We’ve had many great modern musicals, such as “Hamilton,” written by the excellent Lin-Manuel Miranda, and “Dear Evan Hansen”, by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, but we’re still missing something.
It’s as if the quality of our musicals has gone down. Don’t even get me started on the movie adaptation of “Cats” from 2019 or “Emilia Perez” from 2024.
What happened to the bold, innovative storytelling that actually inhabits a deeper meaning? Before you argue that “Emilia Perez” held meaning and representation of the trans community, I would agree it does not, although I cannot speak for the transgender community; if you want a movie that respectfully and righteously portray transgender people, you don’t portray it like “Emilia Perez.” Also, if you want to portray the Mexican experience, you don’t depict Mexico as a violent, horrible country. This musical was profoundly offensive and did not deserve its nominations and awards.
Hollywood and Broadway have lost their ability to create something interesting and original, so why does it seem like musicals are now reboots or recreations of previous stories? When will we get a musical like “The Phantom of the Opera” or “Les Miserables” again?
I don’t think we need another “Mean Girls: The Musical” or “Shrek: The Musical,” or even “Back to the Future: The Musical” we need originality. We need something that will teach us new lessons or ignite passion in audiences.
The first musical I saw live was “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway, in the heart of NYC. Let me tell you, it made me fall in love with musical theatre, but nothing since then has really tugged at my heartstrings as Phantom did.
My suggestion to musical writers may be more easily said than done, but write something that inspires, that teleports the viewers from simply sitting in the audience to be emotionally invested in the story itself. Be original, and don’t fall into the cycle of creating art just for money. If you write something that comes from the heart first and your wallet second, the money will naturally come after.
