searching for showings in a theater 20 minutes up the road, and then speeding there to make it on time. I got to see the movie and loved it, so all was well.
Grease
A classic! Put aside the problematic storyline of trying to be someone else for your high school love interest and just enjoy it.
And then there are musicals that I still haven’t see but really enjoy the soundtracks. I hope to cross them off my list one day!
Hamilton
Dear Evan Hansen
Wicked
Sara Morrison 