The Power of Musical Theater

Music is powerful. A good story can entertain and teach. But when you put them together, you have an experience that can take your breath away.

I’ve loved musical theater since I was a little girl. My dad was involved with several groups (Calvin College’s Alumni Players and the Grand Rapids Opera) while I was growing up, and we’d always attend their yearly productions. The magic of make-believe, the make-up room, and the costumes fascinated me. I also remember watching rehearsals when my dad directed the local high school production of Oliver when I was in fourth grade. I listened so carefully that I had most of the lines memorized by the performance time.

But the real magic began the night I attended my first professional touring show: Guys and Dolls. The glitz and glamour of the set, the colorful costumes, the bigger-than-life characters, and the songs were mesmerizing, and I was in love with musical theater. In the years since, I’ve been fortunate enough to see quite a few musicals and have enjoyed almost all of them. (In fact, there have only been two that I really disliked.)

Just like books, there are a wide variety of themes in musicals. A few are just good-old-fun escapism, like Mamma Mia and The Scarlet Pimpernel. But most musicals have a deeper message and something to teach us. Wicked prompts us to think about good and evil, The Phantom of the Opera questions appearance vs. reality, and Fiddler on the Roof reminds us of tradition and its place in our life. I’ve often said I don’t have just one favorite, because different musicals fit different moods. But tonight I watched a concert version of a musical that I’m ready to say is my favorite.

PBS aired the 25^th anniversary of Les Miserables tonight and it was phenomenal! I’ve seen this on stage at least twice and was struck again tonight by all of the themes this story contains. Ideas of justice and grace, fairness and law, forgiveness and redemption, as well as revolution and democracy are beautifully portrayed both in words and in music. As I watched the students rally to the barricade and possible revolution singing “Do you hear the people sing,” images of recent events from Egypt and Libya came to mind. Watching the story of Jean Valjean’s redemption is always moving, but tonight I was also struck by Javert, the officer of the law, and how he could not change: he couldn’t give or accept grace or second chances. I actually felt sorry for his character. And I wonder how many real-life people have this rigidity toward other people.

As a Christian, there are elements in many musicals that I can’t condone and don’t agree with. But, just as we live in a sinful world, the stories deal with characters in an imperfect society and sometimes these elements serve to advance the plot. This is also true in Les Miz; there are two characters that I dislike for all they stand for. They are intended for comic relief in the story, but they are totally self-absorbed and will do anything to get ahead. Unfortunately, there are people like them in real life as well. The fact that they never repent or are brought to justice is unsettling, but also realistic.

I actually just saw the touring stage version of the musical Grease yesterday afternoon and was planning to write about that. It was a fun show and a great afternoon. But the power of Les Miz – even on a small TV screen – leaves Grease in the dust.

Les Miserables is a powerful show that both entertains and teaches. The story and music work beautifully together to bring the audience into the story experience. I can’t wait to see it again. It’s playing in Detroit at the end of the month.