Run Wild. Live Free.: Musical Extravaganza

There is nothing like a musical. The notes that cascade out to an awestruck audience, the melody that carries thoughts, the beat that sends the heart pounding in a fit of wonder. An actor stands before a crowd, reciting his lines and yet his mind is running through the song that will escape from his lips in a moment. Anxiously, he awaits the cue, counting each beat as his heart pounds wildly. He knows that he will have to calm his voice to keep it from quavering. Suddenly, he is concentrating on the melody and the meaning of the words. His song takes flight and echos across the walls into his soul, absorbing the lyrics and sensing the emotion. This is the essence of a musical, the ability to say the lines of conversation, while listening to the music.

    Arguably, musicals take just as much work, if not more than a regular performance. If there are dance numbers involved, the effort is an extreme test of mental and physical stamina . The challenge of bringing a musical together is perhaps the very definition of the words “theater”, “performance”, and “star”. Before it becomes a hit, a musical is practiced and practiced and practiced. Until those involved are suffering from a hoarse voice, too many late nights, a weakened immune system, and the songs they sing on “repeat” in their head. A person lives and breaths music. This is the “nitty-gritty” stuff that separates the partially devoted from the truly passionate people. The sweat, the blood, and the sour notes.

    Musicals capture the morals of a story in song. Actors have to temporally separate themselves from the real world and dive into the kaleidoscope of song. If actors do not feel the essence of a song, they cannot transmit the emotions prescribed in the musical to the audience. A musical is giving everything, and holding nothing back to belt out those high notes or mystify with the low, reverberating ones. This is the magic of it. The pulling of the audience or viewers into another place, another time, or just into the song.

    Duets are even more of challenge as they match voices and looks with the emotions of a couple. Again, if the performers do not feel anything for that split second on stage, the lyrics will bounce off the audience's ears and into the empty hollow of the actor's voice. Further, multiple voices in a group will pull hidden talent from each individual and into the lime light. Musicals provide the chance for everyone to shine.

    Pictured are some of my favorite musicals. The ones that have captured my heart and sent me home singing. Before anyone faints at the sight of High School Musical, let me say that it started off as an after-school project. The effort that each person put in is obvious. It shows in the polished songs that reflect each person's gift. Further, too many of “stick to the status quo”! Anyway, not to jump off subject.