Student Blogger: Alexandra Lang

Every once in a while, the two music worlds collide. A Broadway singer covers a song from your favorite artist, and it kinda feels like your school friends are meeting your camp friends: weird and amazing in equal measure. 

If you're reading this, chances are you can point to times in your life when musical theater was there for you, helping you through your lowest moments. Musicals can provide much-needed catharsis, an escape and a relatable storyline. Sometimes, musicals can also remind us of the power we hold. They help us tap into our inner strength and make us feel like we have the capacity to save the world—or burn it to the ground.

Before 'Great Comet,' I didn’t have a singular favorite show. If asked, I’d list off 'Wicked,' 'Les Miserables,' 'Chicago,' 'Hamilton,' and 'Evita,' but I couldn’t give just one answer. But now, the answer is easy. This show is my absolute favorite of all time.

If you're anything like me, Broadway is a great source of comfort and solace during times of struggle and strife. There's often a song for almost every situation, and nothing is quite as cathartic as the fantasy of belting your favorite ballad as if your bed is the Gershwin stage. These are just a few of the songs that seem to best describe the experience of having a mental illness, because even the messy, difficult parts of being a human are worthy of the stage.

As a college senior, I know this coming year is going to fly by. Before I know it, I'll be walking the stage and tossing my cap in the air in victory. I'll need show tunes to help me through it all. Since there's a musical for every situation, I've compiled a list of songs to describe the journey of senior year, whether you're in high school or college.

I Didn't Plan It, but What I Was Born To Do is Run and Tell That A Musical is one of My Favorite Things!

My experience as a TKWCS showed me that unintended results aren't always bad, and they certainly don't indicate failure. I didn't fail at theater. I discovered different parts of myself and my abilities and learned to be resilient. I made a little space for myself and allowed myself to explore, try new things, and enjoy them. Carve out your own niche, in whatever field you choose, and then milk it for all its worth.

Why do we love theater? Is it the marvelous sets? Explosive vocals? The costumes? Surely, all of that is wonderful, but whether you’re listening to the cast album or seeing a show live, you’re going to hear the songs and experience the story. Well, that’s what the best country music is all about. It tells a story.

One of the hallmarks of a true Broadway fan is annoying family members or roommates by singing the same songs in the dead of night from your bedroom. So, here is my advice for you based on the song that keeps waking up your sibling in the next room.

As more and more musicals are turned into movies nowadays, like “In the Heights,” “West Side Story” and now “Dear Evan Hansen,” it’s important to discuss what made the best adaptations so successful, and what future directors can learn from their predecessors to achieve similar quality. And after all, what better template for a movie musical than the first one to win the Academy Award for Best Picture since 1968?

As entertaining and cathartic it can be to poke fun at 'Glee,' we should also take the time to recognize its successes-especially those we missed the first time around. And what better occasion to do so than around the anniversary of the airing of the pilot?

As much as we pretend that picking a favorite show is like 'Sophie's Choice,' we all have that one show that will always have the top place in our hearts. These are my assumptions about you based on that favorite musical.

As we await the announcement of the movie's cast, I wanted to propose what I think would have the perfect mix of Hollywood's favorite way to anger fans (stunt casting) and Broadway representation.

Since quarantine began, I’ve seen a lot of older fans revisit the show, as well as some new viewers getting into it for the first time, and my boredom drove me to follow the trend. While I enjoyed the nostalgia of re-watching my favorite moments, it was strange to view the show with adult eyes and realize just how much my perspective and opinions have changed.

Yes, “She Used To Be Mine” and “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” will have you feeling like the main character you are, but sometimes we need a little pick-me-up to make the 11-o-clock number just that much more emotional.

You’ve conquered country, pop and now alternative music. You’ve won 10 Grammy awards (so far). You’ve topped the charts and broken your own records. What’s next? Here’s my pitch: write a musical. 

Over the break, I bid a temporary goodbye to my apartment at college and came home, back to my childhood bedroom with Broadway posters on the walls and drawers cluttered with childhood memorabilia.