Should Musicals Stay on the Stage?

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have recently been cast as Glinda and Elphaba in the new Wicked movie musical by Universal. This news comes at no surprise. But following a list of Tony award movie musicals turned big screen film experiences, it begs the question: Do we need another one?

In my mind, there are three types of musical films: the films that were never on stage, but are musicals like La La Land or Burlesque, the musicals that are filmed cinematically while on stage like we saw with Hamilton or Disney’s Newsies, and then there are the Broadway musicals that are adapted for the screen: Grease, Rent, The Sound of Music, and recently, Dear Evan Hansen. At first, I appreciated that these brilliant filmmakers were bringing these musicals to the big screen since Broadway is not accessible for every human. But I wonder if it’s too much. 

The movie musical of this year that turned me off the most was Amazon Prime’s Cinderella. I have never watched something that seemed so forcibly put together. I was disappointed because I like the director and the other collaborators but I found myself getting incredibly bored. This got me thinking, should musicals just stay on the stage? Is it the film industry's responsibility to bring these musicals to the masses if they lose the magic of a live show?

I find myself watching the MTV live recording of Legally Blonde on YouTube at least once a month. I consider it a palate cleanser. These recordings don’t lose the intensity of live theater because it is live theater essentially, just recorded and broadcasted to the masses. I saw Hamilton in person, and I’ve watched it on Disney+ a plethora of times. Nothing beats watching the duel in the audience of a theater. The drama that was built up throughout and the way you can see each and every character and ensemble actor on stage all at once is unparalleled. 

So, why are so many studios adapting Broadway musicals into movies? Why are we getting a remake of West Side Story that stars non-Broadway actors? Why did Ben Platt have to be made to look 10 years younger for a role that he originated? The answer is simple: money. Die hard musical fans like seeing their favorite songs in a cinematic way. Universal and John Chu are smart in casting Cynthia and Ariana. They get the young music fans, and the traditional Broadway fans all in one audience. 

My question is, when are we going to start seeing the classics? In the golden age of Hollywood, movie musicals were common. I wonder if the modern age of Hollywood will dare to dip into reimagining Cover Girl (1944), Stormy Weather (1943), You Were Never Lovelier (1942), or Top Hat (1935). There is no one this day in age that could belt out a ballad or mesmerize the audience with dance much like the stars of the 40s movie musicals. But, of course, Lady Gaga won a Golden Globe for A Star Is Born. So maybe, if it’s done right, it could be great.

Like I said, I have been unimpressed by the recent movie musicals. For example, In The Heights. I was a fan of everyone who was a part of it and the film was brilliantly cast. But, I wasn’t sold. I didn’t believe the story or root for the characters. The main saving grace for these films are the big ensemble musical numbers. That’s when they bring in a touch of the theater. 96,000 being sung at the pool with the entire community, water splashing, and use of different aspects of the community pool being utilized made you feel like you were being brought into the story. That’s what live theater does. It makes every song special and makes the audience part of the plot. 

There’s a reason why musicals are mostly performed on stage. The stage is a vibrant place where stories and music comes to life. The sets are intricate, the costumes are flashy, and every song is a showstopper. The rules of the theater enhance the production and make every show mesmerizing and memorable. 

I’m very interested to see how Wicked turns out. As one of the more mainstream and popular musicals, I’m hoping it still carries the magic and spark that Glinda and Elphaba bring to the stage.