The other day I ended my posting by saying that Oklahoma is "my second favorite Broadway musical."
Yesterday at church several people wanted to know my favorite. It's always interesting when somebody I don't know walks up to me and says,
"OK what is your favorite musical?" Or "I don't agree with your movie review."
But I like it. It means they're reading the blog.
Oklahoma is my second favorite because I don't really have a favorite. I love Phantom of the Opera and I loved The Music Man but for different reasons.
The Broadway musical that has made the most impact on my life is Ragtime. It was produced in 1998 but was taken from a 1975 best selling book by E. L. Doctorow.
Around the year 2000 my husband and I saw a matinee of the touring company. Since he was in a wheelchair we ended up sitting practically on the stage. We were in section AAA which is not seen as an advantageous place because it's too close.
I am not an emotional person. I'm logical to a fault. But from the time the curtain opened and those different ethnic groups began swirling in circles - and since I was right up there so I felt like I was swirling with them - to the very end, I was a blubbering mess.
I can totally relate to the character "Mother" and her metamorphoses.
Now I don't listen to Ragtime much because it just evokes so much emotion that it's not always comfortable.
Music that challenges our social conscience can do that.
Another one of my favorite musicals is Chicago. It has no social conscience.
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