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What Do We Render to Ruthless Gods?
EPIC is a gorgeous musical. I just wish its message matched. What I'm hearing is that, in order to succeed, you need to grow into the capacity to be at least somewhat ruthless. There’s also a nod to the idea that it’s unfortunate that this is how the world is set up. But that’s a problem for the uber-powerful to work through. Our job is to do what we must so we can secure what matters to us.
Rebecca Burnham
5 days ago10 min read
16 views
7 comments


Wisdom from a Debut Director
The director’s job is not to micromanage in order to bring their exact vision to the stage, but to guide the actors, giving adequate direction so that they can embrace their characters and create something great themselves.
Rebecca Burnham
Jun 123 min read
3 views
0 comments


"I Am Your Man:" The Villain Song
They may be detached and self-serving; resentful, treacherous and conniving; carried away by the praise of others; or bound down in false beliefs. They may be so far gone that there’s no way to redeem them in the story. But they are people. And creators who give them the dignity of well-rounded treatment help us to see and respect the humanity of those we see as antagonists in our own lives. Such villains also enrich the show.
Rebecca Burnham
Jun 510 min read
6 views
2 comments


Don't Worry: Just Start
Gunnar Michael Andersen Today’s post is a bit of a departure from my normal. I’m introducing you to Gunnar Michael Andersen, a composer...
Rebecca Burnham
May 296 min read
30 views
0 comments


Musicking for Peace
It’s impossible to separate the sounds that we call “music” from the processes of creation and their social impact. So Zork uses “musicking” to describe the whole parcel. It's a term that sums up his daily life. And his song, "The Sound of Us" encapsulates his collaborative and inclusive philosophy.
Rebecca Burnham
May 217 min read
28 views
2 comments


In Praise of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan had the courage to disrupt the status quo in Victorian theatre life, and we are all their beneficiaries. Now, here's an outline for a classic Broadway musical, to the tune of Modern Major General.
Rebecca Burnham
May 154 min read
10 views
0 comments


Guest Post: The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby explores a society running from what they lost during WWI, with parties that never end. There is a frenzy, a freneticism to drown out the confusion. Under the confetti and sparkle is a dirty floor.

Mackenzie Millward
May 88 min read
2 views
0 comments


Act II: Building Blocks of a Musical
This is Part II in a brief overview of the framework for a classic musical, as illustrated by Beauty and the Beast. We'll discuss a tried-and-true pattern for keeping the audience invested and entertained all the way from the Entr'acte to the Finale.
Rebecca Burnham
May 76 min read
15 views
1 comment


Act I: Building Blocks of a Musical
An overview of the key components that were common to musicals during Broadway’s golden age. Even then, not all musicals had all of them. But most of the successful ones generally followed this outline (and many modern smash hits still follow it today).
Rebecca Burnham
May 17 min read
30 views
2 comments


Simon of Cyrene: The Musical
Simon of Cyrene: The Musical was to reach Black people and help them see themselves in the story of Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and resurrection. Its writer wanted “to demonstrate to other Black boys and men how God works miracles to turn circumstances and situations into God-honoring destinies.” But just the trailer choked me up and helped me connect with the story in a way that deepens my understanding and grief about racial relations
Rebecca Burnham
Apr 249 min read
16 views
2 comments


Collaborative Theatre for the Courageous
Mind the Gap participants enact an ideological tug-of-war Collaboration across all sorts of divides is one of Summit Stages’ core...
Rebecca Burnham
Apr 166 min read
6 views
0 comments


Why Dear Evan Hansen is Dearer As Is
Evan Hansen: alone and okay Last July, I wrote a post Evan Hansen Deserves Forgiveness , arguing that the near-perfect musical would be...
Rebecca Burnham
Apr 104 min read
20 views
5 comments


Your Story Matters As Much as Mine
Our shared stories unite us across generations and cultures After I praised Disney’s new version of Snow White in last week’s...
Rebecca Burnham
Apr 26 min read
16 views
2 comments


What the Critics Got Wrong on Snow White
I think I have a critic’s eye for what works and what doesn’t in a musical. I tend to be highly attuned to problematic messages that...
Rebecca Burnham
Mar 277 min read
66 views
2 comments


Confessions of a Reformed Culture Warrior
This is a glimpse at the story of my conversion from a culture warrior to an aspiring peace maker.
Rebecca Burnham
Mar 207 min read
37 views
1 comment


When You Need a Lot of Noise
Fiddler on the Roof's "To Life" What do “ Put on Your Sunday Clothes ”, “ With A Little Bit of Luck ,” “ Seventy-Six Trombones ,” and “...
Rebecca Burnham
Mar 135 min read
11 views
0 comments


Dispensing with the Sexy Song and Dance
A bit of burlesque is standard fare in a Broadway show, because sex sells and keeps the audience awake. But is this device worth the price?
Rebecca Burnham
Mar 67 min read
7 views
0 comments


When the Dream is Big Enough to Intimidate
Hold an elephant-eating party! Last week, I wrote about my goal to launch a global, intentional and organized movement to build the...
Rebecca Burnham
Feb 274 min read
4 views
0 comments


Let's Change the World!
When the world gathers to Salt Lake City for the 2034 Winter Olympics, the city will be flooded with living proof of musical theatre's power
Rebecca Burnham
Feb 206 min read
41 views
2 comments


Could Eliza Be A Fair Lady to Both Herself and Higgins?
Henry Higgins ( Harry Hadden-Paton) and Eliza Dolittle (Laura Benanti) dance together. When Lerner and Loewe turned Shaw’s Pygmalion into...
Rebecca Burnham
Feb 139 min read
15 views
1 comment
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