Theatre kids rejoice! Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have done it again, from Dear Evan Hansen to La La Land, they have struck gold one more time with The Greatest Showman. A soundtrack filled with anthems for the millennial voice to sing along with is ruling the musical theatre world. From the moment the soundtrack was available for purchase it was already popular in the theatre world, but after winning best original song for “This is Me” at the Golden Globes, it climbed to #1 on the Billboard Charts. In a world where theatre and arts seems to be pushed aside for more mainstream hobbies, it’s a breath of fresh air to see The Greatest Showman doing so well. The movie itself, which has been an in the making since 2009, was a risk for filmmakers who were unsure if an original musical would do well in theatres. Now, with a surprising $259.5 million in revenue, talk of a Broadway adaption is in the works. I know myself, and theatre kids around the world, would be lining up at the box office to see it, just as we did when the movie came out. If only we could get Hugh Jackman to reprise his role on stage!
Although P.T Barnum wasn’t as glorious in real life as he was portrayed in the movie, Hugh Jackman brought life to the character in a way that made you love Barnum. Throughout the movie you grow to love and care for the cast of characters as if you were about to perform beside them, and that is when you know a musical has achieved your goal. If a song can make you feel something, such as “The Greatest Show” can, it’s worth giving it another listen just to feel the chills once more.
The movie introduces an important theme of acceptance in the performing community. I know in my experience, theatre opened so many doors, from helping me find a solid group of people to lean on in high school, to finding the confidence to speak up for myself. As a theatre kid in general, it can be hard to find acceptance, and you can often be labeled as the “weird kid” or “theatre freak.” The Greatest Showman shows the underdogs and the disregarded shining on stage, proving that anyone can be a star. As many times as the characters are knocked down, they come back stronger. This is not only something theatre kids can relate to, but anyone who has dealt with adversity. As the bearded lady states: “I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be, this is me.”