At the end of last semester I described myself as having a small obsession with musicals and it’s safe to say that after this summer my obsession has grown considerably. In the last three months I saw four musicals. I only saw one on Broadway, and one won’t even be on Broadway until 2020, but I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to see some of the most amazing shows. I could write pages about each of my experiences but here is the short version about my summer of musicals.
Dear Evan Hansen – National Tour
Boston Opera House – Boston, MA
This show will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first Broadway musical I’ve ever seen, even though I didn’t see it on Broadway! I was already in love with the soundtrack before I saw the show so I wasn’t going in completely blind, but seeing it in full was incredible. I really regret not bringing any tissues with me because I cried so hard at multiple parts during this show. The content and the message in the show is really important and the songs are amazing. The cast that I saw in Boston was so talented and they definitely made it a night I will never forget.
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Waitress – Broadway
Brooks Atkinson Theatre – New York, NY
This show will always mean something to me as well because it was the first Broadway musical I saw on Broadway! It was quite an experience because I got rush tickets, which means I waited outside the theatre for three hours to get discounted tickets. My two cousins, my aunt and I woke up at 3:30 am, drove two hours to the train station, and spent two and half hours on the train! It paid off because we were third in line outside the theatre and got amazing seats. I didn’t know very much about this show before seeing it and I ended up loving it. The music was awesome and the show was so funny and touching.
Hamilton – Angelica Tour
Proctors Theatre – Schenectady, NY
Hamilton was the first musical I became obsessed with. When I started listening to the soundtrack it was the only thing I listened to for at least 4 months straight. I never thought I’d actually be able to see it, but when I learned it was coming on tour to a theatre an hour from my house it became a possibility, and eventually a reality! My seats were pretty far away for this show but it’s the experience that matters. The dancing and the ensemble of this musical really blew my mind, but that isn’t to say the whole cast wasn’t amazing, too! Getting to see Hamilton was definitely a dream come true.
Six – North American Tour
American Repertory Theater – Cambridge, MA
This musical rose to fame in London, which makes sense because it’s about the six wives of King Henry VIII. It is opening on Broadway in March 2020 and I hope I can see it again because it was truly like nothing else I’ve seen before. I’m no expert on musicals, but I imagine that this one could be put into a category of its own and will bring something new to Broadway. I had so much fun watching this show and even though I knew and loved the songs before I saw it, there was so much more to it that made it a must see. The cast was also so incredibly talented. I got to meet some of them after the show and they were the sweetest girls ever!