When I was in second grade, some of my school friends and I would hang out on the playground. We were so over playing on the playground equipment or running around. We would hang out by the door and sing. I remember spending weeks working on a rendition of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound Of Music. Secretly, I was kind of devastated that when the four parts were “assigned” by whichever one of my friends was the bossiest (see–I wasn’t always the bossiest) I got the “when the dog bites/when the bee stings” part. I can assure you of this, however: I sang my heart out and hammed it up for each playground rehearsal and “performance.”
I learned the entire score and most of the lines to “The Wizard of Oz” when I was eight or nine. I loved that movie and wore the tape out I watched it so often. I adored the music and the story and the flying monkeys.
I watched each new Disney movie musical as it came out: “Alice In Wonderland,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty And The Beast,” “The Lion King…” I loved the older Disney Musicals, too–”Pete’s Dragon,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book…”
Did y’all know I was a unique child? For real, please substitute “nerdy” for “unique” at any point you feel it applies.
In High School, I fell in love with the soundtracks to “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables,” “Hair,” “South Pacific,” “Cinderella,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” “Godspell” and “Grease.” As part of my vocal training, I sang solos from these shows and other shows I had never heard before–and eventually loved as well.
As an adult, my favorite Pandora Station is the “Showtunes” station. I currently queue up the soundtracks to “Wicked,” “Rent,” “Hairspray” and “Chicago.” I was, of course, thrilled when Jonas took an interest in the newer movie version of “Phantom…” and even insisted on being the Phantom for Halloween when he was 9.
I very much enjoy the show “Glee” (the acting is kind of rough and cheesy, but the songs are an instant mood-lifter for me). When I get the chance, I see a show and especially love to watch local theater group and school productions which are almost always more impressive than you’d expect.
I would love to do Community Theatre some day–Henderson has a fantastic group that sometimes does musical theatre–but I’ll have to wait until I have some time. I was never brave enough to try out for high school musicals, although I sang solos routinely for choir, at church and in special programs.
Of course, I listen to other types of music a lot as well, but show tunes will always be my go-to day-brightening music. Even as I type this, Angela Lansbury is singing “Beauty and the Beast” from my Pandora app.
Do you like musicals? Which ones?
(Yes, it’s a bit of Monday randomness…but it was fun to reminisce and remember all of the musicals I have memorized at one point or another.)
