There is always a lesson you can learn from listening to musicals. Many people do not realize the deep connection that they can make from listening and being involved with musical theatre. Musicals, in my opinion, bring you closer to happiness and self-respect.But it really depends on which musical you listen to. Although they are all meant to entertain, some can be somewhat offensive, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to them. Keep an open mind, which is a key lesson that many, many musicals love to teach you. Here are some lessons that you can learn from a few pretty amazing shows. If you want to listen to the key songs listed after each musical, just click the song name!
1. Find Your Corner of the Sky!
The musical Pippin tells the story of a young prince who is trying to find his purpose in life, with the help of the Leading Player and the Players. A bit of an eccentric musical, and quite underrated, Pippin deals with the issues of being confused in life in what you want to do. It also reminds you that whatever happens in life as long as you are satisfied with what you have, that’s all that matters.
Key song(s): Corner of the Sky, On the Right Track
2. Be Better Than Before!
Legally Blonde follows Elle Woods as she ventures out into the world of Harvard Law, while also trying to win back her ex-boyfriend. In the mist of it, she learns that she is amazing at being a lawyer. Legally Blonde deals with putting yourself first and realizing that you are capable of doing more when you actually apply yourself and stop living for other people.
Key song(s): So Much Better
3. The World Keeps Spinning Round and Round!
Hairspray tackles the topic of integration in the 1960s, with the help of a chipper young gal known as Tracy Turnblad. The lesson that is learned in Hairspray is learning how you can change, and how you should accept others regardless of the background they come from. It also teaches you that you shouldn’t give up on your beliefs no matter who is against it, or you.
Key song(s): You Can’t Stop The Beat
4. Feed Your Fire, To Take You Higher!
The musical Kinky Boots, is actually based on a true story about an actual shoe factory that changed who they were going to market towards. In this case sensible heels for Drag Queens. This musical is chopped full of amazing lessons ranging throughout. Basically every song is has some type of hidden lesson in it. Kinky Boots teaches you to accept what you have and turn it into something even better. You’ll learn to not live by anyone else’s standards, but to make your own. Most importantly Kinky Boots reminds you to be yourself and live life to the fullest.
Key song(s): Raise You Up/Just Be
5. Don’t Throw Away Your Shot!
The musical Hamilton has a lesson that is carried throughout the entire show, which is to not throw away your shot. When an opportunity comes your way, don’t over think the pros and cons, just go for it. Another equally important lesson from Hamilton, comes from the antagonist Aaron Burr, which is to talk less, and smile more. Sometimes there are some situations in life where nothing needs to be said, and you just have to go with the flow.
Key song(s): My Shot, The Schuyler Sisters
6. Do Your Own Thing!
The musical, Bring It On, follows Campbell as she is redistricted from her current high school to Jackson High School. Here Campbell, as well as the audience, learns some key lessons in life, such as learning how to be your own person and going out for what you want in life. Most importantly it teaches you about the value of friendship and how as long as you have each other nothing else really matters.
Key song(s): Do Your Own Thing, I Got You
7. Learn to Fly!
The Fortress of Solitude follows the lives of Dylan and Mingus, a pair of new friends that bond over Superman comics in this quaint coming-of-age musical. The lesson that can be learned from The Fortress of Solitude is how you can be free in life and branch out in a way that makes you the most comfortable. It also tackles the concept that sometimes things and people just can’t be changed, and sometimes that’s for the better.
Key song(s): Superman/Sidekick
8. Seize the Day!
Remember Christian Bale as Batman, well before that he was Jack Kelly of Newsies in 1992. The 2012 musical Newsies follows newsboys in the late eighteen hundreds during the mist of the Newsboys Strike. Jack and friends learn that they have to step up and speak up for themselves if they are going to see any change in their lives. The lesson that one can learn from Newsies is that when you see a problem that you would like to have changes, don’t just sit around and wait for someone else to do something, change it for yourself.
Key song(s): Seize the Day, The World Will Know
9. Defy Gravity!
The musical Wicked teaches the lesson of accepting those that are different from you, because you might just learn a valuable lesson from them. It also provides the lesson again, like from Newsies, that when you sense that something isn’t right and no one seems to be trying to change it, be that person that changes it.
Key song(s): Defying Gravity
I hope that these musicals really resonated with you, and made you want to get up and change the world. If that didn’t happen, I hope that you at least found some new musicals to listen to in your spare time!