theater – RCAH Student Blogs

I had a fantastic spring break leading 12 MSU students to New York City for a theatre marketing retreat through the Wharton Center Marketing Student Organization (WCSMO). This was my 3rd time on the trip and my 2nd year co-leading the group. Being WCSMO’s Professional Development Chair, it was my responsibility to organize panels for our group to meet with in the city. This year, our group got to meet with professionals from Disney Theatrical, The Public Theater, Situation Interactive and Jack Meyer (an MSU alum!), Vice President at the Nederlander Organization.

In addition to our panels, we had lots of free time to explore the city. I had a lot of fun taking photos with my friends in Central Park, consuming lots of delicious cuisine, and of course, seeing Broadway shows. On this trip, I got the chance to see five shows, and I couldn’t help but notice that my three favorite (new) shows all happened to be directed by women (a rare feat on Broadway, where women make up only 17% of creative team positions). Here are my thoughts on these favorite shows, and since it’s National Women’s History Month, why I believe women deserve to be represented on Broadway’s creative teams:

Jagged Little Pill

This is a new, cutting-edge jukebox musical featuring songs from Alanis Morrisette’s 1995 album, Jagged Little Pill. Admittedly, I have never been a fan of jukebox musicals because I prefer original scores, but this is the absolute best jukebox musical I’ve seen. It covers so many relevant social issues, including sexuality, addiction, sexual assault, and racial identity. The character that stuck with me most was Mary Jane (MJ) Healy, played by Elizabeth Stanley. MJ falls in the same category of deeply complex, complicated mother figures alongside Heidi Hansen from Dear Evan Hansen and Diana Goodman from Next to Normal. These emotionally rich roles for middle-aged women are difficult to find, but they are an actress’s dream. With direction by Diane Paulus, (one of my favorite female directors), this musical beautifully demonstrated that everyone is fighting their own battle and that you can never guess what someone is going through internally just by looking at them.

Our entire group saw Jagged Little Pill together.

My friend Ellie (left) & I at Jagged Little Pill.

Six

Out of all the shows I saw, this one was my favorite. Not only is it written and directed by 26-year-old Lucy Moss (the youngest female director in Broadway history), it also features an entirely female cast and band. This musical tells the story of King Henry VIII’s six wives through a pop/rock score. I love it because it is reclaiming history in a similar way as Hamilton, and the queens remind the audience that the only reason anyone remembers King Henry VIII is not because of his policies or anything he accomplished, it’s because of those six women. I haven’t been able to stop listening to cast album since I saw it, and Six is quite possibly the most female-empowering show I’ve ever seen.

Six’s Broadway Theater

I always have to take a Playbill picture.

Company

Lastly, I got to attend the first preview of the Broadway revival of Company. In case you’re not familiar with the show, it was one of Stephen Sondheim’s earliest musicals, and it premiered on Broadway in 1970. This revival is unique in that many of the characters are gender-bent, including the show’s protagonist, Bobby, who has always historically been played by a male but is now being played by Katrina Lenk. I really love that the show’s director, Marianne Elliot, took the liberty of casting Bobby as a woman because it allows you to look at the show’s plot and Bobby’s relationships with others in a different way. I wish more shows would gender-bend their casting because in many cases, gender is not central to the show’s plot. By attending the first preview, I also got the chance to watch Marianne Elliot’s pre-show speech and I happened to be sitting only five rows in front of the legend himself, Stephen Sondheim. Plus, I got to see one of Broadway’s most-beloved queens, Patti LuPone, onstage for the first time and meet her at the stage door. It was a very special night all-around.

Company gave out balloons for their first preview.

Patti LuPone started crying when she saw all the support from fans at the stage door… which in turn made me cry.

In the 2019-2020 Broadway season, there were 37 new shows and only four had female directors. That’s why I’m thankful that this season I’ve already gotten to see three women-led and women-created shows. The topic of women’s representation on Broadway’s creative teams has been close to my heart for a while now and is something I am passionate about advocating for. Women are barred from leadership positions for a variety of factors, but part of it comes down to the belief that women are too emotional to hold leadership positions. While I don’t think this is at all accurate, isn’t Broadway one of the few environments where emotions are actually encouraged? I fully believe that in order to see truthful, realistic portrayals of women onstage, these characters need to be created by women. Each of the shows mentioned demonstrates this perfectly, and I honestly don’t think I would have enjoyed these shows or been able to relate to the characters nearly as much if they weren’t created by women. I’m hoping that the success of these shows will mean that more than one woman will be nominated for Best Director at the Tonys this year (something that hasn’t happened in eight years), and that more women will continue to be hired for Broadway’s creative teams in the future.

Last week I traveled to California to visit my cousin who recently moved to Marina Del Rey. I enjoyed spending the week doing some sightseeing (you know I couldn’t miss seeing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s star on the Walk of Fame), catching up with family, and trying lots of new food spots. My favorite part of the week, however, had to be the two days my mom and I spent at Disneyland.

I was lucky that my parents took me to Disney World a few times as a kid, and a lot of my best childhood memories were formed there. This recent trip was my first time ever visiting Disneyland. I had the best time getting to ride LOTS of rides, meeting Minnie Mouse, and trying a Mickey Mouse-shaped fruity pebbles funnel cake that was as amazing as it sounds. One thing I couldn’t help noticing is that Disneyland is a VERY theatrical place. Although you wouldn’t necessarily expect the park to be theatre-related, during my time there, I found that Disneyland has an undeniably theatrical spirit.

My delicious fruity pebbles funnel cake

First, every single person who works at Disneyland is referred to as a “cast member,” not an “employee.” This is because the Disneyland cast members are pretty much performing at all times. Disney obviously places the utmost importance on the happiness of its visitors, and its cast members are entrusted with the job of creating magical moments for guests. To do this, they are always friendly, smiling, and using a specific themed language to add to the immersive experience of Disneyland. They want to make the overall experience the best it can be.

Secondly, Disneyland is basically a hub of all things needed for a show—costumes, sets, props, etc. Each land in Disneyland has its own unique feel and set pieces that transport you to that area: Fantasyland is marked by Sleeping Beauty’s castle and brightly colored cottages, while Frontierland is adorned with red rock, railroads, and western style trading posts. In addition, Disney cast members and many of the guests are in costume. One of the best parts of Disneyland is seeing the adorable kids visiting the parks dressed like their favorite Disney characters.

Lastly, Disneyland is packed with live performances every single day. While I was there, I saw Frozen Live at the Hyperion Theater. I had previously seen Frozen on Broadway, and while this was a condensed version of the story, the quality of both shows was pretty comparable. It’s geared towards families, of course, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the diverse casting that Disney used in this production. I love that there are opportunities to watch live theatre all day, every day at Disneyland.

With all of its theatrical elements, it’s probably not surprising that I cherished my time at Disneyland. I greatly appreciate the effort Disney puts into making their parks an immersive, interactive, and memorable experience. We were lucky enough to be there on Disneyland’s 64^th birthday—commemorating 64 years of creating happiness and lifelong memories. Whether you’re a child or an adult, Disneyland can be a magical place for everyone. Most importantly, I love that Disneyland allows you to feel like a kid again, where everything is magical and anything is possible.

Celebrating Disneyland’s 64th birthday