Broadway

         I don't exactly have a favorite broadway show; actually, I'm not really a fan of musicals whatsoever. I have a passion for film - and I'm able to enjoy a wide array of genres - but once singing and dancing enter the picture, I find myself completely disinterested. However, the one and only broadway show I've attended - The Lion King - shifted my perspective a bit. Although, I still won't go out of my way to watch a musical at any time, I gained a substantial appreciation for everything that goes into the creation of the show. Specifically, for The Lion King, the costuming and technology used stood out to me the most. In terms of costuming: the colors were so vibrant, the materials looked so authentic, and just felt like it represented Africa to the best of its ability. In terms of the technology, the characters Timon and Pumba - the meerkat and boar - were mechanical beings controlled by actors/singers, but the designs were so intricate that they deserve a mention of their own. But, what I was most surprised by was my attention to the singing. I did not mind the singing, I actually thoroughly enjoyed it which caught me by surprise. The realization dawned upon me that - like a professional baseball game - the live experience is far superior than to seeing it on television. The show was so immersive that it caused me not to pay attention to anything other than what was happening on the stage. I have to say for my first - hopefully not last - broadway show, it was a better experience than I could've asked for.
           However, this was not my first exposure to broadway. When I was younger, my older brother had a fascination for the broadway show Cats. So much so that my parents had to buy my brother the VHS of the show, so for a period of my life, I would watch Cats with my brother on a loop. Although my attention wasn't completely fixed on the television when it was on - probably playing with action figures - I remember the costumes and minimalistic set designs. The tone, strictly from what I can remember, consisted of this eeriness due the really dark colors - black was dominant - and this hollow type of singing. I should revisit the show; I'm sure I will one day. But I'm not well versed in the world of broadway whatsoever.
          At times, I feel like broadway is not made for me. Hamilton - which is the first broadway show to really implement rap/hip-hop - did not appeal to me; or at the very least, it did not connect with me. As a person who lives and breathes hip-hop, it gives me hope that more broadway shows will come out that implement the music style of hip-hop and its culture. Not only for my own sake, but as hip-hop is the most streamed music genre in the world, broadway needs to adapt to that fact in an attempt to reach a younger audience. If broadway can adapt, it can be an art form that can last much longer than I project it to - even though my opinion doesn't really matter in the world of broadway.