No One Mourns The Wicked: A Powerful Start To A Powerful Tale

As the film draws closer, as more trailers and teasers drop, I want to continue to explore the mega-musical smash, that has lasted through decades from which this film owes everything to its existence. What can be said about Wicked that hasn't been said, the songs performed, covered, and played still all these years later, the show still plays and tours and is beloved by many. For many this show opened the door to the wonderful world of musicals for them, for me, I have never seen it live, yet. I plan to and hope to see it live someday, it is a musical bucket list item for me. All I have is the album and the movie, so I wanted to dive into some of my favorite songs from Wicked here and there as we prepare for the movie we are all waiting to see if it can defy gravity or if it will crash and burn. 

The show begins at the end before the tale unfolds, the threat is slain and the heroes rejoice, all while using the fallen villain as an example showing the path of evil leads to a lonely, unloved, unfulfilled life. But even as the ensemble sings how the wicked walk a lonely path, seeds are planted, and a sad origin is shown, Glinda already showing us small snippets that this story has more underneath than what people see, showing how there are already twists and turns in this tale from the moment the curtain rises. 

Everything the audience knows about "The Wizzard of Oz" is thrown out the window by the end of this song, which starts in the realm of familiarity is then thrown out the window to show this is not a mere adaptation, but rather so much more. It is not just the text from the page or reenacting the film, it is a show that raises the question before the first song wraps up "Was the villain truly all that bad?" by showing the sad circumstances of the moment she came into this world, and continues to explore that very question through the entire show, to leave the audience to answer the question themselves. 

The score and lyrics are strong, and the use of solos, mixed with the ensemble are woven together to form a song that will send chills down your spine. A mass choir stating what they see and know, celebrating the loss of the vile villain before them, as Glinda musically sets the stage for the true story to unfold. The moments in the album even of spoken dialogue do not break the pace but rather feel like you are listening to the whole scene as it was presented live. 

The sweeping chorus of voices interwoven and building up, taking time for solos, and Glinda interjecting with her pieces fit together and the way they combine with the amazing score leaves the song in the listener's mind long after it finishes. This song is a great opening, it grips the listener with a powerful start as the story begins, and I assume the show is the same. This song starts the show with a question, it begins showing its theme and building its morale from the very start, and it is all wrapped in a fantastic song. A sweeping score, and strong and powerful lyrics, all sung in a way that welcomes you into a world that is familiar yet so different in so many ways. This song is great, no one may mourn the wicked, and this song shows this show has so much more, then what you see even from the moment it starts. 

My Shot: The Hamilton Mixtape Version

 Perhaps it's because we are only a couple weeks away from the release of his next album, or the upcoming movie "Mufasa" in which he made the music, yet surprisingly he did not return for the upcoming "Moana 2", but I have been thinking about Lin Manuel Miranda's work lately. As we prepare for his new concept album that has rumblings of potentially making its way to the stage, I decided to listen to remixes, covers, and of course the original songs from Hamilton, his last show to tread the stage. One place I have been spending my time listening to songs whether when working or relaxing is the Hamilton Mixtape and the Hamildrops, both I have covered in great detail and love just as much as the Broadway show they came from, which I love to the moon and back. Today I decided to look at the first song that greets the listener after the intro, "My Shot".

Lifting only the chorus, everything else around it is set to fit the modern day, modern problems of glass ceilings, ambivalence, giving up, and finding motivation in all ways. Performed by The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess, this collaboration is a thrill from start to finish. Ever since this mixtape dropped this was one of the songs I have listened to most, not unlike "My Shot" in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. The song's kinetic energy, causing motivation while speaking on not giving up carries from the original to this remix, full of powerful lyrics, an amazing background track, and using only pieces of the song to make something new. 

The song taking pieces from the original and changing it into a song about expectations, and chasing your dreams in the face of them is just as inspiring as the song this remake came from. The lyrics and melody work together to create a high energy, hyping up the listener and preparing them to face whatever is in front of them. This song is a great workout song, and it really pushes the listener to push beyond their limits. 

The song's message is the same as the one before it about not being limited to your environment, but this is not a simple copy-and-paste job. The song uses references that the audience can relate to such as a Spider-Man lunchbox and deeper issues like glass ceilings, having to hustle to make it, or being labeled simply for being who you are even at a young age. The song shows the wrongs but how to face them, whether having what you need or having to think outside the box, that the essence of not throwing away your shot is in your mindset, using what you have to chase your goals. 

This song is such a good listen, inspiring but also just super entertaining. One night I was over at a friend's house and he was playing some NBA game on his XBOX and this song was even in that. The song is super well made and is just an all-around great listen, whether to hype you up or something good to keep your mind moving as you run your day-to-day errands. Whether to inspire or just for some fun, this remix is one shot, you will not want to throw away.

Broadway Remixes And Covers: First Burn

 Going from Lin Manuel Miranda's first major work to the one that put him on the map, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Hamilton remixes from the Hamildrops collection. "First Burn" is a take on the song "Burn" performed by other actresses who also stepped into Eliza's shoes and had to sing about her grief. The song is about heartbreak, betrayal, and writing oneself from the narrative is remixed beautifully by four others and turned into a song that is simply unforgettable.

Pieces of the original song are stitched throughout this interwoven with new lyrics and powerful ones at that. "Heaven forbid someone whispers 'He's part of some scheme", Your enemy whispers so you have to scream. I know about whispers, I see how you look at my sister". Lyrics such as that pack an emotional punch that carries the same weight as the contemporary it came from that started on the stage. This remix has so much emotion in it, being great in the context of when it was released as well as on its own. 

This song stands out as its own song and can be listened to by fans of Hamilton and those who only know of the show through pop culture. This song is a great listen, the instrumentation matches the lyrics in a perfect harmony that makes me want to listen to it again and again.

This song packs so much power into it, the slow and somber nature of it shows someone who is truly heartbroken. The four voices harmonize perfectly and balance so well to make every part of this song linger with the listener even after it has wrapped up. The emotion captured never leaving and growing until the song ends in a frustrated cry for someone not to apologize, but to grow, learn, and change. Begging someone to see what is right in front of them, return home, and be with those who love them, for they matter most. Cutting off any counterargument with countless "Don'ts" in the song, leaving no room for excuses, not dwelling in pity or wanting an apology but rather for the offending party to listen. Using some of the original lyrics mixed in for that extra layer of empowerment and relatability. 

Capturing Eliza's heartbreak and rage in a new way, still staying true to where it came from while becoming a new song entirely. I hope more musical-based songs do this, I would love to see new songs, that are inspired, use lyrics and themes, or do both like this. I would love to see songs inspired by the amazing pieces of music from SIX, Come From Away, Waitress, and so many others. Songs that capture the characters feelings and expand them to connect just as much with the listener or even more than the song that came before it on the stage. There are so many outlets to inspire, move, and relate that I do not want it to stop at the Hamildrops from almost ten years back now. Hamilton is still the only show I know of that has released a mixtape and many remixes monthly as a sequel. Meanwhile, plenty of shows come out, and many of them make a solid mark that they are being listened to, covered, and seen by thousands.

Some shows like SIX and Waitress release a second album with cut songs or different performers but I feel like something amazing can come from collaborating with other artists to make new pieces of media to connect with the audience. But until then, I have amazing songs such as this. 

Paciencia y Fe :A Life Story Within A Song (In The Heights)

 So much can be told over the span of a few minutes, so much can be unpacked in a matter of seconds, and when the song "Paciencia y Fe" begins in "In The Heights" a whole life is about to unfold. The matriarch Abuela Claudia has been supporting and helping characters throughout the show so far, and very little is known about her until now. We know she helped raise most of the block, she never had biological children but she has taken care of so many in the cast and more in so many ways, she has a lot of love to give, and she loves to play the lotto. But at this moment in the stage version, and the version I will be discussing today exclusively, the unthinkable has happened.  A winning lottery ticket to the tune of 96,000, as shown by the number that directly preceded it, and as this great victory has come, she begins to look back at her life, and she tells the audience her story.

The fundamentals in "In The Heights" come from legacy, something Lin Manuel Miranda would carry into "Hamilton", but instead of a grand stage of the nation's founding fathers, this is about legacy and dreams in the small starting space known as home. The stories, desires, and legacies of your friends, neighbors, and family both by blood and found. As the narrative of the stage show unravels we see the cast's wants, dreams, where they have come from, and where they want to go. This is Abulea Clauda's moment.

Starting from humble beginnings to immigrating, to now, to the big reveal of her winning the lottery, but she goes about her day as if it never happened and all that is left are her mother's words that she has lived by and passed on to others "Paciencia y Fe", patience and faith. The song has a sweeping score, uses the ensemble, and shows every moment with perfect pacing and beautiful lyrics, showing a story that is all too true. A story of a struggling Latino family who worked and worked their way, living by words that seem simple from the outside but hold so much power. Patience and faith to overcome the struggles of poverty or in the case of the second half of the song, trying to find a new home and being greeted by standards to change and conform. "You better clean this mess, You better learn English, you better not be late, you better pull your weight.." the ensemble shouts as Abluea keeps singing the words her mother gave to her to combat them. The two of them doing everything they could in their new home, "Polishing with pride, scrubbing the whole of the upper easter side, the days into weeks, the weeks into years and here I stay", a woman on the other side of it all. 

Now she is left with the winning ticket, a golden moment she never expected, giving my favorite lyric "Aye Mama what do you do when your dream comes true? I've spent my life inheriting dreams from you..". In this musical about dreams big and small, finding your place, or finding where home is, the plot moves along and shows what the cast dreams of, for Benny it's to prove himself and win Nina's heart, for Nina she feels like her dream is all but lost, and Usnavi can't find his dream until he goes back home, he and Vanessa feel their current environment can't give them what they want. Abulea is the first in the show to have a dream come true, and how does she greet it by buying a loaf of bread to feed the birds, and continues with her day. She wonders what her mom would say and the song ends on a powerful chord as she sings one last time "Paciencia y Fe", even though the dream has come true she will not let go of what she learned. The very words that have carried her this far still ring in her ears and she intends to still live by them. These words are reflected in the character from the moment she says them in the opening song, to every appearance she makes in the show.

Words that carry weight throughout someone's life, and a song that shows a perfect reading of someone's story. When she walked into the song, the audience is then given her story and worldview in a matter of minute, and then the story continues. The masterful use of the ensemble, the beautiful lyrics, the message behind them all, and the sweeping score make this song unforgettable. The movie version tells the story in its own way, and I will discuss that one someday, but this version whether seen on stage or listened to, is an adventure. It shows of life of patience and faith and how the best things handed down to us are not physical, but the lessons we learned and can pass on to others. 

When Your'e Home: The In The Heights Movie

 The year was 2021, and movies were still getting back on their feet. Some companies decided to skip the wait for theaters and just drop them on streaming services, some decided to charge prices for a limited time for this, and others just released movies on both platforms and for no fee. One such film in this dual-release format was the long awaited musical movie adaptation of "In The Heights" having only one trailer before everything shut down in early 2020. This movie was not controversy-free, a film claiming to represent all aspects of Hispanic culture, but leaving out several ethnicities and Afro-Latinos from the cast. The movie might have performed well on streaming but when it came to the big screens it bombed financially, receiving mixed to positive reviews. 

When this film first dropped on HBO MAX back when it was called that and not just MAX, I loved it. I watched it about four or five times, and it was only available for about a month until it was added much later for a longer stretch. The story had some changes and kept some things the same, so I was left seeing this not so much as a full-on adaptation, but rather keeping some of the music, and doing its own thing. As time passed and a rewatch or two after some time away, I found myself liking some parts of the movie, loving some parts, and being confused by others. Some aspects I found way better from the stage version, and other decisions where I felt like something was attempted to be fixed that was not broken to begin with. 

For example, songs are removed which makes sense to help the movie fit a run time, but even with that this movie runs at over two hours, and some storylines are cut down or removed, but this involves things not making sense or characters being killed off for no reason. Some of the story changes work incredibly well, and some of them are being kept work but some don't. They change the song order as well, sometimes working and sometimes not. For example, the lottery ticket plot from the original flows naturally and becomes an interesting plot point, but isn't even addressed, changing the order and meaning of my favorite song "Paciencia y Fe" into this look back at Abuela's death right before she dies, but then why have the lottery ticket in the movie at all? Killing off Nina's mother leads nowhere, and then there's Benny.

Much like the stage show, so much is going on, there are so many plots, and some of them are never resolved, mainly Benny's, you never know his outcome, and he is a character you spend over half the movie with. The plot can be heartwarming, and touching, as well as have real moments, but then also be baffling at the same time. They add Sonny's father for one scene and all it does is pad out the run time, some of the emotions hit a strong chord, but then some don't like Usnavi's fight with Vanessa during the blackout. For every good change or good performance, there is one in the writing and plot that leaves me beyond confused. Some lyric changes also baffled me and did not fit as they reference songs the characters did not sing, or songs that were cut. 

The instrumentation is also a mixed bag, sometimes it fits perfectly and other times it is way too soft, and tries to be different. But what do I like about this?

The performances and acting are phenomenal, and most of the music is incredible. The songs are well shot, well performed, and have amazing choreography. The way they are filmed, using a solo, duet, or ensemble is incredible, most of the songs hit it right out of the park. Even with my qualms with this version of "Paciencia y Fe" in terms of the changes made and where it is placed into the plot, I love the way it looks, it is shot wonderfully and is gorgeous, made into a visually striking scene. And that goes for so many of the songs, the actors knock them all out of the park, "In The Heights", "Benny's Dispatch", "Breath", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "When You're Home", "The Club", "Blackout" and "Finale" all stand out. There are a couple numbers I am simply okay with but most of them, are unforgettable. 

The acting is incredible as well, emotion-packed, whether comedic or serious, the acting is amazing. I just wish the material was better, there are more than seven plot lines going on in this movie, two romances, lots of dreams, and multiple emotional conflicts, to the point where as mentioned earlier they are not all resolved. But there is still plenty of good in the movie, great acting, great music, and it is visually a marvel in scenes both big and small, well acted too. The editing is also fantastic, the visuals re amazing, in shots both long and short of all kinds. 

I would say watch the movie at least once and perhaps listen to the soundtrack alongside the Broadway version. Funny enough the Broadway version also has too many plot points, but much like that the music is incredible, and it is fun to see where Lin Manuel Miranda started. This movie has enough good music, some good acting, a couple of the plots are well done, and is charming enough for a watch, at least one, I think I can find myself watching this every once in a while, sometimes all the way through, and sometimes just for the musical performances. 

In The Heights: (The Orignal Cast Album And Seeing It Live)

 Before there was a musical movie adaptation, there was a musical for the movie to make that adaptation of, there was just a musical. A musical about a bodega owner, a man who worked at a taxi dispatch, a woman just wanting to move on, some salon owners, a woman who has dropped out of college, her parents, one of them who may or may not be a tad racist, and an elderly grandmother who watches over the entire neighborhood and loves to play the lotto. A musical about dreams, friends, family, and what it means to be home. A show packed with lessons sometimes big and obvious, sometimes, simple and small being tucked away within the span of a couple lines or a short song. I listened to this original Broadway cast recording all the way through many times, and sometimes just picked my favorite songs, and even saw a live performance of it in 2019.  So before we hit the big screen, I am going to dive into the original that started it all. 

The music in this show has incredible range on all fronts, whether it is the big and grand opening, the emotion-packed solo songs, or super energetic group numbers. Some songs are quiet and soft, many of them super energetic whether using one singer, a couple, the whole ensemble, or a little bit of all of the above, starting small and growing to a big energetic spectacle, the variety songs might not always bring a winner but when it does, it really does. 

Having seen this show live in 2019, listened to the album countless times, and watched the movie more than once, I am very familiar with the narrative and the music. 

My favorite songs are "In The Heights", "Breath", "Benny's Dispatch", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "Paciencia Y Fe", "When You're Home", "Blackout", "Sunrise", "Hundreds Of Stories", "Carnival de Barrio", "What You Know", "Champagne", "When The Sun Goes Down", and "Finale". There is so much range in the songs, whether it is the tempo or style, ranging from solos to duets, to a mix that begins as a solo and grows to having the whole ensemble making a big and grand group number. I love the music of this show so much, there is so much emotion in the music, whether it's comedic or heartfelt, a love song, or a song about chasing your dreams, the emotional range is also amazing in this show.

This show just captures the feeling of the season of Summer, aside from lyrics that point out the time of year such as "We start July..." (thus why I am spending the end of June and most of July covering this musical and such), there is so much about the heat and weather, being home, seeing family, and even seasonal favorites like frozen treats and fireworks. The show has such a good feeling through its music of being home, it really knocks it out of the park with many of the songs that hit close to home with their relatable emotions and characters, each member of the cast feeling like someone you know or even see yourself in. 

Unfortunately as amazing as this show is, there are some low lows to accompany these high highs.  One massive problem is the amount of things going on in this show, there are two love stories, family drama, a huge cast each with their own dreams, a motherly figure who watches over them all, wanting to leave, and more. Even as the story pushes into act two, more plot points and storylines are added as the narrative keeps going, never stopping, and leaving some things paper thin or even worse, unresolved. There are a couple stories that take time, and get the audience invested in them, but then just have no ending, and it feels like time wasted. This also spans into some of the music, giving each character a minimum of one song, leading to some songs feeling unearned and just there to fill the space, not giving them much purpose, the world and environment are almost too fleshed out. What I mean is one of the strongest points of this show also ironically leads to one of its weakest. The world feels so alive to the point that the characters, storylines, and environments feel real, and they should since Washington Heights is a real place, putting a fictional story with real themes in a real location, but it sometimes feels bloated and has so much going on that you can only be so invested because ones attention is being pulled in so many directions, sometimes even multiple storylines are addressed in one scene. 

These flaws are very glaring, but the amazing music, and the good charecter moments do outshine the bad. There are plenty of strong character-driven moments, especially with Nina, Benny, Usnavi, and Abuela Claudia. Their songs carry emotional weight, whether light-hearted or emotion-packed to great lengths to make this show memorable. One could even say, great heights. Not all of the music shines but the ones that do stand head and shoulders, making great listens in the context of the show or on their own. The show has a set identity and sticks with it, standing strong in many areas narratively, with some amazing music to carry those moments. Soft and quiet, or big and grand, using the whole ensemble in many skilled ways. This show is at least worth a listen, and you will see this a great listen during the summer, or all year round. This show captrures the perfect summer feeling with so many great high energy numbers, and has so many moments that make this a good time still overall. I recommend seeing it live at least once or giving it a listen once, definitely before the movie, starting with the Broadway cast album. Turn the lights up on this tale of Washington Heights, and you just might see why this musical feels right at home, especially during the summer season. 

The 77th Annual Tony Awards

 It's that time of year again, the time when I talk about the Tony Awards, my favorite performances, and the show as a whole. Hosted once again by Arianna Debose after she absolutely crushed it last year this year.. has a lot to talk about so let's dive in shall we? I will not recap it beat for beat but rather what stood out to me, both good and bad. But first congrats to all the winners and "The Outsiders" for winning best musical. 

The funny part is the amount of obstacles I had to overcome just to watch this year. First I paid for a month of Paramount Plus like I usually do, but this year the version that held the Tony Awards was not both versions but rather the more expensive AD-free package. Secondly that I missed some of the performances and awards presented due to a severe storm warning and alert in my state so I missed an award, a speech or two, and basically all of Suffs. But from what I did see, this was an okay show this year, very middle of the road. 

In terms of hosting Ariana Debose did a good job, the opening number had a good message but also was a bit of a mixed bag. She did well with the hosting duties but the set this year was super odd. The set was super minimalistic and barren aside from two giant Tony Awards on display, which helped some performances but made some of them a tad head-scratching. For example "Water For Elephants" just had all these steel beams and "Suffs" just walked in place on a barren patch of stage while "Hell's Kitchen" and "The Outsiders" took advantage of the said environment and added a couple backdrops and really set the scene. 

Some of the performances were amazing, while some were just okay, the speeches were very inspiring and it was great to see awards going to all sorts of shows instead of a clean sweep. After watching the awards and performances the shows I find myself wanting to see and hoping for a tour are, Merrily We Roll Along which I already love among many other great Sondheim works, Hell's Kitchen, and The Outsiders. The show did it's job because I wanted to listen to many of the albums from these shows and find new favorite songs and stuff to add to my playlists, and maybe even want to see some more than just the ones listed. 

Of the speeches, I loved Jonathon Groff's and was so happy he won. Kecia Lewis, Shania Taub, and Daniel Radcliff just to name a few, all of the speeches were great, and it was nice to see the wins passed around multiple shows instead of a clean sweep. The only show that semi-swept was Merrily Which cleaned up in all but one of its nominations, but seeing a Sondheim show win especially one that was once so universally despised is nothing short of amazing and earns no complaints. Of the performances my liberties were "Hell's Kitchen", "Merry We Roll Along", "The Outsiders" and "Tommy" but I will never turn down a giant epic performance of pinball wizard. If it was any other song I would have been just fine with it, but Pinball Wizard sealed it for me. 

There were a couple of baffling moments as well, whole groups of winners filmed out in the lobby, some performances taking place in the lobby like Jay Z, Brooke Sheilds wearing crocs, the lack of set, and talk of the insiders tipping the winner of the night to "The Outsiders" due to its large number of producers. With all that aside it was just an okay night, with some enjoyable performances, and I want to see "Hell's Kitchen", "Merrily We Roll Along" and "The Outsiders" as soon as possible, one great aspect of the Tonys is showing people shows they can go and see. I have the albums to all three of these shows as well as "Illonoise" and "Suffs" saved to my library now, for future reviews, and to find new favorite songs to listen to on repeat and add to my playlists. I found some new stuff to listen to, saw some great performances, saw some shows I want to see live now, and saw some great speeches. An all-around fine night.

The Hamildrops

 Since I just finished talking about The Hamilton Mixtape, I decided to talk about the Hamildrops while I was on the topic. Beginning in December of 2017 and releasing once a month in 2018 except in the month of July of 2018, once a month a new Hamilton cover or song inspired by it was dropped. This was an intended sequel to the Hamilton Mixtape which was just discussed on this blog so why not go through them.

the eleven songs featured as they did not do a song in July are:

The Benjamin Franklin Song: The Decemberists 

Wrote My Way Out: Nas, Dave East, Lin Manuel Miranda, Aloe Blacc

The Hamilton Polka: Weird Al Yankovic 

Found/Tonight: Ben Platt, Lin Manuel Miranda

First Burn: Ari Afsar, Julia Harriman, Lexi Lawson, Rachelle Ann Go

Helpless: The Regrettes 

Boom Goes The Canon: Mobb Deep

Rise Up Wise Up Eyes Up: Ibeyi

A Forgotten Spot (Olvidado) : Lin Manuel Miranda, Zion y Lennox, De La Ghetto, Ivy Queen

Dear Theodosia Reprise: Sara Bareilles

Cheering For Me Now: John Kander, Lin Manuel Miranda 

As you see a couple can be found on the Hamilton mixtape but were given extensive music videos namely Wrote My Way Out And Theodosia Reprise though this time the song is performed by a different musician, since Sara Barellis did not perform it in the mixtape,  so only one song carries over. Looking at the other ten songs all of these are a great extension of the Hamilton Mixtape and a great to listen to alongside it, after it, or on its own. 

Many of these songs really stand out on their own, whether it is covered in a way that stands out in a whole new way like The Hamilton Polka or a punk rock version of Helpless. All of these are great listens, all in different styles, some fast-paced and energetic others slow and relaxing. Cheering For Me Now sounds like a big showstopping number in the style of a traditional musical. Found/Tonight is an excellent mashup of two musicals in such a soft and sweet way, same with Dear Theodosia Reprise being soft and amazing. A Forogtten Spot (Olvidado). being energetic and entirely in Spanish, and then there is  First Burn.

Using all of the other Eliza actresses to do a remix of one song I already love to the moon and back, is simply amazing. The instrumentals, the harmonies, and the new lyrics all work together to make a song that really keeps the strong emotion of the original while shining in a way all its own. 

I love all of these songs and they are worth at least one listen, but I find myself tuning into them for a great change of pace with an amazing variety in so many styles. From rock, to pop, to polka and more. All of these songs are great listens alongside the mixtape when you want some Hamilton fun in a different way. These both are great supplementary material for people who have listened to Hamilton over and over, taking what worked and making something new while keeping why we loved the songs, to begin with. Whether it was using a couple lyrics or the entire song but in a different style both the mixtape and the Hamildrops are wonderful listens full of different genres while the emotions behind the music stay relateable 

The Perfect Balance Of The Hamilton Mixtape

I was just in the mood to talk about this, that's it. We all love Hamilton and this is much like the month Hamildrops that came out monthly for a year's time, which was an added surprise. Seeing other artists take on Broadway songs and add a new style and flare while keeping the themes of what made the songs great. Only holding on to some of the lyrics or the chorus but then adding new lyrics and stories around these well-known songs. Harkening back to days when Broadway hits would be performed by popular musicians outside of the theaters and even with some slight changes, and has been here and there such as the Sara Bareilles Waitress album or Owl City performing "Waving Through A Window", but not as common of an act as it once was. So I wanted to dive into this and see what made this mixtape truly something worth listening to, and why it works on levels for theather fans and music enjoyers at the same time. The Hamildrops will have their time to shine another day in another post, for today I am going to focus on just the Hamilton Mixtape. 

For the musical enjoyers, it has demos of early songs that didn't make it into the final show from the rough drafts of the long process the show underwent, but also cut songs. That alone is worth preserving to get a peek into pieces of the show that didn't end up making the cut but were originally there. 

The remixes are amazing when "My Shot" greets the listener right after the intro, showing what this album is made of. Showing plenty of remixes that stand on their own, building off of a chorus or lyric to make something new. Singing about immigration, struggles, creating, working hard, and many other themes that make for great inspiration and a great listen. Hearing some of the songs as covers is also great to hear different musicians takes on the songs we love from the show even with multiple artists on one song.

The different instrumentals show how the lyrics can even fit into different styles, how the instruments in "Satisfied" or "It's Quite Up Town" sometimes the song stay the same or make only slight changes to fit a broader topic or audience like in "Wait For It".  So on top of cut songs which are a cool piece of history to have in this historical musical mixtape, there are also covers and remixes. So many of the songs also just flow into each other so well that you hear pieces of the previous song as it flows into the next, which is one of the reasons why I rarely put this on shuffle. 

Sometimes songs can be slowed down to change their style entirely or change a lyric of two. 

My favorites and go-to listens are always "My Shot", "Wrote My Way Out", "Congratulations",  "Immigrants We Get The Job Done", "It's Quiet Up Town", "Burn" and "Who Tells Your Story" with only one song in the album that I skip "You'll Be Back" and often comedic and amazing song in the show is ruined by Jimmy Fallon, yes some of this is due to me thinking he is not funny already but it just doesn't work. There are so many songs that have so much heart in this album whether it is performing the song in a new way or adding something with pieces of something great to make some just as great in a new way, then there's this. It is just him being goofy and I feel like anyone else could have captured the comedy and charm of the song while still making it fun without being this obnoxious. Every other piece of music presented here is great. 

Overall this is one of my favorites to pop in every once in a while, when writing, running errands, or just relaxing, this album is a must even for new Hamilton fans who caught it on Disney Plus due to the word of mouth and the pro shot, this is simply amazing. I love going to this for creative inspiration and to just unwind, it is an album packed with variety and all the songs but one is worth your time. Seeing songs that did not make it in, seeing new takes, and whole new songs, this album has a bit of everything. 

The New Wicked Trailer

 A new trailer for the first half of a two-part musical epic has dropped, and I am here to talk about it once again, the movie comes out around Thanksgiving and lasts almost four minutes long, what did I think? Well, let's defy gravity and dive into it shall we?

The trailer this time was one step forward and two steps back, now that it is done trying to hide the fact it is a musical, we got two songs and what seemed like a couple dance numbers. Most of the trailer for this musical movie consisted of talking and showing big scenic and dramatic shots and building up the story. We got a few looks into "Popular" and then another peek at "Defying Gravity" maybe some shots of "What Is This Feeling?" or "I'm Not That Girl" but only in visual not in song, the former two being the only ones displayed in the trailer we were presented today in a musical format.

I will say it feels like this trailer showed the entire plot of the first movie, it showed the beginning, some plot, and what seems to be dire straights. Revealing the villain's hands already and their identities, showing the characters growing close and apart, all while one song played. If any more trailers come I feel like we will have seen even more of the film. The only thing that seems held close to their chest is the music and performances, showing two solo performances and no group numbers. 

That interests me as the director's previous musical film "In The Heights" when it was given a trailer seemed to show the big group aspect and save the duets and solo far for the movie, which I find interesting just to see the differences. Mostly plot and dialogue were shown and now the stage was set, with only small morsels of "Defying Gravity" and "Popular" that felt like blink-and-you-miss-it showings. I wish more of the musical aspect was shown instead of showing only about ten seconds and trying to focus on being this big and grand, epic story. 

This trailer has me still cautiously optimistic, it shows promise and the visuals are very striking, it just seems that it is trying to be something more than a musical, and trying to have these big, emotional, epic moments. The only problem is a big epic story with emotional moments already exists, it's called the stage version. 

Are Biopics Musicals?

 We have seen countless movies based on famous people's lives but one trend is musicians, whether it is Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, Elton John and so many more. But it is not just the big screen the stage has seen shows cataloging the life of musicians and featuring songs from their career, such as Cher, Carole King, and Gloria Estefan which I have seen. So today I wanted to ask, do biopics count as musical movies?

Biopics have been on a range of famous people and historical figures but I wanted to focus specifically on those concerning musicians, as those are where songs and music are shown the most. There are plenty of musicals on stage, at least one per year if not more that either tells the story of a musician's life while showcasing their music, such as Tina Tuner, but those are different than musicals where they use popular music to advance a story. Though both are classified as jukebox musicals, Mama Mia or Moulin Rouge use popular music and fit it into places that push the plot along in a fictional story that uses the music to convey its emotions, almost like fitting pieces into a puzzle. 

The movies mainly show musician' struggles and how they overcame the odds to be where they are now while showing how their popular songs came to be, and are performed, much like how musicals of that same vein do. In terms of plot either one could be on stage or as a movie and have a vast amount of similarities, but there is one major difference.

Most of these biopic movies do not stop the movie to show the song, they will show a small snippet of the song and only have one or two songs performed in their entirety. Whereas on stage the songs are numerous and the show stops to shine a light on them and let either a shorter or the whole song be performed depending on the moment in the show. Many Broadway shows try to put in as many songs as possible from the musician's career shorter versions of the songs are performed to give a fun sample of the song you know and check it off the list. When I saw "On Your Feet" which is the Gloria Estefan musical, many of the songs were cut down to put in as many as possible, same as when I reviewed the album for the Carole King musical, "On Your Feet" even having a medley at the end to add even more songs. 

When I watch these movies based on famous musicians it seems the focus is more on them as a person outside their music career and how the music got made. It seems to focus more on the events surrounding the song and then gives you a small version of it. Most of them end with concerts which then are the big emotional focal points and showcase multiple songs in a rapid fire way. Emulating the excitement of seeing a concert live to help balance with all the emotional storytelling shown in the movie and show the song in its entirety as a reward for watching where the lead is in their life now and for going through the struggles presented in the film.  

On stage, the balance comes from trying to not be just a concert, but rather present a story in the musical format. The stage version has to find the story and song balance, while still having enough times where the music can shine and so it can be labeled as a musical. The live stage musical has a different set of standards than a movie, it is just interesting to see the similarities and how the two have as much in common as they do different. I hope to keep exploring this idea and topic, diving deeper, and keep searching around until I have a definitive answer or opinion. Until then I say they are different until proven otherwise. I say this because the music is often not used as much in a movie as it is on stage, and is often shown as a reward rather than move the plot along. 

Predicting The Wicked Movie

 At Cinema Con there was some footage shown of the Wicked movie, and it had me speculating, this movie has had audiences predicting and speculating long before it even had a trailer. There is so much riding on this adaptation of one of the biggest musicals in theater history. So I thought until the next trailer or teaser comes around, that I would use the information given and shown, throw my black hat into the ring, and see how much I get right. When the movie does come out, it will be fun to look back at this and see how much I got right and what I did not, as a sort of time capsule, so here are my guesses as to how the Wicked movie will turn out when it hits the big screen this November. 

So from what we know from the Super Bowl trailer I went through, and some articles that have come out before and since, this movie will be in two parts, the singing is live, we know the cast, and a release window but not a specific date. Some footage was shown at Cinema Con and it seemed to garner some buzz but much like everything there, not much has made it to the public eye and was just used to generate buzz, so mission accomplished.

going off of that information we know, here are my predictions for what the movie will turn out to be. The safest guess is that Act One is a movie, and Act Two is a movie, including every song from the show doing a rare adaptation of not cutting any songs. Depending on run time I would not be surprised if a new song or two is added to get that Best Original Song Oscar nomination. The visuals will be big and grand adding to the musical numbers. Each one will have visual flare and be big, stand-out moments for the show. I wonder if the movie will open with "No One Mourns The Wicked" or if like the director's previous work "In The Heights" the songs will be shuffled.

I do not think the show will appear in the order of the way events play out on stage, there is a possibility for some original performances, remixes, or new songs for promotions and the credits. I would not be surprised if there was a pop version of "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" during the credits when they roll around. 

I feel the order of songs will be shuffled around if "In The Heights" is anything to go off of. I also feel that songs will feel different, by that I mean different pacing, perhaps even different lyrics, and different instrumentation. To go off of "In The Heights" once more, the instrumentation in that was very quiet and subdued, trying to create real and relatable moments, and I wonder if songs like "I'm Not That Girl" will sound more like sad songs you hear on the radio then somber solo Broadway ballad. 

I could see the final chords of "Defying Gravity" leading to a "To Be Continued" if they want to be clever an "End Of Act One" before the credits. That moment leaving the audiences wondering how the rest of the tale will unfold, but with all the extra run time allotted to having two films, I wonder if more original songs are going to be added to spice things up, which I hope is not the case. This movie has been so long in the making, that I feel playing it safe is truly the best option, I am already questioning the part one and part two format. 

But those are my thoughts and predictions while we all wait for that footage, or a new trailer to come, my guess for certain for a new trailer will drop at San Diego Comicon and if it does, I will be here to discuss it. 

The Tony Award Nomniations And The Mufasa Trailer

 The time of year is here once more. Time to see what musicals will take home the gold and which ones will get fan reactions saying they deserved more. The awards are not here just yet, but the nominations are, roughly a month early, this also means for people like me who can not see these shows until they go on tour due to not living in New York that hopefully some cast albums will be released, giving me and many others a taste of these shows by giving us the songs that are featured in the shows. But we also got a new trailer for a musical movie, so I wanted to address that too.

The Tony Nomniations

I don't feel very equipped to make predictions as I have listened to very few of these shows let alone seen them, but I have listened to Back To The Future and as mentioned before, awaiting cast album releases for many of these. Hell's Kitchen leading the pack and I intend on listening to that musical as soon as possible, but there are some movie adaptations sprinkled throughout from Back To The Future, Water For Elephants, The Outsiders which was a book and movie, and even The Notebook. I am interested to see how Water For Elephants and The Outsiders turn out, the latter being a book and film I was familiar with due to the school, the former is new to me. 

Suffs is in the mix, bringing some more historical musical theater to the stage, but the nominees for best musical and best revival are quite small compared to some years. I am used to about three or four more nominees in the best musical category and maybe one or two for revival. All I hope for is a show where the awards are spread around and not a complete sweep one way, last year was a great example of that. And of course, I am looking forward to the performances, speeches, and more from one of my favorite awards shows. I am excited to hear Hell's Kitchen and Water For Elephants the most and eagerly await many of these songs to be shown to those outside New York. The news of the host, date, and time are sure to come but now we know the lineup for the night and some of the performances we are going to see, and I as usual am quite excited. 

The Mufasa Trailer

At first glance, I was not going to talk about this, but then I saw, the words at the end of the trailer that said "With Original Songs By Lin Manuel Miranda" and I was very surprised. I was wondering why he was doing music for this but not Moana 2 which is due just a month before this movie debuts.

In terms of the trailer it looked like nothing to write home about, just the young Mufasa running around in an original story no one asked for. The antics looked similar to The Lion King, just set in the past, and visually just looked bland like the movie that made so much money it caused this one to come to be. I am not a fan of the live-action Disney takes on classic films, I feel the originals when it comes to Renaissance films are good enough, I like when they remake a super old film to remove the parts that reflect a more ignorant time, but for the musicals from the 90's I always ask, just why? With the news of Moana getting one and it is barely ten years old, and all of these classics, it makes me sad to see the industry as well just disregard the credibility of movies just because they are animated. Animated movies can move someone just as much and just because it is animated should not be labeled as just for kids, if they are good enough to be put on the big screen, there is a quality behind them for everyone. 

Seeing Lin Manuel Miranda shift from making really good animated soundtracks to making songs such as "The Scuttlebutt" and doing only live-action, shifting from Encanto and Moana, not even doing the sequel to do live-action adaptions has me scratching my head. He has made some really good songs with Disney but these live-action outings and his not returning to follow-ups to what he has worked on before, have me just questioning.

In terms of musical movies, we have already had Mean Girls 2024 this year, and we still have :

. Moana 2

.Joker Folie A' Deux

.Mufasa

.Wicked Part One 

Moana 2 is the one I am most concerned about due to Wish falling flat but also that so little has been shown, there has been only a logo, and a static image, with a release date. No trailers, no songs, not even a teaser, and this movie is fast approaching, making me fear Ai could be involved as well, which I hope is not the case. Either way, this Mufasa trailer only left me not impressed and asking way more questions then I thought I would. 

Steven Universe "Mr. Greg" : It's Over Isn't It?

 Now in the last post I mentioned that I have two go to examples when talking about musical episodes of shows, and well, this is the second one.  Now Steven Universe, being one of my favorite animated shows of all time is no stranger to having stand-out songs in its episodes. But this one is different, though the show is known for having characters break into songs from time to time, and music plays a huge role in it, they do not do it episodes, some house one to two songs. This episode I count as the musical episode because of the themeing, as well as holding the most songs in the series in a single episode at six songs, one even being a reprise. 

This one sees Steven's father Greg becoming super rich, so they leave the quiet beach town they know to take a trip to the very New York City inspired Empire City. Bringing Pearl who loved Steven's mother as well, brings out some drama that needs to be confronted, and what way to do so then in song. Leaving the episode wrapping up with a solid emotional conclusion that leads into the rest of the series. 

The visuals are stunning as usual for the show, but stand out wonderfully in this episode in particular. Bright lights, purple skies at night, and cityscapes, all done with soft colors, the visuals changing with some of the songs to make them stand out even more. 

The songs lead this story along wonderfully, from small and sweet, to fun, to big, grand, and powerful. The stand-out song for this episode is "It's Over Isn't It?", Peal's powerful and sad solo ballad. Emotionally stunted, left with nothing but question marks and not knowing where to go, left only with bitterness and sadness. Her resentment towards Greg in full force, the song sweeping and soaring, conveying strong but relatable emotions, the visuals working hand in hand to make this moment so memorable, the clouds, the purple skies, the lights of the city and quiet air of the balcony. Accompanied by powerful instrumentals, this song stands strong within the episode and on its own.

But the other songs are no slouches either, providing great emotional closure, or just being fun. The songs can either be short and sweet, full of some fun moments and a couple jokes or maybe even one to cause a tear or two to escape your eye. A couple of the songs in this episode can warrant some very strong emotional responses, all packed tight into this episode paced perfectly, and none overstaying their welcome. The structure of the episode works out wonderfully giving a solid beginning, middle, and end with a very satisfying conclusion. 

The setting fits for a musical episode, taking part of the cast out of their environment and showing them somewhere we have not seen in the show yet, and even before they leave the way the episode is presented sets up for an unforgettable musical journey. The songs follow the cast from home to the big city and back, making the musical structure stand out on its own. Beginning as other episodes do with a song, but then having a fair number and in a new locale to show the auidence that this stands out as a the musical episode. Having a song at the beginning that gets a reprise before the credits roll, the music style harkening to that of tradition musicals, and the visuals all setting the tone and keeping it perfectly.

This episode is amazing on a wriitng, musical, and visual stand point. It fires on all cylanders to stand head and shoulders as one of the series best, for adressing plot points, using emotions the audience can relate too, and giving an experience all in a package that leaves the watcher sastified. The music standing out in the context of the show or on their own for isolated listens, and a really wonderful messege about moving on and forgiving, makes this one, a true showstopper

Scrub's My Musical: Hiliarity And Heart

 Some of the content in this episode may be a tad dated, or reflect the time it was made, but I wanted to cover it still. But things need to be addressed before beginning. Now on with the show!

Having just covered musical episodes of the television shows, I thought I would revisit a couple of my favorites, and to start the list, I wanted to talk about the season six, scrubs episode, "My Musical". A patient who hears everything as singing, and sees the world as a musical, all crammed into a 22-minute episode should not work, yet it does. How?

One way is the pacing, since the patient is not always on screen, there is room for scenes that have no singing at all, thus making room for her to enter and giving room for the cast to break into a song. Turning the plot lines into songs and conveying emotions. Giving a scene to introduce what is on the minds of the characters and then sing about it. Since it is just in the mind of the patient, it is given a reason to break the norm and be a musical just for this episode and then return to what the show is known for in the next episode. 

Having the patient played by an actress known for doing Broadway musicals such as Avenue Q makes it work as well. Each performance lands with jokes, songs, and quiet moments. The episode crams so much into a short length but never hangs on something for too long, giving each moment the right amount of time and even fitting in long-running jokes from the show. Fitting long-running jokes and callbacks into a song is a clever way, and even referencing a couple classic musicals.

Most of the songs are comedic and fit the tone of the show, some of them packed with witty lines and jokes, or funny subject matters. But there are also charecter moments and soft and subtle, sweet moments, just like the show is also known for. The episode follows the musical structure perfectly well, even having an act one closing style medley song that would be played right before intermission, each song the right length, having a purpose and moving the episode along. The episode has a surprisingly heavy moment or two but it is balanced with the comedy and handled so well that it ends up being a funny, heartwarming, and memorable episode. 

The songs themselves are filled with jokes, but there are a couple that are soft and quiet and work. Some are slow jams that mix humor and go at a different speed. There are plenty of duets, solos, and big group numbers, giving a good variety. The big group numbers and plenty of the songs are super fun and high energy, having memorable lyrics, catchy melodies, and a good dash of humor. The songs never stop the pace of the episode but push it along and make it work in a way that makes this a stand-out example. The ending songs and ending narration in this episode are a major emotional gut punch, but super well done. Adding a very sweet and touching ending. It changes the tone but after all the humor and fun songs before it, leads to a welcome change and solid ending, that is hard to forget. Many of them are great fun such as "Here At Sacred Heart", "We're Gonna Miss You Carla", "The Rant Song", "When the Truth Comes Out" and my personal favorite "Guy Love" I didn't know I needed a slow jam about the blurred lines of friendship but it is amazing. "Your'e Gonna Be Okay" stops the fun and adds a deep layer of heart in the best way, ending that with a powerful and sweet song, combined with a great ending narration that draws the curtain on this episode spectacularly. 

When people ask me what one of my favorite musical episodes is, this one is one of the two I always bring up. Balancing humor, heart, and some really good songs, memorable ones that stand on their own outside of the episode or in a rewatch. This is one that will leave a song or two, some jokes, and a very sweet ending, stuck in the viewer's head for a least a while, staying with them even after the next episode begins to roll. 

The Art Of The Musical Episode

 Sometimes we love musicals, sometimes we love a show whether it first aired on TV or on a streaming service, and sometimes those two worlds collide. The musical episode. Characters break into song and dance throughout an episode and then do neither the one after. These can come with or without a clever explanation as to why the characters are doing so, and they can be incredibly creative. As a fan of musicals, I do enjoy seeing some of my favorite characters take on the style and tackle it in such a short span, if done well it can be one of the best in the series. But what makes a good musical episode? 

First, we must define what a musical episode is. This is different than a show having a song performed by a character, if it is the only song in the episode and then there are no others, that is not a musical episode, even if songs are used in multiple episodes and this is a common occurrence. The same goes for shows that feature music and have montages, or musical references, they can take a moment to reference a well-known musical and move on, that is not a musical episode. Musical shows are also a different category, such as Steven Universe or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend which have several songs throughout each season, but they are not exempt from having a musical episode, as in the case of Steven Universe. For me, at least, a musical episode is where multiple songs occur, and they are sung and performed by the characters themselves, using the songs to advance the plot and convey emotions, just like in live theater. Bonus points if the word musical is featured or the episode theming and looks go the extra mile to imitate the look and feel of live musical theater. 

What makes a musical episode a good musical episode? For me, that is boiled down to the songs themselves. If the show is not known for them, that is already a shake-up from the norm that will not be repeated after means the music has to really stand out. That is where the balance has to come in, the songs need to move the plot along and show characters' emotions, or at least be entertaining and fit the style and themes of the show, not be distractions. The second the songs are not serving a purpose, whether to advance, inform, or entertain, the second the songs make the episode not feel like what the show is known for, that is when things can go off the rails. If there is an overabundance of songs for the sake of just having songs, the more likely it is for there to be some duds and take the audience out of it.

Live theatre is the same way, when there are songs just for the sake of having songs, with no purpose, the audience loses interest. It can be annoying for characters to just burst into song and dance what feels like every thirty seconds with no rhyme or reason, alienating those watching from what they are watching. This can prove to be a challenge for a show that runs way shorter than a live performance, especially ones that are less than thirty minutes long. 

But this is where the good ones come in. Episodes that know their limitations, know their characters and the world they build can make truly good ones. Songs that sound like they fit in this world, coming from the ones singing them, only enhance the moment, making things great. Proving that even with songs the characters and show are the same show we love without them is what makes a good musical episode. If the songs are memorable and good listeners on their own, in and out of the context of the episode, while reminding us why we love the property the musical episode is in, is what makes a truly great one. Chilling but not impossible, and when pulled off making some truly great memories, great musicals, and great television. 

That to me is what makes a good musical episode, and there are plenty I want to talk about. I just think I may sooner rather than later. What are some of your favorites? And what makes an episode a musical episode, or makes a good musical episode for you? Until next time, I hope your day is a showstopper .

Why I Think The Legally Blonde Musical Could Work As A Movie

 With the recent success of Mean Girls, I think the original protagonist clad in mostly pink deserves a chance to shine. Yes, I am talking once again about Legally Blonde The Musical, easily one of my favorite musicals and I would say my favorite musical based on a movie that was not a musical before. I was thinking about how some musicals, though based on movies could work as musical movie adaptations, and this was at the top of my list. I of course would also want the pro shot to get a physical or digital release, remastered and made available for purchase because it is fantastic, well shot, well performed, and deserves to be preserved, but I think a movie could work as well. In a perfect world, we would get both but I do think a movie is more likely, if this idea were to come to fruition. 

The music is high energy, the story is packed with jokes, and there are plenty of moments that use the whole ensemble in a way that makes for big and grand moments. From marching bands to big jump rope dance numbers, there are plenty of moments that would look good in a trailer. There are plenty of big solos, and quiet moments as well, the pacing of this show between big and fun moments and quiet, strong character development would fit into the world of movies like a glove. I feel that the energy of this show would fit a movie very well, I know this because the Mean Girls 2024 movie did just that.

Adding some visual flare and maybe cutting some song "Harvard Variations" being one of them as you show a story with a very timeless message. Being your own person and finding your own way, not falling so head over heels for someone that you lose yourself. There are some smaller morals about working hard or accepting others that also fit very well, and a movie could give it a chance to change some of the more dated material.

This musical is one of my all-time favorites and will always be but I am not going to act like every little part of this show has aged like fine wine, from a couple of characters to some lines as well. But the 2024 Mean Girls movie took some of the dated humor of the original and added some new jokes, so why not this show. You could add a social media element as well and modernize it, but I think setting it in the time it took place would be cool as well, showing how relevant and relatable all of the subject material still is. The songs have a good variety of high-energy group numbers, and quiet character-building moments, even a couple slow ballads. 

The song variety is one of the strong suits because it has many good comedic, and even heartwarming musical pieces that help make major moments stand out. I know some songs would be cut but I think with a two-hour run time not that many would have to be and make for a good musical experience. Some of the characters would need to be changed or cut, but I think all the major players and their stories wouldn't need many if any changes to their story arcs, songs, and even some of their jokes. 

In terms of who would play them, I would love a couple Broadway and film albums from the originals to make cameos, while new Broadway talent played the main cast. I would use up-and-comers and especially theatrically trained actors to pull off the songs and the choreography. There are plenty of large-scale dance numbers and big sweeping songs that I feel would serve the film best. 

Mean Girls 2024 really opened up a whole new world to the idea of musical movies that are akin to reboots of films. It takes the place of the reboot but offers something completely different at the same time, and I think if done well, would not do any harm, even bring some musicals back into the limelight that deserve it. 

Woman Of The World (Shucked)

 Not too long ago I covered the musical "Shucked" with it having a movie coming up, and I have been listening to the album quite a bit lately and mixing some songs into my favorite musical playlists. In that post, I noted what some of my favorite songs are and decided to not just share what ones they are but why. It's time for a good old-fashioned song analysis breakdown as I like to do from time to time. So let's look at one of the songs I have listened to most from this show "Woman Of The World". 

The song has Mayzee looking back on how she just may have saved her home and the corn from which it draws its name, in a state of almost shock and pure surprise. She now sees herself as a hero and is happy to have done what many said she couldn't, believing to have grown. The song then begins to ramp up a bit as she realizes the change going on in her. No longer just what people viewed her as her whole life, but rather something so much more. She sees herself as "A Woman Of The World", not just what her environment has labeled her as, thinking to have saved the day and no longer be doubted, since she stepped so boldly outside of town and ventured into the world now. Even if the world is just Tampa, to her it is still a massive deal.

The instrumentation much like many songs in the show draws a strong inspiration from country music but mixes in the Broadway musical flare. Having small moments for our lead to reflect, while building and growing both in scope and scale. Adding a background choir, performing key changes, and starting small and growing as the song progresses until a big, grand finish. Starting with a simple guitar and adding more as it goes, but still keeping the country music theme from start to finish. 

The instrumentation fits the theme of the song as it grows and changes as the song progresses, growing from a quiet ballad to a big, loud, and proud display of someone who sees more in herself than she ever has. The lyrics fit well with the instrumentation, instilling quiet confidence and pride in oneself but not the territory of arrogance. Rather a pride in doing something well, helping others, and discovering you are more than what others think you are. Showing depth to a character narrator who two songs prior planted the seeds for this song. In " The Traveling Song" the narators say that she set out determined to prove everyone wrong, and now it seems she has. This a moment of victory for someone who has been underestimated.

As a song, this is just a plain fun listen, with great lyrics, great use of the ensemble later on, and solid instrumentation. A song that is inspiring and fun, and fits well as a musical ballad, a moment that is so big the character just has to sing about it. The theming stays consistent but does not distract from the song but rather adds to it and gives its set identity. It fits the tone the show has built so far and fits right in with the songs that proceeded and will proceed with it, giving a solid character moment without breaking what the show has built. Overall I love the song as a fun listen and as a character moment, I am an absolute sucker for big and grand moments where the lead gets a victory. A real emotion of being proud of yourself, wanting to break out of what you have been known as, and wanting to grow and be something more. A real and relatable emotion. The song is performed well on the cast album and is a must-listen at least once, alongside many of the songs in the show, I did a review of the whole album very recently.

Whether to just sing along to, or relate to, this song is great. A moment of victory that starts off slow and grows and grows until it fits the scope of the wide world she has just seen, this song and Mayzee have proved there can be so much more, then just whats on the surface.

Wonka: A World Of Prequel Imagination

 I missed this movie when it was in theaters, it just seemed to pass me by, but now Easter is just about here and people love chocolate, this movie is available on streaming so now seems like the best time if ever to finally cover this film. This movie was a massive success but was also in the camp of movies that were musicals that did not advertise as such, which makes me concerned if the music was something they wanted to hide, not just to try and sell something that it is not. So let's see if this movie is a golden ticket, or perhaps just a chocolate bar with nothing else inside. 

The movie follows Willy Wonka in a prequel story as he tries to find a world where he can express his creative thoughts, but also get him and his friends out of a massive and overwhelming debt while dealing with the chocolate cartel. Now going into this origin story, we have two versions of the same story, the Gene Wylder classic, and the Tim Burton remake, as well as a Broadway version that differs from those two, giving us four different Wonkas to work with, and how did this one do? I will not comment much on the Broadway version as I have not seen it or listened to it. 

Timothee Chalmaine did a really good job, he though does not feel like he would become the one we know from the classic film, but he is super charming and did great. Having a likable lead goes a long way, most of the acting is enjoyable works for this world. Not as good as Gene's but definitely a step in the right direction and better than Depp's, and even has room to change and grow. The presentation is mostly good, looks like a warm and welcoming world most of the time. So the lead and the supporting help carry this film but what about the music

The music is like an assorted bag of chocolates of differing in quality leaving some favorites and some to be desired, of course, the remixes of the classics worked, but some of the new music is great. The two large group numbers were amazing and worked well, fitting in this charming world the movie created. Even though not all of the songs work, a good number do and can be enjoyed. The songs were not on par with the classic film but worked in their own way. The background score was filled with homages and so were a couple jokes which were nice as well, helping bring whimsy to the whimsical story and world. 

This film is charming, I enjoyed it mostly. I enjoyed and intend to listen to a good number of songs, chuckled at some of the jokes, and enjoyed this. I would say it reminded me in some ways even with some side stories of the Netflix Matilda but in a good way. Some charming music, good presentation, and good action. Very much feels like a Rhold Dahl work, and fitting in the worlds and style he created. I enjoyed many things from the acting to the songs, and even some of the score, the fact that I enjoyed some of the new music was a surprise and treat I did not expect going in, but glad I found a couple new songs to listen to with the original as some good takes on classic songs we love. 

The movie is great for people who are creative, whether in art, writing or in this case baking. The movie blooms with inspiration and encourages creativity, showing that big and bland businesses can not stop the dreamers of the world. The whimsical messages about dreaming and having an imagination not only fit for the world and characters but also the audience, the messages are well played and given well. Anyone who is of creative inclination should give this movie a watch, much like something like La La Land, it was made for dreamers. 

Though I enjoyed this movie there were a few shortcomings that held the movie back for me, the CGI is not very good when used, the story lost itself a little bit in the last act before settling back in, and some of the writing was nothing special. The one major grip I have seen is people saying that this Wonka would not become the one in the classic Gene Wylder version, which I agree with because this one lacks the jaded cynicism and negative view that Charley would teach him. They just might make a sequel due to the nature of Hollywood and the success of this movie and if they do, they need to connect the dots better that leads to the classic film, which could even lead to a strong emotional impact to see such a hopeful young man lose that spark. This one is a wide eye dreamer wistful type from start to finish, but if I found myself viewing this as a different version it definitely softened the blow a little. There is a Broadway adaptation, and now three different film versions of this character, and I am sure there will be more, this is just one of them. It is just held back by using nostalgic music and not being truly original. But with these small grips aside, there as you see was plenty I did like. 

This movie like a chocolate bar was short and sweet, maybe not my favorite flavor but one I would not mind having again a couple times. Maybe I will even like the movie more than I already do on a repeated viewing, I can see myself watching this from time to time and enjoying it. There is plenty to enjoy and I did enjoy it, this movie didn't have a lasting effect like the classic, but was sweeter than the Tim Burton version. A fun time for the whole family that is sweet and works in some ways, though it has some crunch in others, an overall enjoyable time and worth a viewing, with some good messages about dreaming and encouraging creativity. It reminded me of why I liked the Matilda movie musical that Netflix did not too long ago and this goes along with and is on par with that, a fun, musical family film. 

Could We Get More Musical Movies Based On Movie Musicals?

 With the movie version of the Mean Girls musical closing in theaters and moving to streaming, and Wonka now heading to streaming and DVD, I was thinking about these two films, especially Mean Girls. Both were moderate successes financially but seeing Mean Girls turn a profit has me asking a question. Are we going to get more movie musicals based on stage musicals that are based on a movie? A mouthful of a question but one I wanted to ask, so let's explore and look deeper into what this could mean for the future of movie musicals.

The approach I want to take is weighing the pros and cons, balancing both, and then making my decisions. Already I know that Broadway musicals are going to get adaptations in film whether they are themselves adaptations or not, Shucked already has a film in the works, and Wicked's movie is fast approaching at the time of this post. So this is purely on movies that become musicals, and then become musical movies purely, and so far Mean Girls, Matilda and The Color Purple are the only pieces of media we can use as an example. I am not counting the Disney live-action remakes because even though many started as animated movie musicals, then became Broadway musicals, and then back to the movies since they started as musicals. I am talking about something that was not a musical and began as a film, then was adapted for the stage and then back. Now with the preliminary qualifiers set, we can have a clear view to dive into this concept. 

Looking at the pros, it does help people see the musical in case they miss it for whatever reason. If it is made well then it can be something viewed easier and more frequently than that of a live stage show. With something like Mean Girls there were cut songs, scenes with visual flare, and different performers than that of the stage version, thus giving incentive to check it out. In terms of finances seeing movies in theaters, renting them at home, or catching them on a streaming service is way less risky than the prices of even a balcony seat. These could be good testing grounds for people to see if they like the base plot and the music, to see if they like the changes implemented, this could even sell people on the stage versions if they wish to see more. This could convince people to see live theater if these are made well, or even if they are not made well but have stand-out moments to pique the audience's curiosity to see it live. There are many low-risk and high-reward upsides to making a movie based on the musical adaptation of a movie which can lead to buying the film, seeing it again, streaming the music, or even seeing it live to see what the film changed. I did not see the Mean Girls musical on stage, but the film had me considering it the next time I am given the chance. But as good as all of this sounds, this could prove to be a double-edged sword as well. 

One problem is the lack of originality, to use an example from earlier, like the Disney live-action remakes, people will question the need or relevance of this. Mean Girls was advertised much like The Color Purple as a reimagining of classic films, and not shown off as musical. They looked to be reboots and the public's opinion on reboots, understandably rises and falls. Asking why something needs to be made when the original is already considered good, why the studio didn't make something new with their resources, and why try to cash in on something that had its time are all valid criticisms. Audiences have been questioning making movies that were not into musicals into such for a while, because even when we get a well-made show that is on par as a new form of something beloved or even surpasses the source that is in a sea of shows that are not quite up to snuff. For every Legally Blonde or Back To The Future, there's a Groundhog Day or School Of Rock, for every Matilda and Spongebob there's a Spicer-Man Turn Off The Dark. Then there are some like Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, or The Wedding Singer which have great moments but are just overall okay in the end. And not saying that original musicals can't be just okay, or have flops, trust me, and even then opinions can change with the wind, but in terms of this, maybe sometimes a story needs to just end on the stage. Would a Back To The Future musical movie, advertised as a reboot, trick audiences into seeing it work? Part of the problem which I have discussed at length is the way movie musicals are being shown to the public at the moment, and how there needs to be honesty. I feel that people would treat a musical adaptation the way people treat reboots, which is some will hate it, some will love it, but in the end, many will deem it unnecessary. Musicals could be used now instead of reboots to make a new reimagining different enough to make a property marketable. 

In the case of something like Matilda which like Mean Girls was originally before being put in theater was made for streaming, and many people liked it. When I watched Mean Girls, I could tell it was made for streaming services with its size, scale, and budget. And perhaps that could be a good middle ground, making movie musical adaptations for streaming services, showing that they can be different and work. Letting someone see it for themselves from the comfort of their own home with the ability to stop whenever they want to, instead of tricking them into a one-time movie ticket purchase for their money. Earning their money honestly by advertising something as is and seeing how someone's curiosity can lead them to form an opinion. I think in the realm of streaming services movie studios should keep trying this, so we can get more cool and different adaptations like Matilda. Perhaps The Color Purple would have not lost as much money if it was made for MAX with a reasonable budget. What do you think? Do you want to see more? 

Shucked (Cast Album)

 With the recent announcement of this show getting a film adaptation I decided to take a look through the cast album, this show centered on Corn will be getting a tour shortly and I hope to see it, but for now, all I have is the album. Looking into the plot, this show is about love, a farm, planning schemers, and corn, lots of corn. There are many uses for corn and many ways corn is used as an analogy for other things in life, in this fun corn-cobbed comedy. Country is not my favorite genre of music and never has been, but there is some country music-influenced musicals that I truly love and have seen live, such as Waitress for the prime example. So let's get some corn puns ready and embark on this musical journey through the cast album of the new musical Shucked. 

The music from going from just the cast album seems to tell the story of a small town, that may be a little small-minded, saving the corn, bringing in outsiders, and proving yourself to be more than what the world thinks you as, and love, sometimes love that is intentionally and some that is comedically accidental. It reminds me of The Music Man a little but I am going off of just the cast album, so for all I know in the context of the story these songs could have totally different meanings. Until proven otherwise this is what I think of the album so far. 

The music is very much inspired by country, it uses country style and instrumentation for several songs but isn't afraid to have songs that don't sound out of place in a musical. It mixes country with the grandness of the stage with the simple pleasures of country and it works. It ends up creating these down-to-earth but not forced character moments in the songs, making strong solos and fun group numbers. Some of the songs are strong ballads about breaking out of what others viewed you as, or being okay being alone but still being strong. The variety of songs is great, my favorite being "Independently Owned", with close runners-up being "Traveling Song", "Woman Of The World", "Corn Reprise", "OK", and  "Friends". A couple of the songs I would listen to again and I don't mind, on the other hand not so much, but plenty of gems as listed here. 

The country music inspiration does not take away from the show because it makes sense in terms of the environment, story, and narrative. It fits naturally akin to that of the musical Waitress where it is the style the show chose and it sticks with it. The slower songs that sound more Broadway-like are not distractions but rather so the audience doesn't feel oversaturated with the country style, but even then it sounds like still a little like country so it doesn't break the flow, just not as much as some of the other songs. This show knows it's identity and sticks with it all the way through, and by doing that, stays consistent. 

The songs are not afraid to use humor as well, whether it is a quick number full of gossip not appropriate for all ages, or one full of the many uses of corn. Whether it be a punch line or a quick pun about corn, the light-heartedness helps make the slower ballads stand out, even a whole song about being a bible believing Christian but loving alcohol and to party. The show has love ballads and I want songs but there are many great numbers about just life itself. Many songs fit the Broadway show roadmap whether it is a love ballad or a side character comedy song, but even though it follows the outline we all know, the songs are well written. Not every song is going into my playlist but a good number are. There were definitely more numbers I loved and hummed along with, pressing repeat on than not. There were only a few songs that I did not want to visit again or might skip on another trip through this show about corn, love, and more corn.  

Just as an album alone, judging these as just songs, I enjoyed myself. Removing the story since I have not seen it play out, just as an album this was very fun. There was a good use of comedy and even a really fun reprise of the songs towards the end and makes for a really funny listen. Towards the end of the album, for example, there is the song called "Corn Mix," it feels more like a fun comedy medley than a song, but I had fun with it. And that sums things up the best, I had fun with a ton of songs and found some I will listen to again and again. 

I think this could work as a movie, as long as it doesn't try to be something it is not. The music is pretty good and if they can make it grand without going over the top it could work. Kind of like how Mean Girls almost kind of sort of worked but was on a modest budget and thus was a hit. They could film it in a way to makes the music stand out, but they need to keep it simple because that is where the charm of this show comes from. The stage set of this show is a giant barn with barely a set to call home, only some modest pieces. Letting the music, story, jokes, and fun characters push things along. I hope the film does the same, keeping things down to earth so the writing and music can shine. I found quite a few numbers I enjoyed, so I would definitely see this live and watch the movie, I will probably do both as soon as possible. An album that reflects how this show is packed to the brim with corny jokes and a fun easy-to-follow narrative but is overall fun, and sometimes in life we need fun, and Shucked is just great plain fun. The show also hides deeper messages in the lyrics that are good to relate to, some empowering songs as well. This show is fun and I will definitely be giving it a listen until I can see it, If you want some good music that is full of charm, and heart, and is just a good time, give this a listen. It is worth a listen, for a fun time with some good music, and some that may just inspire you as well. 

The Wicked Movie Trailer #1

 Super Bowl Sunday has come in gone, but the discourse is still ongoing, whether it is memes about Taylor Swift, the mostly disappointing commercials, some of the movie trailers, or perhaps even the game itself. But for me let's take a step back to one of those, the movies. Specifically the first showing of the upcoming Wicked movie. One of the biggest musicals in theater history, this one defined theater and inspired many for upwards of over two decades now. The movie was trapped in a perpetual purgatory, only existing as rumors, stories, and word of mouth in a tumultuous development cycle have flown for the better part of a decade, and it has finally arrived. As a two-part epic, so did the trailer sell me, or are we perhaps in for something bad? Let's defy gravity, throw caution to the wind, and find out. 

For those unaware this is the narrative story following Elphaba, the supposed wicked witch of the west, and Glinda the good witch, in a prequel to The Wizzard Of Oz, finding there is more than meets the eye and perhaps not all the stories that persist are true. With a powerful score, strong ballads, and a beautiful message, this show has been keeping audiences encouraged and engaged for over twenty years now. The movie shows none of that. This is once again a movie trailer that hides so many facts about the film. 

If you read the descriptions or follow the press only then is it revealed that this movie is only one half of a whole piece, followed by the fact that like other modern movie musicals, hides the fact that it is a musical. No characters are shown singing, and one song is played throughout the trailer but it is just used as background music to add to the scope of the trailer, rather than showcase a musical. No one is shown singing or dancing, and the trailer is quite short. This baffles me because unlike Mean Girls or The Color Purple where some people who do not follow musical theater may not know of an adaptation of the stage version and just take it as a reboot. Everyone knows Wicked is a musical, and everyone knows The Wizzard Of Oz is a famous musical. So why hide it? Why not showcase a musical, in a movie that everyone already knows is going to be a musical. One of the most famous Broadway musicals is getting a long-awaited film adaptation, so it's no secret, so trying to play cool and cover it up because some Hollywood insider said hiding musicals is the only way to make money, by tricking the audience and that musicals are guaranteed bombs is a dumb idea that needs to go. 

The director of this movie is the same as that of In The Heights, which has me cautiously optimistic because that movie was a mixed bag, full of highs and lows, great performances and music, mixed with baffling pacing and writing flaws, but that is for another day. I hope this fares better, with this being two movies I hope the whole story is told and the extended time is used to better the narrative, and not just add scenes and songs to try and stand out from the stage version and try to be different for the sake of looking cool. 

Visually this looks marvelous, the scope and scale are incredible. The makeup and costumes look fantastic and work wonderfully, the dialogue in the trailer was generic movie trailer dialogue so no comment there. The look was fantastic, the visuals were gorgeous and the best part of the trailer, the way it was shot had me and others asking questions and wondering where the placing of scenes and songs in this, as well as what was left to be shown. This short trailer covered what looked to be Act One and even potentially Act Two of the show, so wondering the pacing, and placement is fun speculation to have. Wondering what is real and what could be a fantastical dream sequence. 

This left me cautiously optimistic, I want to see more before truly judging this film, and this was such a small taste. But still a small taste that looked impressive in so many ways, but full of baffling choices like the way it was presented, and what was and wasn't shown. The basic dialogue chosen and the lack of music left me worried, but the visuals left me excited, and the little bit of music made me want to hear and see more in action. This trailer was pretty poorly made, with some bright spots, and I hope the next one is better, leaving me feeling excited but also a ton of mixed emotions. 

So I Finally Saw The Mean Girls Movie (The 2024 One... The Musical One)

The movie musical based on musical based on one of the most quoted movies from the early 2000s is finally here. And it took me a couple weeks to see it because it snowed like no tomorrow and I could not make it to the movie theater to see this film. But now I have and here are my thoughts. This movie was not advertised as a musical, so if someone did not follow the press on it, at first glance it seems to be a modern take on the classic tale of popularity, revenge, and staying true to yourself. But within thirty seconds the cast began to sing and I could even hear whispers of those watching in the theater saying "Wait this is a musical?!" as the film began, since the advertisers hid that fact even, weeks later, the audience I was with was shocked. This is the tale of Mean Girls. 2024. 

I have not seen the Mean Girls musical live, but have listened to the cast album live plenty of times, and have a few songs that I enjoy. I feel very mixed emotions on the album and that speaks the same for the film. There is a good amount of good, and unfortunately some undeniable bad. Let's start with the good, which is some of the cinematography is great, and the performances of Rennee' Rapp as Regina Geroge, Auli'i Cravalho as Janis, and Jaquel Spivey as Damian are the standouts performances, even Avantika and Bebe Wood as Karen and Gretchen have stand out moments comedically.

Some of the jokes are extremely hit-and-miss. One thing that works and makes sense is that social media is implemented in the story, making the movie take place in the modern-day than the time the film was first made. The small changes keep the plot moving along and don't distract but show what it would be like if the film was made today. Some of the more dated jokes were changed for different ones, and some of the plot points changed too. The problem is there is a constant quoting of old lines because the first movie had them and they are popular jokes and lines, sometimes are delivered as is, but other times they try to expand on the joke to make it last longer, and it just lands flat. Some of the original jokes and lines, are funny, and I wish there were more like them, this is when the movie stood out on its own two feet. The cameos in this movie work well, and there are some really fun in-jokes and easter eggs

My only problem acting wise lies with the lead Anguorie Rice as Cady Heron. She has some moments of just not seeming emotionally interested, even in the later half as the plot is ramping up. I chalk this up in a poor direction because her singing voice is good, but has no emotional range, everything is quiet and subtle. This works earlier when Cady is shy and still trying to understand herself, but even later she acts the same as she did when the movie started.

The cinematography of this movie is all over the place, some of the songs are presented like music videos, others like TikTok filters, and some as if they were just regular songs. The style can change to black and white, or a giant party music video at a moment's notice, while at other times the songs add a new stylistic flare while still being in the environment they take place. For example "Someone Gets Hurt" has a good idea of manipulating the others at the party they are all at like puppets, while time stops and starts, it looks and sounds amazing. While "Revenge Party" can just be a random parade snapping between reality and dream world, or "Sexy" can be part TikTok, part music video, part musical number. It can be super distracting, but sometimes works. Sometimes the ideas blend naturally with the film and song, but other times they stick out. 

And speaking of the music, some of it works and some of it doesn't. To be fair I was this way with the original album where half of the songs were ones I really enjoyed, and I felt some needed some changing or to be swapped out for different songs entirely. The film only has about half of the songs from the show, and the songs they picked are pretty good. Some of the songs that were cut I understand for the sake of flow but sometimes it feels like the movie is trying to jam two or three songs into a short span of time to make it seem like there are more songs than there are. Only to have there be long stretches of no song, then suddenly you get like three back-to-back. The performances are really good starting with half of "Sexy" and mostly with "Someone Gets Hurt". 

The movie has a slow drag and start in terms of writing, jokes, and songs, but then picks up for the second half, with only a couple rocky moments here and there, but to be fair I did not like "Revenge Party" as a song even in the original, so the movie starts bad but then ends good and picks up. Leaving a mixed bag of quality of a good amount of good and bad, with pretty bad pacing issues. It is worth a watch, there is enough good in there that it is worth at least one watch, and I have seen worse movie musicals. There is enough good going that it is worth at least one viewing, as for me, I plan on watching it again at least once to see if I enjoy it more. For every "World Burn" and "I'd Rather Be Me" there's a "Stupid With Love". There are so many changes, some working and some not, so many style choices, some working and some not, that the movie sometimes lacks focus and identity. The overreliance on telling the jokes and story of the original gives it little wiggle room, but sometimes it works to the film's advantage and others its detriment. Overall this is a movie that can sit with me even though it isn't the most fetch movie I have ever seen.

Why Is Hollywood Afraid Of Movie Musicals?

 I have seen quite a few articles on this topic, as well as YouTube videos from Kathrine Steele, Mina Le, and Dan Murrell, and I highly recommend you look into those and watch the videos mentioned, or read the articles on the subject. I wanted to open with a preface because though I am not the first one to say this, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with the amount of content on this topic being produced. With that out of the way, I am left with but a simple question. Why is Hollywood afraid of movie musicals? 

Decades ago the same studios that would put out "Singing In The Rain" and "The Sound Of Music" to recent entries like "La La Land" and "In The Heights" are now releasing trailers that hide the fact that their movies are musicals. "Wonka", "The Color Purple" and "Mean Girls" have been the center of a new conversation as of late, not the quality of the films, but rather the fact the advertising hid the musical nature of these movies. From trailers alone most of these films looked like just plain reboots of these classic stories or franchises, and only in articles, interviews, announcements, and smaller forms of advertising were they shown to be what they really are. The wording in the posters and small hints in the posters shield the public from its true intent. Someone like me who is expecting a musical because they did the research beforehand and were looking for musical movies due to my love of musicals is very different than someone who gets jump scared when the cast starts breaking into song. Which boils down to one word. Expectation.

Expectation for many when they see those trailers is to know what they are going into and not beshow tricked. Many reactions to the recent release of Mean Girls show people shocked and feeling tricked at finding out it is a musical at midnight hour. Trailers and posters place either small snippets or even just small hints that are easy to miss until someone who did not follow the press on the film finds out it is a musical the hard way. Over this past weekend, countless complaints were posted online of people thinking this was a simple reboot and were curious only to see the main cast break into song. People go in expecting one thing and are given something completely different, thus already painting a negative view of the product and the studio that gave it. Thus the musical that was being made is left out to take the brunt of the blame when it underperforms and is blamed by the studio for "oh it was a musical, therefore no one wants to see those", or is disliked for existing as a musical or not advertised as such. It is like the waiter being blamed for bringing you a bad dish when the chef didn't make it right, and the menu did not state all the ingredients. 

Movie musicals have not been performing well lately, "In The Heights", "Dear Evan Hansen", and "West Side Story", just to name a few have not been box office runaways. In fact, they have been labeled by many as disappointments. Some advertisers have even believed that outright showing something as a musical will turn people away at the door. Even Disney's recent outing with "Wish" proved to not bring people in the way, classic animated musicals used to. But that film is a whole other story in terms of why it failed. Still "Wonka" did not show it was a musical and hid the fact and is now performing well, what is being said of "Mean Girls" and "The Color Purple" is still to play out and we can only wait and see. 

I think that studios should just be open and show the musical movie is in fact a musical, make something on a smaller budget just for the theather kids. The fact that people who love musicals have evolved into a derogatory, less than statement, acting as if people who like musicals are something to be ashamed of, baffles me. I think studios should just make a musical movie that caters to musical fans, or use pro shots as a wide release instead of a limited release format. The way horror movies or crime dramas don't appeal to everyone doesn't mean they stop getting made or hidden from what they are, so why musicals?

I feel as if this is unfair to the musicals themselves as well as the people who worked hard on making them. I feel like the audience and those who worked really hard, shooting a musical movie, end up losing the most. The studios need to be up front with the public and let people know what they are putting their money towards to decide, not letting social media or someone else test the waters by going and telling people about it. 

I think movie musicals need a couple big hits to show everyone their importance, and perhaps "Wicked Part 1" will be that movie. A big musical whether animated or live-action shows the public but also more importantly the studios their validity. The importance of being honest and giving the public honest expectations of what they are paying for. Not trying to use different wording or edit a trailer to hide what a movie is, just to boast big opening weekend numbers. I think someone who does not want to see a musical should know if something is a musical or not, and just let the musical theater lovers have their movie. The world is wide enough for both theater kids and nontheater kids alike.