BWW Blog: Allison Rambler - Movie Musicals: Stage Versus Screen?

There's no getting around it: Broadway is expensive. For a broke soon-to-be college student like myself, the prospect of scrounging up enough dollar bills to purchase a ticket to Something Rotten is a daunting one. So what are those of us without the means to experience professional theatre to do? In some cases, all we have to do is switch on the television or take a trip to the movie theater to see a musical come to life.

The movie musical genre has been a mixed bag over the years. Film adaptations of Broadway shows such as Les Miserables (2012) and Chicago (2002) have stunned both movie-goers and theatre fanatics alike, while others such as Newsies (1992) and The Producers (2005) have been less than successful. However, it is important to note that the latter films have still become cult classics after their time on the big screen. The reason for this seems to be that while film critics are wary of movie musicals, sometimes seeing them as trite or unconvincing, fans of these shows are much more likely to embrace the new medium with open arms. And while some die-hard theatre fans are always ready to find faults with Hollywood's interpretation, it is my belief that movie musicals are a great way to make the stories told through live theatre much more accessible to those who may otherwise never get to see the shows on the Great White Way. In fact, movie musicals opened my eyes to musical theatre in a way I had never expected.

I was in ninth grade when I first experienced a true movie musical. I had seen countless Disney films that incorporated song (I could sing "I'll Make a Man Out of You" by heart), but I had never truly been exposed to an film adaptation of a stage show. This changed in December 2012, when a friend and I went to see the newly released Les Miserables movie. I had never seen the show before, and I only realized halfway through the film that there was no actual dialogue.This was a new concept for me, but once I embraced this new element, I sat back and let Hugh Jackman and Eddie Redmayne show me just how powerful musical theatre could be. While it has been almost four years since I first saw the film, I remember walking out of the theater feeling overwhelmed by what I had just seen. The songs, the score, the story...every aspect of the film had completely blown me away. Theatre had always interested me, but it was in that moment that I truly discovered a new appreciation for the art of musical theatre. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I went on to spend the rest of my freshmen year completely overtaken by musicals. I watched Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, and other movie musicals that I had never been exposed to. Seeing these films gave me a hunger for live musicals, and I wanted to be a part of them more than anything else. From there, my time in high school consisted entirely of theatre. I became dedicated to the performing arts, and found a true passion that I had never experienced before. And now, looking back on these years as a recent high school graduate, I realize that seeing the Les Miserables movie as a fourteen-year-old was the starting line on my road towards becoming a thespian.

Now, this story may strike some as odd. A full-fledged theatre nerd began her obsession after watching a movie musical? Maybe those skeptics are justified in their thinking. Many could argue that movie musicals do not always do justice to their Broadway counterparts. And, in some cases, they may be right. I recognize that there does tend to be an additional degree of separation between the audience and the story in movie musicals than in live theatre. The viewer is not as close to the action, and this distance may slightly change the way the musical is seen. However, this should not be the foundation on which to build a prejudice of a certain genre. This change in viewing should not be shunned, but rather welcomed. Those who appreciate musical theatre on the stage should not be so quick to turn away from the same show portrayed on the screen. Movie musicals can add other elements to a production that could not be accomplished during a live show, including more detailed sets (or scenes filmed on locations), costumes, and sound mixing. These components can enrich a show and let the audience hear the story from a new angle.

Of course, this is not to say that movie musicals are better or worse than Broadway productions. The fact of the matter is that each medium holds different strength and weaknesses, and movie musicals should not be discounted in the minds of self-proclaimed "theatre nerds." They should be appreciated as an art form, and recognized as a valid vehicle for those who have limited access to theatre to experience it in an equally enjoyable setting.

In short, movie musicals can sometimes be underappreciated, but they can also be cherished by the theatre community. I believe that it is our responsibility as thespians to embrace each and every way to watch the stories we love, but I will always have a special place in my heart for movie musicals. They allowed me see theatre in a new light, and I will always be grateful for this. And, let's face it, sometimes we have to swallow our pride and admit that we would occasionally rather pay $9.00 for a movie ticket than $200 for a pass to a Broadway show. Once we can do that, all that's left to do is wait for Hamilton: The Movie. Then we can all be happy.