I've been involved in musicals since I was 11 years old. They have grown up along with me, and they are honestly the times I learn the most about life. So many people think they're only entertainment, when in reality they are beautiful works that genuinely do teach you life lessons. Here are only 10 of the countless ones I have learned in my nine years of musicals.
10. "Seussical"
Believe in yourself, and you'll be able to do great things.
9. "Into the Woods"
"Into the Woods" honestly taught me a lot. It taught me that the happy endings of fairytales really aren't attainable. It also hinted to me that children are the most influential part to the future. Bernadette Peter's part of the finale really got to me every time, because as a kid I would always listen to my parents and the other adults around me and use them as moulds for myself. The things they said shaped who I was, and to some extent even who I am right now. Children do listen to what we tell them. Children use us to see what is acceptable for them to do.
8. "Grease"
If you really love someone, the car you guys drive away in will float into the sky. And you should wave goodbye to all the haters.
7. "Annie, Get Your Gun!"
I put this on my list because I was in this in high school, and assumed that there was something to learn from it. I guess I learned you can't get a man with a gun? That'd be pretty bad.
6. "The Wizard of Oz"
This is one of the musicals that I actually can say I participated in. I was that silver guy you see cowering behind his Ax. Either way though, this musical taught me a lot about how I personally handle things. I always am quick to judge and write people off as inconsequential or even inept at helping me with anything, so I'll try to do it on my own. This musical helped me to see that everyone, even if they seem that they have no real speciality, has something they're proficient with. For some it's just being plain evil.
5. "Wicked"
"Wicked" taught me that not everything is exactly what it seems. There's always another side to a story, and sometimes you're being fed the lie.
4. "Rent"
Fight the establishment. 'Nough said.
3. "Aida"
Sometimes society will try to put you down. You need to fight against the odds for what you believe is right. You should never give up hope for whatever it is you're reaching for. (Alright, this is a stretch. I'll admit it. But I really did feel that way after seeing this performance.)
2. "Finding Neverland"
This musical really is my favorite I think of all time for many reasons. This musical taught me that it's always good to still be a kid at heart, even if you have to be an adult on the outside. It also taught me that life is a gift, and you need to cherish it while you (and those you love) are still alive.
1. "Hamilton"
Of course I couldn't make a list of things musicals have taught me without referencing the newest craze musical: "Hamilton". This article has taught me a lot in terms of what it means to put your mark on the world. All through my childhood, I only cared about making my mark on the world and I wanted to see what it was like to be so famous that I have my name in history books. Now, at the age of 20, I have learned (slightly thanks to this musical, also thanks to just the fact that I understand the world a bit better) that the important part of my life isn't to make anything about my life better. I want to make my life's work meant to better the lives of those who come after me, like Alexander Hamilton realizes in his last moments in the Musical, as he says the words "Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me". These lyrics took me a while to notice and understand, but they are perhaps the most necessary lyrics for me. These lyrics helped solidify my resolve to helping others as a profession, and as best I can in my own life as well.
