XTheaterMania: Theater is political. It always has been. But does every play and musical on Broadway have to say something profound about the state of the world? Critic Hayley Levitt never used to think so, but she now finds herself in a state of bafflement when a comedy is just for laughs. Critic Zachary Stewart loves a good political play, but lately thinks a lot of creatives have gone too far in putting fashionable politics onstage — often in a cynical way.
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The point in this article that really resonated with me was Stewart’s point about Broadway shows being expensive and inefficient; when I can access unlimited films and TV for a few bucks a month, seeing The Music Man for $700 sounds like a ripoff. I think we’re at a point where straight revivals of classic Broadway shows just aren’t piquing as much interest as they would have in the past, and perhaps if Broadway wants to bring in crowds they need to work more on adapting existing works into new forms, like the Spongebob musical; it took a comfortable animated show and blew it up into a larger-than-life production, which I think was attractive for a lot of people. While a lot of people are returning to “normalcy” after the peak of pandemic quarantine, I don’t think anybody wants just any “normal” show. The point in the article about university training taking the flavor out of shows rings true in my opinion.
"Nowadays, if every show doesn't have a political perspective or comment on the state of culture at large, it feels like a waste of space", says critic Hayley Levitt. What an exhausting way to live. The main problem I have with this idea is that it encourages the empty implementation of politically acceptable, centrist pandering. Levitt uses the example of Douglas Lyons comedy Chicken and Biscuits as an example of a show that does not have political perspective or comment on the stage of culture at large. Interesting, when Chicken and Biscuits is extremely notable in DEI work for having a majority Black cast and creative team. The story itself may not "mean anything deep", but productions that uplift oppressed voices are not only commenting on the state of culture at large, they are actively working to shift that culture. While I agree that there are revivals and shows that should not take space in the current political environment, it's hard to define the scope of politics. Ultimately, oppressed people should be able to tell our narratives too, and we should dedicate ourselves to creating honest, provocative work.
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