So what is the topic of March's Random Monthly Post?
Why I love musicals.
Those who know me in the "real world" will be very much aware of my obsession with musical theatre, and I am sure that fans of this blog will have managed to grasp that from some of my previous selections for Song of the Week. Surprise, surprise, I adore musicals. I have been a fan of musicals since I was young, starting at the Disney classic, High School Musical and the subsequent sequels as I grew up. However, as I grew older, I gained a taste for stage plays as opposed to TV musicals.
For several years, my aunt used to buy my family tickets to see musicals on the West End as Christmas presents. Thanks to her generous gifts, we had the opportunity to watch Hairspray, The Lion King and Wicked on stage. But after my sister expressing a distaste over Wicked, we have no longer gone to musicals. However, this has not quashed my adoration for musical theatre.
I have watched many musicals in film form, Grease, Mamma Mia, Hairspray and RENT to name a few, but I am a huge fan of Hamilton: An American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Hamilton was the first musical that I had actually taken the time to invest my time in that was outside of the pre-established bracket. I came across it on Tumblr but was hesitant to buy into the hype when it first came out. I was re-introduced to it at a karaoke night when I was at university last year, and this re-inspired my deep love for musical theatre. A group of students that were at the karaoke night, decided to go up and sing Alexander Hamilton, or as me and my friends that are fellow fans happen to call it "The Exposition Song", where context for the entire show is established. I recognised the song, and when I got home, I listened to the entirety of Act One.
I became a hardcore fan of that musical not long after that, and found myself revisiting Grease, Mamma Mia, Hairspray and RENT with a nostalgic fondness.
But what exactly was it about the musicals, or more specifically, Hamilton, that got me invested again?
The lyrics.
As a spoken word poet, and a writer as a whole, I tend to lend my ear to lyrics. I am eager to hear what singers are saying in their music. So when I finally listened to Act One, and later Act Two of Hamilton, I was astounded at the power behind the lyrics.
I ended up manipulating lyrics from my favourite song from Hamilton into my UniSlam 2018 solo - I Wanted To Die, The quote from the song was as follows:
And I wrote the following in reference to those lyrics:
Before I went on to tell the stories of people of signifiance that influenced me when I wanted to die back when.
This musical had done something completely different, it had managed to use a genre of music, not assoicated with Broadway and Theatre and produce a musical that made Millennials and Gen Z kdis want to watch it, and learn about American History. It brought new generations and invested them in musicals! Not only that but because the entire musical IS the soundtrack, people who couldn't afford tickets to Broadway could STILL ACCESS THE MUSICAL!
The lyrics from songs in Hamilton seemed to be so powerful! And it isn't just that one musical, no. I also recently became infatuated with Dear Evan Hansen, a muscial staring Ben Platt.
There are very powerful metaphors and images within the music in that show - for example, the repetition of the following part:
These lyrics are repeated in Waving Through A Window and Words Fail with immensely different meanings and intentions. This musical taught me a lot about how I should regard delivery when performing on stage myself.
In short - I love musicals.
In slightly longer - I love musicals due to the lyrics in their songs.
In essence - Lyrics in songs from musicals can be immensely powerful and I love them so much!
Thank you so much for reading!
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra!
- Imogen. L. Smiley
Why I love musicals.
Those who know me in the "real world" will be very much aware of my obsession with musical theatre, and I am sure that fans of this blog will have managed to grasp that from some of my previous selections for Song of the Week. Surprise, surprise, I adore musicals. I have been a fan of musicals since I was young, starting at the Disney classic, High School Musical and the subsequent sequels as I grew up. However, as I grew older, I gained a taste for stage plays as opposed to TV musicals.
For several years, my aunt used to buy my family tickets to see musicals on the West End as Christmas presents. Thanks to her generous gifts, we had the opportunity to watch Hairspray, The Lion King and Wicked on stage. But after my sister expressing a distaste over Wicked, we have no longer gone to musicals. However, this has not quashed my adoration for musical theatre.
I have watched many musicals in film form, Grease, Mamma Mia, Hairspray and RENT to name a few, but I am a huge fan of Hamilton: An American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Hamilton was the first musical that I had actually taken the time to invest my time in that was outside of the pre-established bracket. I came across it on Tumblr but was hesitant to buy into the hype when it first came out. I was re-introduced to it at a karaoke night when I was at university last year, and this re-inspired my deep love for musical theatre. A group of students that were at the karaoke night, decided to go up and sing Alexander Hamilton, or as me and my friends that are fellow fans happen to call it "The Exposition Song", where context for the entire show is established. I recognised the song, and when I got home, I listened to the entirety of Act One.
I became a hardcore fan of that musical not long after that, and found myself revisiting Grease, Mamma Mia, Hairspray and RENT with a nostalgic fondness.
But what exactly was it about the musicals, or more specifically, Hamilton, that got me invested again?
The lyrics.
As a spoken word poet, and a writer as a whole, I tend to lend my ear to lyrics. I am eager to hear what singers are saying in their music. So when I finally listened to Act One, and later Act Two of Hamilton, I was astounded at the power behind the lyrics.
I ended up manipulating lyrics from my favourite song from Hamilton into my UniSlam 2018 solo - I Wanted To Die, The quote from the song was as follows:
Let me tell you what I wish I'd known
When I was young and dreamed of glory
You have no control
Who lives who dies who tells your story
And I wrote the following in reference to those lyrics:
Recently, I began to rationalise
Realising we have no control
Over who will tell our stories
Once we're gone.
Before I went on to tell the stories of people of signifiance that influenced me when I wanted to die back when.
This musical had done something completely different, it had managed to use a genre of music, not assoicated with Broadway and Theatre and produce a musical that made Millennials and Gen Z kdis want to watch it, and learn about American History. It brought new generations and invested them in musicals! Not only that but because the entire musical IS the soundtrack, people who couldn't afford tickets to Broadway could STILL ACCESS THE MUSICAL!
The lyrics from songs in Hamilton seemed to be so powerful! And it isn't just that one musical, no. I also recently became infatuated with Dear Evan Hansen, a muscial staring Ben Platt.
There are very powerful metaphors and images within the music in that show - for example, the repetition of the following part:
I've learned to slam on the brake
Before I've even turned the key
Before I make the mistake
Before I lead with the worst of me
These lyrics are repeated in Waving Through A Window and Words Fail with immensely different meanings and intentions. This musical taught me a lot about how I should regard delivery when performing on stage myself.
In short - I love musicals.
In slightly longer - I love musicals due to the lyrics in their songs.
In essence - Lyrics in songs from musicals can be immensely powerful and I love them so much!
Thank you so much for reading!
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra!
- Imogen. L. Smiley
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