An Open Letter To The Shows That Made Me Who I Am Today | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

An Open Letter To The Shows That Made Me Who I Am Today

A reflection on Broadway shows, and the unique perspective they bring to adolescence and affect the way the fans (like me) grow up.

67
An Open Letter To The Shows That Made Me Who I Am Today

I don't just like Broadway musicals because they astound. I don't just like Broadway shows because they are brilliantly done, or because they get me singing tunes unique to everything else on the radio. I don't just like them because I know nothing compares to the feeling of standing outside a theater, ticket in hand, hearing the blares of New York City's taxi horns or the loud hustle of voices crowding the sidewalk. The reason I like them, and become so engaged, is because amongst all the singing and dancing and relative dramatics, I see myself.

"History has it's eyes on you." From my seat in the orchestra section, I smile at this line. Not only is it so exquisitely sung by the dark skinned, blue coated revolutionary on stage, but because it is such an intelligent way to convey the image of the battered, but brilliant, rebels that serve as the focus of Hamilton. Of course, there's nothing about the musical that's not extremely intelligent or well-researched. It introduces the fact that those in history are flawed, not the cardboard cutouts we paint them as. It's what drew me to the show in the first place, and what keeps me listening. It's what got me reading the entirety of Alexander Hamiltonby Ron Chernow and up to the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, solely to learn more about the topic. The realization that these figures, though living long ago and conquering near impossible odds, are ones I can relate to stimulates my intellectual curiosity and brings new intellectual dilemmas I love exploring.

There's also a scene in the musical Next to Normalthat perfectly captures the feeling of struggling with mental illness in the midst of a loving family who can't understand.The mother is seated between two men, one her husband telling her he thinks he knows what she's going through, and the other her son, a figment of her imagination as a personification of her disorder, comforting her. Each supposedly bring messages of love, but only the son's can truly reach her. As one who has been in the mother's place, I remember the feeling of a whirlwind swirling inside the head while the only "sane" thing heard is the disorder's "'voice'". I have since conquered this adversity and become stronger because of it, so I can recognize the intelligence of such a scene as this while still feeling completely understood. It's an impressive feat, the way the show brings my feelings across to a populace who may never have experienced them, so how can I not harness that understanding and try to do that for others. If there's just a chance that what I've gone through and learned can be helpful, like this show was to me, then I want to explore that idea.

There's also the musical Falsettos, brilliantly capturing what it means to try and fit into society while struggling with preconceived notions of sexuality and gender roles, and The Book of Mormon, full of humor directly reflecting my own questions about religion, and so many more too numerous to mention. If I wish to learn even more, there are books written, scripts annotated, and interviews filmed, all I do use, but there's nothing like connecting with other fans of the same shows. We are related through our love of these concepts and characters; I often read extraordinary insight not written by professionals, but by others like me who saw something they connected with.

"I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry," is the indirect slogan of Hamilton and yet is an element of Broadway in which I directly see myself. I'm "hungry" for new knowledge and experiences, "scrappy" in defiance to established social and political norms I disagree with, and "young" and ready to use this defiance and knowledge to make a difference in my community and my world.
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

6455
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

3945
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

4817
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

7 Signs You're A Starbucks Addict

I'll be the first one to admit I'm addicted to Starbucks.

2817
drinking coffee
Tumblr

If you’re anything like me, you love a good cup of coffee. My coffee always comes from Starbucks; I refuse to drink it from anywhere else. Over the years, it’s become one of my biggest addictions. So, if you are aware that you’re a Starbucks addict as well, or maybe you need to check to see if you’re an addict, here are seven ways to tell.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments