One of the best feelings in the world to any musical-lover is sitting in your seat before the show, reading over the Playbill, and hearing the orchestra begin warming up. The swell of the music ignites something within us that makes us feel like nothing but what’s happening in that exact moment matters; we know that something amazing is about to happen. We know that in the next two hours, we will be taken on a journey like no other, and we will leave with something very important imbedded in our minds and hearts.

I’m sure I have mentioned in my previous articles that I love musicals. They are my favorite form of theatre, and they tie with books as my favorite form of art. Musicals are wonderful because they pack music and great acting into one show. The music is most often catchy and entertaining. Who doesn’t love music? Plus, they are just fun to watch. Watching people strut around a stage singing from the depth of their lungs and looking like they are having a blast is a pure joy to watch. You can’t help but catch on to their joyous disposition. Even the depressing musicals are fantastic because the actors’ sheer talent radiates out from the stage in all directions and twinges the heartstrings of every audience member. Every production I have seen of “Les Miserables”, for example, has had a solid cast that delivered their performance with a magnitude of power. The beauty of the music and force of the chorus lifted the audience and by the end of each production, there was not a dry eye in the theatre.

Audience members of any show are bonded together for that short length of time in their lives and share every experience as a group. From the shared dialogues of excitement before the show, to the glances passed during the show, the strangers sitting around you at the beginning of the production quickly become acquaintances by the end. This is one of my favorite aspects of live theatre. No two audiences are the exact same, so each show is different for both the audience members and the cast of the show. The audience feeds back to the cast members as well, so the entire show is an exchange of energy and information. Also, depending on the style of the show and how interactive it is, the feedback and interactions between the cast and audience varies.

Finally, the wide array of musical categories and topics gives everyone something to look forward to. We have dramas, comedies, musicals about Shakespeare (Something Rotten), musicals about murder but hilarious at the same time (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”) musicals about mental illness (“Next to Normal”), musicals about loving who you are (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, “Hairspray”, ”Billy Elliot the Musicals”), and musicals about music icons (“Beautiful: The Carol King Musical”, “American Idiot”). There is honestly something for everyone, so it’s guaranteed that musicals can be loved by all.

I can guarantee that when you find a musical you like, you will be singing along either in your car or in your bedroom at all times. I know I walk through the corridors of my campus blasting “Chicago” whenever I get the chance. Your life will be changed for the better, as I know mine has, and you’ll never look back. Here’s to a happier, more musically-inclined life!