So I've got to come clean about something. I LOVE musicals! It's no secret and almost everyone that I know knows that about me. I went and saw Wicked at the beginning of August, and let me just say it was AMAZING!!! It got me thinking, I've always recommended things I've seen live to people. So, without further ado, here's what I say to someone who has never seen a Broadway musical.
1. You'll feel cultured as hell!
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A lot of the time, broadway shows depict heavy topics and important issues. Every time I've seen a show I'm talking about it for days if not weeks later and I find more and more symbolism in the show every time I talk about it.
2. The dancing and singing is phenomenal...
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If you're looking for great dancing or great music, you've come to the right place if you're looking at a Broadway show. Any of them for that matter. May I suggest the Newsies? I just saw the version that was on Netflix a while back, and I asked myself why I hadn't seen it sooner. Its a cast of mostly men and their dancing is jaw-dropping and the singing is so great I could only hear one singer when it was a group of them. It'll make you wish you were doing that!
3. You can listen to the music for years before you've seen the show and not expect things in the plot.
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I tell this from experience. It's almost like reading a book, expecting to see everything in the movie that you imagined, but then some of it happens and then others you're SHOOK. The plot twists, and spoken things that you don't hear in the music you've got to hear to understand the full plot and you'd be surprised how things in the music start to have a different meaning!
4. You're fully immersed into the story line!
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Imagine, you take one step into the theatre and everything is decorated according to the musical theme. It's like opening the door to a completely different time! It's such an amazing feeling. And as soon as you get into your seats, you see the set, and the lights dim and it's like you're apart of the story completely. I have never experienced anything like it before!
5. You get to know your city a little bit more!
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Where I live, Detroit is the closest city that broadway shows are performed. After the first few times of driving down there, you get to know it a little bit better and exploring the down before or after the show is over. You get to go out to dinner, or just walk around and explore the town!
6. There's a sense of connection one way or another in each show.
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One way or another, you yourself can connect to pretty much each and every broadway show there is. There is something always in a show about the human connection, and often dive deep into the characters lives. If you're a college student, it is likely that a sense of loneliness has struck you at some point or another. Well guess what? These shows you are so much more connected than you are with a tv show or movie, AND the energy of the audience all focused on the same thing feels like you're surrounded by friends rather than strangers.
7. It's a change of scenery from your local movie theatre.
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As I mentioned before, there is so much more of a connection in the broadway theatre than the movie theatre. You are watching a story unfold right in front of your eyes, and there's something incredibly special about that. Plus, most theatre productions are character based, meaningful, and more original than what you would see on the big screen.
8. More often than not, there are discounted tickets...
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I get it, broadway shows are expensive. A lot of the time theatres will offer discounted tickets for students or grad students, or if your lucky, they'll offer discounts if you are under a certain age. If you're in college and under 20 do your research! See how many shows you can get to while you can, because this would be the only time to use those discounts!
9. It's a great way to bond with friends!
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Speaking from experience, I have never seen a broadway show alone. I have always gone with one or two people I can share my experience with. It is always a blast to keep talking about it after you see the show, and know that they'll be up to go see another show with you.
10. No matter where you are, Broadway never changes.
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See the same show twice? There's a lot that will change, like the cast and maybe little bits and pieces like a small part of the set or a different dance based on the actor's ability. The show, the music, and the overall dances and of course the plot and story line stay the same. They always say the cast, even though they have up to 8 shows a week, gives 110% every single show to make each audience seem like they have seen the same exact show. How cool is that?
