Pittsburgh Current: When I say “musical” what do you think of? People singing when they should be talking? A relentlessly perky chorus in matching outfits flashing jazz hands? Some brassy broad in a bedazzled dress gliding down a staircase?
I’ll tell you what you don’t expect – stillness and quiet. In a musical? That’s against the laws of nature or something, right?
4 comments:
I was really curious about this article because I did originally have tickets to see this show at the Benedum this weekend. Unfortunately this show, along with everything else in the entire nation has been corona-cancelled. This is a Major Bummer but I am sure that shows will resume in the matter of a few weeks and such a beautiful and renowned show like this will most certainly have more tours and performances, and I doubt this cancellation or my waiting to see it, will lessen the beauty and art that this show has come to be known by. I only worry for the well-being of those employed by this production. All of those actors and technicians now must return home and live unemployed for possibly upward of a month. I am sure many of them live in NYC which not only has the virus, but also has incredibly expensive rent and cost of living. This entire crisis is so devastating to the arts community.
"The Bands Visit" is one of my favorite musicals I have ever seen. The simplicity is incredibly refreshing. I have to say that when I saw the movie, I was not as drawn to the story. I think this is primarily because it is a story about music presented in a film with very little actual music. I love that this story is about a region of the world with so much political turmoil (the Middle East), but it is not about politics. Its is a story about people, how they interact, and how a short amount of time of human connection is enough to prove we are not that different. Having many of the actors make up most of the musicians of the production is a beautiful choice. When I walked out of the theatre in New York, my best friend and I walked silently for about seven blocks, crying the whole time, without a word to say.
Ah. A break from the coronavirus articles. This is like a cool glass of water on a hot day. I have heard many good things about this musical, although I do not know much about it myself. A friend who saw it said she felt so peaceful, so embraced by this show, as it told a story of kindness and understanding. I appreciate when a musical can command attention and pluck heartstrings (musician pun intended) without needing the “jazz hands” essence that the article mentions. The Band’s Visit clearly does that, incorporating a relatable storyline with entrancing and calming orchestrations. There is a beautiful simplicity to telling a story that could truly be someone’s life. A story does not need drama and flair to be effective artistically or emotionally, and perhaps this is a lesson that we can learn from The Band’s Visit. I would love to see this production one day. Perhaps I will take advantage of all this down time to listen to the soundtrack for the first time.
Let me just say! I really wish I could've seen this show in Pittsburgh. I am lucky enough to have seen it on Broadway (with the wonderful Katrina Lenk starring), and it was such a mesmerizing show. I was absolutely entranced by the beauty of it the whole time. I'm typically someone who likes a traditional flashy and trashy musical, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this non-traditional one (partly because it involved two cultures very similar to mine). The plot is so simple and relatable that it somehow gives way for complex interpretations. What I'm trying to say is... it was simple to understand, but it evoked such powerful emotions in me. My favorite part of all was the live music. I'm not sure if the Pittsburgh show was also doing a live band, but that aspect really sold it for me in New York. In fact, I'm trying to learn the tombak now because of that show! Anyway, I listen to the soundtrack of this show all the time. It never gets old. I really hope I get to see it again someday.
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