Why Is Hollywood Afraid Of Movie Musicals?

 I have seen quite a few articles on this topic, as well as YouTube videos from Kathrine Steele, Mina Le, and Dan Murrell, and I highly recommend you look into those and watch the videos mentioned, or read the articles on the subject. I wanted to open with a preface because though I am not the first one to say this, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with the amount of content on this topic being produced. With that out of the way, I am left with but a simple question. Why is Hollywood afraid of movie musicals? 

Decades ago the same studios that would put out "Singing In The Rain" and "The Sound Of Music" to recent entries like "La La Land" and "In The Heights" are now releasing trailers that hide the fact that their movies are musicals. "Wonka", "The Color Purple" and "Mean Girls" have been the center of a new conversation as of late, not the quality of the films, but rather the fact the advertising hid the musical nature of these movies. From trailers alone most of these films looked like just plain reboots of these classic stories or franchises, and only in articles, interviews, announcements, and smaller forms of advertising were they shown to be what they really are. The wording in the posters and small hints in the posters shield the public from its true intent. Someone like me who is expecting a musical because they did the research beforehand and were looking for musical movies due to my love of musicals is very different than someone who gets jump scared when the cast starts breaking into song. Which boils down to one word. Expectation.

Expectation for many when they see those trailers is to know what they are going into and not beshow tricked. Many reactions to the recent release of Mean Girls show people shocked and feeling tricked at finding out it is a musical at midnight hour. Trailers and posters place either small snippets or even just small hints that are easy to miss until someone who did not follow the press on the film finds out it is a musical the hard way. Over this past weekend, countless complaints were posted online of people thinking this was a simple reboot and were curious only to see the main cast break into song. People go in expecting one thing and are given something completely different, thus already painting a negative view of the product and the studio that gave it. Thus the musical that was being made is left out to take the brunt of the blame when it underperforms and is blamed by the studio for "oh it was a musical, therefore no one wants to see those", or is disliked for existing as a musical or not advertised as such. It is like the waiter being blamed for bringing you a bad dish when the chef didn't make it right, and the menu did not state all the ingredients. 

Movie musicals have not been performing well lately, "In The Heights", "Dear Evan Hansen", and "West Side Story", just to name a few have not been box office runaways. In fact, they have been labeled by many as disappointments. Some advertisers have even believed that outright showing something as a musical will turn people away at the door. Even Disney's recent outing with "Wish" proved to not bring people in the way, classic animated musicals used to. But that film is a whole other story in terms of why it failed. Still "Wonka" did not show it was a musical and hid the fact and is now performing well, what is being said of "Mean Girls" and "The Color Purple" is still to play out and we can only wait and see. 

I think that studios should just be open and show the musical movie is in fact a musical, make something on a smaller budget just for the theather kids. The fact that people who love musicals have evolved into a derogatory, less than statement, acting as if people who like musicals are something to be ashamed of, baffles me. I think studios should just make a musical movie that caters to musical fans, or use pro shots as a wide release instead of a limited release format. The way horror movies or crime dramas don't appeal to everyone doesn't mean they stop getting made or hidden from what they are, so why musicals?

I feel as if this is unfair to the musicals themselves as well as the people who worked hard on making them. I feel like the audience and those who worked really hard, shooting a musical movie, end up losing the most. The studios need to be up front with the public and let people know what they are putting their money towards to decide, not letting social media or someone else test the waters by going and telling people about it. 

I think movie musicals need a couple big hits to show everyone their importance, and perhaps "Wicked Part 1" will be that movie. A big musical whether animated or live-action shows the public but also more importantly the studios their validity. The importance of being honest and giving the public honest expectations of what they are paying for. Not trying to use different wording or edit a trailer to hide what a movie is, just to boast big opening weekend numbers. I think someone who does not want to see a musical should know if something is a musical or not, and just let the musical theater lovers have their movie. The world is wide enough for both theater kids and nontheater kids alike.  

From Stage To Screen: An Introduction To Change

 At the time of this post, Mean Girls opens this weekend. No this post is not being written in 2003, the musical version has now been given a big screen adapatation, where it was orignally made for streaming platforms. I will not being seeing the film on opening weeked but I do plan on  watching it, and how it technically inspired this blog to be what it is now. Where I am exploring filmed musicals from TV to movies, pro shots, made-for-TV musicals, and everything in between. Looking into that, I was surprised when this movie was announced and wondered to myself, "Why make movie musicals and not just film pro shots?"

Waitress recently got an excellent pro shot that was aired in the movie theathers, Hamilton, before it was put on Disney Plus, was slated to be a pro shot that aired in Theathers, and Newsies was a pro shot aired in movie theaters on multiple occasions before being put on streaming. Waitress was even so successful in its limited run that they added another week of showtimes. I did not get to see in the movie theater as the showtimes were only once a day, and they were spaced out to inopportune times. It made me ask myself as stated earlier, why not just air the pro shot as a regular movie? It was performing so well, so why make it a limited event? Why do they keep making movies with non-theater-trained celebrities? well for that last one, it is to bring in as much revenue based purely on a name as possible, hoping status will make a box office smash.

Now this post is not addressed to movie musicals that are not based off of any previous source, so no La LA La Land or Greatest Showman today, those will be talked about at another time, or even the promise of bringing things like that to the stage. I am talking purely about when a popular musical, say West Side Story is suddenly made into a feature film, cutting content, changing the story, and sometimes even adding new songs.

One of the strongest examples I can use is In The Heights which is night and day, for better and for worse, a complete far cry from the stage version. With some changes being good, and some being baffling. Cut songs that were not the strong point of the show, and some of the strong emotional focal points of the stage show were left on the cutting room floor. Overall leaving a mixed bag of emotions, loving some changes and questioning others. 

Both have their positives and negatives, seeing a pro show means that someone can discover or rewatch a show in its original form at any time or anyway, replicating the live theater experience when needed. A movie can change course and add things that make it stand even ahead of what it came from, making the movie the prime example of something someone can also watch over and over, whenever, to feel the joy that musicals bring. 

Movie versions sometimes can change something for the better, but most times you may find they can change too much. Movie adaptations have the pressure of that latter word. Adaptation. Having to live up to something beloved and critically acclaimed, while not just being what someone saw on stage. But for some who can not see a stage show, this is the only version of the source material some people may ever see. That is why I am going to use this blog to go through both, to see the good and bad of a TV series, a single episode, a pro shot, and a film. To see what is done well, and what isn't, what is better on the stage, and what works on the screen. Whether the material is new or a new spin on something we have seen. If a performance was aired on TV, filmed before a live audience, or made for cinemas across the world. This is From The Stage To The Screen, and welcome.

Top Ten Steven Universe Songs

Sometimes a show just speaks to you, whether it is through the characters, the story, or perhaps even the music. And one show that has always spoken to me, is Steven Universe. The messages, morals, storylines, characters, and especially the music from this series resonate with me and have through many stages of my life. The music of this show and the songs stand out and relay the emotion needed in a way that only music can. So today I am going to rank, and give some thoughts on my top ten songs from the base Steven Universe series. I am excluding the movie due to the fact that almost every song from that would take a spot here and dominate the list, as well as future. Those two deserve their own time to shine on different occasions. I tried my best to cover as many angles from across the shows five seasons as well as different characters as well, finding my favorites moments and appreciating some of those moments even more now. This list is also personal favorites, so if yours would differ, that is amazing, and definitely feel free to share and why. Without further ado, lets grab our headphones, do a fusion dance, and dive into my personal top ten Steven Universe songs.

10. Don't Cost Nothin/Don't Cost Nothin Reprise

This song is really sweet, it's really short, so I added both of them but they are really wonderful little pieces.  The instrumentals to this are fun and sweet, matching the song perfectly. The opening to a fantastic episode full of amazing songs and one of my favorite episodes in the entire series.

9.That Distant Shore

Lapis is one of my favorite characters, and her story line is powerful, real and deep, much like the ocean that she can control with her powers. This song instead of being cheery and upbeat like the norm for many songs in this show, has a more somber tone. The view of an outsider who wants to be a part of something but grapples with anxiety, makes this song hit close to home. It is another short song but the impact it leaves, the instrumentation and the lyrics are all amazing.

8. Something Entirely New

This song is another one that is more on the short side, but this song is beautiful. The story of two opposite worlds colliding in love and discovering something entirely new is wonderful. The humming and singing that is pieces of stronger than you is an amazing motif that shows what Garnet is really made of, love. And this song shows where that love got its start. I also love this song because it reminds me of my best friend and his wife, they are a real ruby and sapphire relationship in the best way possible.

7. Comet

(Insert Air Guitar, And 80's Rock Style Dancing) This song just rocks.

6. For Just One Day Let's Only Think About Love

One of the most Broadway musical sounding songs, aside from one later in the list, and before the movie came along and said "hold my space soda". This song is big, it's grand, and it is so good! The instrumentals are wonderful, seeing how everyone feels and how it all ties together to the message which is enjoying the moment and focusing on the positive, this wedding song is unforgettable.

5. Strong In The Real Way

This song was the first real one that gripped me into the show and made me believe that this show could deliver powerful songs. The instrumentation, lyrics and just the idea as a whole, all ties together perfectly. Showing Dee Dee Mango Hall's absolutely amazing vocal range for the first time as Pearl gets to take the stage. The message of being emotionally strong and wanting to be that for someone you love is simple yet effective, as the show was very early on and was still building up the major story beats, as well as the songs to go with them. This was proof that this show was more then we thought it was, and what it became, is still a animated, and musical gem in my eyes.

4. We Are The Crystal Gems

When I first heard this opening I thought "That was nice", and then moved on. Then when season one ended, that year at Comicon we were given the full version of this song, and it became one of my favorite. The music, the lyrics, the visuals, the instrumentation, all pulling together to make an unforgettable song and one of my favorite cartoon openings in recent memory. The character motivations leading to one of my favorite lyrics in the entire series, after everyone says what they are fighting for, accompanied by stellar visuals we all hear "The odds are against us, this won't be easy but were not gonna do it alone", completed with an amazing visual of what our heroes are facing. That moment alone combines with the rest of the song all make an inspiring, memorable song full of different style changes, which all wraps up with the opening we all know and love. 

3. Here Comes A Thought

This song has helped me on many occasions. One of the rare Garnett songs but when the show gives her a song, they always stand out. This one is calm, yet powerful. A real take on anxiety, panic attacks, and how to deal with them. The calming music and relatable lyrics are incredibly moving, tied together in the show with the simple yet powerful visuals. The song shows about the dangers of letting your emotions run wild, but how to bring yourself back down, without talking down to the audience. Showing the characters struggle with anxiety shows the message in a place of relatability over trying to seem better then the viewer, thus delivering the message in a wonderful and powerful fashion. A song I can listen to over and over, to show that I and whoever listens is not going to fall apart. 

2. It's Over Isn't It

This song is simply powerful. Heartbreak, all tied together with the question "Why can't I move on?".  This song is beautiful, the instrumentation and lyrics forming into an incredible, yet relatable song. The lyrics are deeply powerful, and the scope of this song is grand and big, forming into a powerful like ballad akin to a Broadway musical. The visuals are simply stunning with the beautiful city lights, the night sky, and the camera scope, as well as the clouds forming around the song for a simple but powerful image. This song packs an emotional punch, tear jerking and all of the elements wrap together to make this one of the shows best. I have watched and will watch this episode countless times, considering it one of the best for how amazing the story is and how incredible the pacing is. This song is a testament to how great this episode and the show is. 

1. Stronger Than You

This song, much like this entire list is incredible, but I picked this one, due to how real the lyrics are. Being made of love, and no matter who or what pushes you down, you can get up and fight it,  and be stronger. This song is one of if not the most popular and it is for a reason, Garnet does not get songs often but when she does, boy does the show make it count. This song is not only powerful in terms of lyrics, syncing with the visuals, and all wrapping up with a powerful message. Garnett in terms of the show was just handed a major defeat, but now she is getting back up, and because she is made of love, she is not letting that stop her. This song has inspired me on many occasions, it is fun to listen to or hype yourself up with, it is just that good.

That was my top ten Steven Universe songs, what are yours? Thank you so much for reading and until ten, keep your favorite songs, on repeat!

We Need To Talk Pro Shots

 Pro shots are a gift, we need more of them, but we also need to preserve the ones we do have. One pro shot that is not on any DVD form or streaming service is "Legally Blonde The Musical" and I am here to tell you today why it belongs there. This is not my first time singing this shows praises, nor will it be the last as it is my favorite musical of all time. I have watched this countless times, listened the album just as much, and have seen this show live. This show means the world to me, the characters, music, and messages in this show stand head and shoulders above many, and this is proof that you can make a musical based of a non musical propriety and make something truly great. 

This show has been no stranger to it's blogs, its character and plot relatable, the music amazing, and full of heart and laughs. The musical does has some moments that does not age well, and can be acknowledged, but there is so much in this musical that does and need to be seen. The show has strong messages on finding your way, dreaming and not giving up, finding love, dealing with roles the world gives you and breaking the mold, and so much more. The show stays funny and light, while having a couple powerful moments and inspiring moments to hold this all together.

I have talked about preserving other pieces of media before, such as video games but I have never thought of preserving musicals before, but now I do. Shows are an important piece of media and need to be kept around. Pro shots are more important then ever, they are a way to keep shows, and allow people to watch them as many times as they want, whenever. This is a great way to introduce friends to shows without waiting for a show to come around on tour and is on the same level as seeing shows live. I have always appreciated them, but now when I stopped and spent some time thinking about it, I realized how important they are. 

This is way for people to see shows who may not have the money at the moment a live tour comes to their city. Or someone who discovered a show via the cast album long after the show has run and toured and want to see how the story plays out. I know there are times that after seeing a pro shot such as the one mentioned today, I wanted to see a show live and see it in person. Much like the philosophy behind listening to albums and then seeing concerts live.

So why are pro shots so rare and why do movie adaptations happen more often? Why instead of showing the Broadway cast who worked so hard on the show, performing something well, use celebrities who are some times just there to get paid?

I plan to look into this, and want to know why. Shows like "SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical", "Newsies", "Legally Blonde" and of course "Hamilton" are celebrated for having a way for fans old and new to watch the show whenever.  Sometimes a filmed version, are announced and then never released. Pro shots are a great way to preserve theater, and need to be made normal, some are on streaming services but movie adaptations are more abundant, and there are not many offerings even if you had every streaming service. There is one service that has them the most, and trust me, I will get to that soon enough. 

Newsies The Broadway Experience (Disney Plus)

 Have you ever had a musical that you have wanted other people to see that it feels like only you have. For me it is Newsies. Many people know of the movie, which is unfortunate as this is a superior version in every single way. But I have spoken to many people and only a few have seen this version, more have seen the movie, and more have seen nor heard none of this at all.  Today I am going to talk about one of my favorite Disney musicals that is on the same level as some of their best.

One of my favorite pro shots, it is expertly filmed. this is so well shot that it has been shown in movie theaters, multiple times, which I have seen once. The music is done by Alan Menkin, who has done Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and many more, including many of Disney's stage adaptations. The story of this is loosely based on real events and has all of the makings of a Disney movie. Dreamer who faces the odds, falls in love, and saves the day with help from his friends. The stage is New York in the early 1900's following a group of newsboys or newsies as they are called, a journalist, and the challenges they face. Young heroes taking on people who discredit them for their age and status. The story unfolds well and even though some elements are not well paced, namely the romance, the rest of the story is, it has comedy, heart, and some drama all mixed well together. 

The music of this show is amazing, some of the numbers are weaker then others but many are stand out wonderful pieces. The group numbers all stand head and shoulders above some group numbers from other shows, they have amazing choreography and music. "Seize The Day" and "Once And For All" are outstanding showstopping numbers that bring the whole cast together in a phenomenal way. The show begins and ends strong, the songs that hit hard, hit incredibly well. The lyrics are memorable and the fantastic and many of the solo songs are power ballads. The song taking place right before intermission, "Santa Fe" ,is powerful, full of emotion, and one of my favorite musical songs ever. "Watch What Happens" is a fun upbeat song which leads to an amazing reprise that is just as great. 

The music works well with the story, with a great amount of songs that have room to breath so they can stay with the audience. The songs are a great reflection of the characters, many which are likeable in the best way. Though some of the writing falls short, the show has way more positives then negatives. This show I have seen live, seen in movie theaters, watched back when it was on Netflix and now on Disney Plus. I have watched it countless times over the years and will again, I watch it multiple times a year. The pro shot has the original Broadway cast and each performance is spot on. This is not something worth skipping and one of, if not the most recommended pro shot I have ever given to those who can see it, after Legally Blonde. 

If you love the feel of classic Disney movies, and love a great musical, and have Disney Plus, this is a must watch. The movie is not worth your time, but this version is. There are two Newsies options on the service, but this is the one to pick. The soaring music, fun story, and fantastic group numbers are not to be missed.

Come From Away (Apple T,V)

 Pro shots are a gift. Even though I wish we would see them more, we more often then not see movie adaptations, never the less it is a special occasion when we do. One instance that really shined through was in 2021 when theater was limited for some, and non-existent for many, but Apple T.V gave us a pro shot of "Come From Away" and I was excited. I even saw this show live in 2022 and will share on that story at some point, but for our streaming service musical journey, this is where I thought the next best stop could be.  This came out at a time where Encanto, Tick Tick Boom, In the Heights and a couple other musicals were keeping most of us happy with some new content on streaming services as most of the stages remained closed. Let's boot up the streaming service, get comfy and dive into the pro shot of Come From Away.

The special opens mentioning about how theaters have been closed, and the anniversary of the time period the show takes time during. This show follows how the events of September 11th and how the flights were diverted to many towns in Canada, and how the locals of many towns doubled in size. Those who welcomed in people who were scared and struggling and showing real hospitality. This show documents real stories and follows many people both from the planes and those who took them in. This show has many powerful and encouraging moments, with some light hearted comedic moments, mixed with serious dramatic moments. 

The story is well told even though the show has a run time of about an hour and half. The show is one act and has no intermission. But everything works and the moments and songs from one to another. The cast is small with all of them playing multiple characters and doing it so well, showing their range. And the range does not stop at the acting. The music and songs in this show are phenomenal and have a great range as well. There are big group numbers, sweeping ballads, fun numbers, and numbers with a lot of power and heart. There is not a weak song in this show, and if you happen to not like a song, some of them are very short. The songs are abundant but there is still plenty of room for well acted dialogue and sharing the stories with the audience. 

If you are interested but do not have the streaming service, the album is a great way to give the show a try, some of the dialogue made it into the album and it is a great display of what the show is. If you decide to see the show live or watch this pro shot, it adds more. This pro shot is well acted and well performed, there is some censorship but the show is presented as seeing it live. This show is fantastic, and this pro shot captures how amazing it is. This show deserves to be preserved, it shows a bright moment on a dark period of history, with a story worth telling. 

This pro shot is worth the watch and is well acted and performed, there were many moments that caused me to laugh, cheer, and tear up. The performances, excellent and seeing this show play out was great. This was able to show me a show I wanted to see before I had the opportunity to see it. And even though I have seen this show live now, this is still worth keeping. For those who can see the show it is a great way to relive it and see the wonderful story, for those who can not it is a great way to see it. 

This is a fantastic pro shot, and further proof that pro shots are a great form of theater and we need more of them. I tried to not go into too much detail because this is a great story with great music that should be witnessed. Seeing a show that I longed for in a time where I was not able to make it to the stage and now I can relive the amazing show. The only problem is that this is on Apple T.V and some amazing proshots like this are trapped on streaming services and not available for purchase, but this is still worth a watch.

The Masterpiece Of All Star By Smash Mouth

 A song that transcends decades, a song that inspires many, while exploring deeper themes. One of those songs has to be the timeless hit by Smash Mouth, "All Star". This song gives us the embodiment of a dream we all share, which is to be a star. But what does it mean to be a star, let alone an All Star.

The song opens with our hero at an all time low, facing the harsh reality of the world around him. No more of a crushing defeat then a girl gesturing an L shape on her forehead towards oneself.  The song shows what it means to go from the bottom. To start at zero and then be a rockstar and maintain it. This lifestyle means saving money and not giving it to strangers for gas money, rocking out no matter your social status, and teaming up Ben Stiller and some other misfit heroes to save that day. 

This song shows the dreams we all have, wanting to be something more. Sometimes we have to seize the day, kick out the door of the outhouse and live the best life we can with this song playing. This song shows that anyone can be an all star if they live like one. Rocking out shows and just keep coming and don't stop coming when it comes to the hits.

Hit the ground running and never stop going. One may think of the tale of Icarus when hearing a ballad as passionate as this, but I feel as this will be held in the same echelon as the greatest works. We will compare that of the golden age of music, the all time greats, to this. This song resonates in the hearts of all living beings and will be immortalized as something that should never be forgotten. Words to live by and strive for as one wants to become more then just a star, but rather ascend to that of an all star. Being able to say no to strangers asking for spare change, and overcome crushing defeats of having an L shape on the forehead directed at you.

The song will never cease in its ever growing relevance. and I hope you can see it too.

APRIL FOOLS!