Music to My Ears

I fell in love with musicals when I was a junior in high school. That year, a few friends talked me into working on the school play and while it took a few arguments to get me involved in the first place, I was pleased as punch once I was involved. We produced Oklahoma! and many people told us that it was far better than the average high school show. I had many favorite songs from the show and the phrase “heart of gold” will always remind me of the character Jud because of the song “Pore Jud is Daid.” “Kansas City” and “I Can’t Say No” are two more amazing songs from the production.

My favorite “musical” (especially this time of year) is probably the original cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I can repeat the whole thing word for word and it was the first soundtrack I listened to on my drive home for Thanksgiving.
I love how the cliché “wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole” is extended to "thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole" in the song “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”


The reason musicals are on my mind is because last weekend I was able to watch the Best of Broadway production of The Lion King in Spokane. I had seen the play in New York a few years ago, but it was still really fun to see the play again. The hyenas Ed, Shenzi, and Banzai complaining about Scar and Mufasa getting the lion’s share of everything was funnier than ever. Meanwhile Pumbaa and Timon were still the happy go lucky pair I remembered from the movie. The dancing, singing, and stilt giraffes were amazing as well. “Hakuna Matata” has developed into a cliché itself and the “no worries” phrase will forever be a pick-me-up for me.

Regardless of if one is watching a movie, a high school play, or a professional production, musicals are the cat’s meow.