|
|
|
A weekly reprise to your inbox |
When Showgirl meets Musical Theatre
All eyes on our illusionist
Hello lovely musical theatre friend,
Since my late twenties, I've been a Swiftie AND a musicals fan. These passions reside in the same universe, but honestly I didn't realise how closely they orbit until I came to write this Taylor themed newsletter.
When "The Life of a Showgirl" dropped this week, I kept thinking about how Taylor's entire career has been one long theatrical performance - the costume changes, the narrative chapters, the way she builds stories and worlds through song.
Like some of the best pop icons (Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande), she literally started in musical theatre. We're not imagining this DNA in her work - it's been there from the beginning.
I hope you enjoy discovering the intersection between Taylor and Musicals as much as I did.
|
|
|
If Musicals Chatter | A book club for cast albums
What's next? Hadestown
Musical Book Club: Chatter about the show for about 30 minutes
Chosen Show: Hadestown
Anaïs Mitchell's folk opera won 8 Tony Awards and the NYT praised its "shimmering, groove-based score" and "theatrical alchemy." The cast album is a slick 1 hour 48 minutes.
Time: 8pm-8:30pm UK / 2pm-2:30pm CT
Date: Sunday, November 16th
|
|
|
Into the Woods | Figuratively. Wander w/ fellow fans.
-
The Original Theatre Kid - Before Taylor Swift became a global pop phenomenon, she was performing in musical theatre at Berks Youth Theatre Academy, Pennsylvania. As a child, Swift played Maria in The Sound of Music and also appeared in Bye Bye Birdie, among other productions. She regularly traveled to Broadway for vocal and acting lessons, dreaming of a career on stage before pivoting to country music at age eleven.
- Box Office Bomb - She featured as Bombalurina in the weird 2019 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical CATS - for which she co-wrote and recorded the original song "Beautiful Ghosts." More on that later...
- Musical Easter Egg - Swift trademarked the term “Female Rage: the Musical” after casually dropping the term during one of her live Eras tour concerts last year. Is this a new project? Then in August this year, when she announced Showgirl on her (now) fiancé's podcast, Swift discussed the rules of dropping easter eggs into her material:
‘It’s always going to be towards music, or a musical, something I’m coming up with, something I have coming up – a plan I have coming together. Something that you don’t know I’m saying for a specific reason.”
- Fail - Taylor's awful Les Mis audition with Eddie Redmayne:
Anything you recommend? Reply or submit, we'd love to include it.
|
|
|
Musical Orgasm | Nominated by our community
Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts"
|
|
|
Swift's original song for the CATS film showcases her musical theatre roots beautifully. Co-written with Andrew Lloyd Webber and performed by herself here, the ballad demonstrates her theatrical training. Fans describe it as 'magical' and 'hauntingly beautiful'. The movie might have been bad, but this contribution is on point.
|
|
|
Side by Side by Side | ᯤ Spotify collab playlists
|
|
Showgirls
Songs that embody the theatrical nature of being on stage, being in show business, and being a woman.
|
|
|
|
I Have Been Changed... For Good | Fan stories
“The first time that I fell in love with performing is when I went to go see theater in my hometown in Pennsylvania. I would see it done incredibly well — going to see Broadway plays of ‘Wicked’ — things like that just really inspired me from an early age to love putting on a theatrical performance where there are storylines and characters, and you’re always seeing a scene change into another scene. I love telling a story in any way possible.” - Taylor Swift, Pennsylvania
Which musical is significant in your life? Share it with us.
|
|
|
Show bingo | Add 'em up, Bobby!
We need a winner! Haven't got one yet... Hit reply and tell me how many of these shows you've seen. Then I'll reveal the subscriber who has checked off the most shows from this list...
- #SpringAwakening
- #NextToNormal
- #SixTheMusical
- #DearEvanHansen
- #MaybeHappyEnding
- #CompanyMusical
- #Heathers
- #SweeneyTodd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- #ComeFromAway
- #SweetCharity
|
|
|
Tell me you're a crossover fan without telling me
|
|
|
“
I was grinning like I'm winning,
I was hitting my marks
'Cause I can do it with a broken heart"
~ The Tortured Poets Department. Taylor Swift
|
|
|
