Trendy Musicals Are Bringing New Audiences to the Theater
If you know me well, you know I love musicals. I have been fortunate enough to see many musicals both in Chicago and New York. My sisters and I have even been lucky enough to meet some Broadway stars backstage and get autographs and pictures of others. I have rarely met a musical I didn’t like, but there are definitely some I like enough to see over and over again. Some of my favorite musicals are Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and Mean Girls. One thing I have noticed since I saw Hamilton is the emergence of new musicals appealing to a new generation of musical fans…teenagers.
Hamilton
Who would have thought that a rap musical about our founding fathers would be such a hit that it would revamp the broadway musical industry? Yes, I am talking about Hamilton. Hamilton opened on Broadway to sold out shows and is still performing before packed theatre goers. Hamilton was not only a huge financial success, it also introduced new audience members to the world of musical theatre. Many people who had not previously seen a Broadway show wanted to see Hamilton. Why did Hamilton appeal to such a large audience base? I think that the rap style of the musical, the amazing lyrics of Lin Manuel Miranda, and the fact that the cast was primarily comprised of minority performers appealed to a wide variety of people. Hamilton’s success started a trend of new, popular musicals appealing to a younger audience base rather than simply bringing out old musicals for a reboot.
New Musicals – The Prom, Be More Chill, and Dear Evan Hansen
Soon after Hamilton’s debut, several other new musicals targeting teens debuted on Broadway with varying success. The Prom, Be More Chill, and Dear Evan Hansen all brought current issues to the forefront and were wildly appealing to teen audiences. The Prom tells the story of two high school girls who were in love and wanted to attend prom together in their small town. When the town was unwilling to allow the young women to attend the dance as a couple, some former Broadway stars stepped in to help them out. Be More Chill is a futuristic musical about a nerdy high school boy who desperately wants to be popular and get the girl of his dreams. He swallows a tiny micro processor that takes control of his brain and helps him to know how to act cool. Of course, being a futuristic musical, the processor goes power hungry and wants to take over the entire school. My favorite new musical that was clearly meant to appeal to teens was Dear Evan Hansen. Dear Evan Hansen is the story of a young man who doesn’t really seem to fit in until he pretends to have been best friends with a young man from his school who committed suicide. Ultimately, Evan realizes that he just needs to be himself and that’s enough. Disclaimer: My summary of Dear Evan Hansen is very short and lacking detail. The story is very complex and I can’t begin to describe just how raw and emotional the musical is. Basically, the entire audience is crying by intermission. Seriously, go see this musical this summer when it comes to Chicago. I know I will be seeing it again.
Take a Chance
Even now, musicals are popping up based on older but popular teen movies, such as Mean Girls and Beetlejuice. More and more, younger audiences are being drawn into the world of musical theater. If you haven’t ever seen a musical, take a chance and catch one of the shows I mentioned. We are lucky that there are so many wonderful theaters in Chicago to choose from.