The Mystery of Edwin
Drood has closed. There are
always mixed feelings when a show closes. Sometimes, it’s sad. Sometimes, it’s
a relief. Whatever, the emotions the show runs its course and ends. Working on Drood taught me a lot and was a
memorable experience.
I really love musical theatre because I feel it’s one of the
purest art forms that exist. Yes, one can sing a song and have excellent
technique but if the singer’s heart isn’t in it, then there is nothing for the
audience to connect. Instead, all the audience hears is a sound coming out of a
person’s mouth and the band playing a beat. Thus, we have most of the
commercial music of today.
Saying that, it’s wonderful to watch someone sing and be
fully immersed in the lyrics and emotions of the song. It’s like watching fine
acting. I always like to think of Susan Boyle and how she stunned the judges of
Britain’s Got Talent. If you watch
her closely, you can see her whole body transform and she has an emotional
investment in the words she is singing. I only bring this up because the theatre
had a benefit in which performers from past shows came back and sang songs from
past musicals performed at the theatre. There was a number from Sunday in the Park with George, which
blew me away and reminded me of why I am a performer. I used to sing, and am
going to take it up again.
My favorite musical is Next to Normal. I love the show because it is both musically beautiful and a
deeply moving story. It’s a show that I would never want to be in but I’m
privileged to be working on it an ASM/Stage-Manager-in-training. The cast is
incredibly talented and the designs of the set are beautiful. I’m excited to
see the other designs (costumes, lights, and props) tie in together.
