I’d been dragged to two Broadway shows in my life: “Phantom of the Opera” and “White Christmas”. I hated both. I vowed never to return. Ok, that’s an exaggeration—I didn’t hate them that much, and I was never anti-Broadway per se. I just had no interest in Broadway. Broadway wasn’t manly enough—needless to say, my masculinity was more toxic than botulin and more fragile than glass.
When I arrived at college in New York City and met friends who adore Broadway, I knew I was bound to see a musical or two eventually. For my inaugural show, we decided to see “Waitress.” So, I found myself at 7 AM sitting on a sidewalk in line for tickets for a show that had never interested me before. But I was glad I did, because it was more than worth it.
"Waitress" is the story of, you guessed it, a waitress/pie master named Jenna. The story is set in motion when she feels sick at work and realizes that she is pregnant. With this unexpected and unwelcome news, Jenna scrambles to try to make a new life away from her abusive husband.
The story was beautifully portrayed. The acting, the singing, and the choreography were all on point. Katherine McPhee, who was runner-up on American Idol in 2006, blew me away with her voice. The music, written by Sara Bareilles (of “Love Song” and “Brave” fame), will make you at once laugh and cry (to laugh, check out “Never Ever Getting Rid of Me”, to cry, check out “She Used to be Mine”).
I was blown away by the talent of everyone involved. It’s enough to act in a movie, where you can make mistakes and it won’t matter — but add that it’s live, that you have sing, dance, and have a whole choreography to memorize? Holy smokes. That’s talent.
Coming in, I had no idea what to expect. Would I like it, or would I be bored to death? Would I let myself go, or would I force myself not to like it since musicals aren’t "manly" enough?
Evidently, going in with an open mind was the right move. As soon as the curtains opened, the story and the music washed over me. And I loved it. I laughed, I cried (I was told I cried the way a dad cries, in that I placed my fingers delicately near the inside corners of my eyes, discretely wiping away tears), and I left smiling and excited to explore other parts of the new world I had discovered.
Do yourself a favor: never think that you’re “too cool” for something. Keep your mind open to new ideas. Try new things. Refusing to do so means missing out on so many great experiences in life. If you’ve never been to a Broadway show, go to one! You’ll probably enjoy it if you let yourself! If I had never let myself go, then I would’ve missed out on such a beautiful experience. I know that there are plenty more beautiful experiences waiting for me out there, and now I can’t wait to find them and to experience them.
