Musicals

Doesn’t it get gayer than this? Properly not. This is a post I thought about for a long time, but wasn't sure how to post it. Now I feel like the new year, why not make it one of my new posts. Musicals, boy do I love ‘em, and it has been an interest of mine for such a long time. It’s crazy to think about, but I do think a lot about why I like them. If it truly is the queer in me, or if it's something else. 

Like most of us (my age at least) I think we all started with the same place, Disney movies. When I actually went back and did some research for a different post I found out that a lot of the animated movies we watched as a kid (in the 90’) were all musicals. It’s not something I really noticed, at the time, but it makes a lot of sense. I do think though like most of us, the Disney ones really stick out. Whether it's their quality,

Well it's not like I remember them all. I remember the iconic ones. When I rewatched Pocahontas as an adult, I didn't remember them singing about savages. Or the sexual undertones in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. But your Lion Kings’, Aladdins’ and Hercules, I remember without much difficulty. There is a reason why they got remade, and into stage musicals. 

As I got older though I thought these things were for kids. Weird I know, but I started to watch the movie musical. Which is where a lot of my STAN comes from. I have seen a lot. I used to find it weird when live action people broke out in song, but I got over it; if the song was good and it was great to remember. There was always one I wanted to see live on stage, but couldn’t.

As an adult my interest in musicals has grown. Even though I hardly see original stuff, I still like getting the updates and know what is coming, and what is new. I would say I’ve seen some of the classics, but I have seen enough to know I love them too. 

In 2024 I ended up going to the theatre 5  times, and out of those 2 happened to be musicals. Did I enjoy them? Hell yes, do I want to see more? All the time. Which is why this year with a lot of the ones I want to see closing, I am going to make it my mission to see them all. I want to do this, because I just would like to see it on stage, and see all the talent it takes to make it. Something I have been thinking about for almost 16 years. 

As much as I love musicals, this is the part where it gets gayer, I always wanted to write my own. However, it’s a lot harder than it looks. Sure I can write the overarching story, but writing my own songs is the tricky part. Which is when I learned that normally the songs and stuff are done by a separate person, it kind of checked out. Which is why I know I will never write a musical like that. I will make mine a jukebox. This is one of the thoughts I constantly have in my mind wherever I am at the gym. I know of the stories I want to write. I'd love to write it with the music to songs I like. Which is why I am constantly always thinking of which character would sing this? What words would they change? How would I stage this? It is something I am always thinking about. Which tells you how much I would love to make my own musical.

For me when I was given a module on the musical for university. It was one of the best modules I ever got a mark on. It was something I knew I could write about. At the time, Glee was in its second season so I was getting my fix there. While also it brought up some past feelings. Which of course, I brought to the class. High School Musical. I would like to say there was a time when I was ashamed of liking it, but let's be real I never have. The day the soundtrack came into work on Gold Vinyl, I took the only copy and said “yes please”. I knew people were judging me, but do you think I cared? No. It was the thing that bridged me back into musicals when I was in my late teens. Without it I wouldn’t be where I am. Have I grown out of it now? No! I just wish i didn't buy so much merch. However, you can look out of my personal insights over in Re-Rewind. 

My love for musicals is hopefully something I never lose. As for this post I went about getting as many movie musicals I could on dvd or blu-ray, to make sure I have a copy. Then on the days i feel like being a little bit musical I will put them on, and have a gay olde time. Who knows, maybe one day, I might have my own musical that someone totally STANS.