Tuesday, August 27, 2024
New musical ‘Dandelion’ plants ideas about women, ambition and the health care system
ARTS ATL: Seeds of the new musical Dandelion, inspired by the life of Atlanta-based co-creator Hailee Beltzhoover Zuniga, were first planted during her high school years, when an inspirational theater teacher, Jessica Fichter, provided her with support and even a place to stay during a tough time with her family.
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I believe that production; and more broadly art; does best when it truly reflects life and the environment it was produced in. When it comes to Dandelion, this bears true because the production emits an emotional response because of the common experience of stereotypical womanhood and the universal experience of mental health crises. While nobody else lives the exact life that Jane and Delilah have in the musical, many people in the audience are going to struggle with or know someone who struggles with mental health. I truly think that when art can resonate with a large group of people, or help people to understand better that they are not alone and their struggles are valid, it is the most valuable. In a world where people are often divided based on social issues, coming together over a universal experience is very important. Dandelion is an important piece, and demonstrates a common experience in a way that is accessible and helps audiences understand each other better. Making art in this way is extremely valuable to the growth of society and making a better world.
Jo:
I'm excited for this musical to hit the stage! After struggling with similar issues within myself and my family and accepting the idea that you yourself can only be so selfless, I couldn't be happier with where I am today. It's really amazing to hear about these stories and see it tug at the hearts of so many people. These stories are crucial for human connection and realizing that you are only a small part of a much bigger world.
While reading this article, I’m starting to get excited for this show to begin production and make it to broadway. I have heard a lot of 54 Below, and saw really cool things come out of that performance space. The subject matter of the show, however, is very relatable coming from a young woman. The show brings up important topics and therefore, I think it is important for more people to hear about this show, especially with the importance of mental health, which is continually on the rise. I also think that the name of the new work, Dandelion, is super creative. In my interpretation, which is just my own brainstorm, this name might derive from the idea of planting new seeds elsewhere, making a wish upon a dandelion, or growing into a new life and mindset. I think that this show covers related topics and is an important work to promote.
There has recently been an uptrend and female composers in the theatrical world and I am HERE FOR IT! Especially young women, who are currently driving our world and whole society further along. I am very excited for Zuniga as her musical goes through workshop, and hopefully further! To write a musical based on your own real life experiences, as well as play the main character, is truly amazing. While women these days tend to present themselves as fearless and confident, societal norms and expectations are still embedded into their minds. The fact that the main character in this musical is struggling with internalized misogyny is a newer, but extremely accurate, concept to be portrayed in the media. However, what was the most moving to me was that Zuniga’s musical Dandelion is not just a story that DEPICTS mental health struggles and women’s battles, but CONFRONTS the current healthcare system that is in place.
This show sounds absolutely fantastic, I hope I will get the opportunity to watch it when it becomes produced. Knowing how much the playwright is in a way telling her own story gives me confidence that the script will be covering the good, the bad, and the ugly of what it really means to prioritize yourself over others even when it hurts. I think this is a fantastic message to push, especially in our modern times when we are unfortunately taking steps back with gender equality in the US. In times like these the world can only benefit from more messages of empowerment when all our society seems to be doing is trying to tear women down. On top of discussing gender equality, I love that the story will include a lot of messages about mental health and the healthcare system. I hope that the more entertainment based approach to facing these issues reaches a wider audience that might be too narrow minded to just listen to the occasional activist; perhaps seeing the true effects of these issues on a person- even a character- will open at least one individual’s mind.
Sara = I would love to see this musical, because it reminds me of a friend of mine from summer camp who coincidentally shares the main character’s name and family situation. I don’t know the details of her situation, but she has been forced into a similar ‘caretaker’ role due to issues going on with her family. Pushing against the stereotype that women should be caretakers rather than pursue their dreams or have a career is so important. I think it is fantastic that a musical like this exists. I love theater, however I feel that the diversity of stories told through big musicals (and especially on Broadway) is quite lacking. Personally, it’s rare that I find a show with a main character whom I see myself in. We were just talking about this in our anti-racist & equitable practices theater class that, for example, when marginalized actors or actors from underrepresented backgrounds, races, sexualities, gender identities, etc, are given an opportunity to play a role which is similar to them, they are able to give a more authentic performance because they can start building the character from themselves, from their own experiences. While I personally don’t resonate with Jane in Dandelion, I know there are many young women in her situation and it is so important to tell these underrepresented stories! (220 words)
Reading about this show reminds me of a song by a Cabaret singer named Meg Flather called "On The Second Floor" where she chronicles a similar story of her own life. She writes about how as shes grown older she has turned into the caretaker in her childhood home, and has to deal with the ups and downs of her mothers alzheimers diagnose. It really highlights the fact that these circumstances are ones that are so often suprises and there is no way to prepare for them. I think a show like 'Dandelion' and a song like Meg's are so important because they are shedding light on this topic that not only can you not prepare for these situations but they are so heavy and expected to be taken on with without question, but how even with little support these caretakers know that no one else can do it like they would.
I love how Zuniga’s success with Dandelion comes from its authenticity. Oftentimes, modern musicals rely heavily on tropes and spectacles to spoon-feed their audiences a message. The fact that Zuniga wrote Dandelion to be an autobiographical account of her youth roots it in truth and might give it the nuance that other pieces miss. One of my favorite musicals, A Chorus Line, took much of its dialogue from Michael Bennet’s recorded interviews with a group of chorus line dancers in the early 70s. The rawness of ACL and the relatability that many of its characters have come from the fact that they’re based on real people and stories. Unlike ACL, which condenses these interviews into a single, uninterrupted two hours, Dandelion takes place over a far longer period of time to show Delilah’s struggle with her mental illness and Jane’s attempt to help her. I’m curious to know how Zuniga went about abridging her entire childhood and fitting her message into a single performance.
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