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Personal Reflection
Thoughts and dreams from playing in the world of musical theatre


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


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


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


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
3 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
36 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
14 views
1 comment


Why We Should Pay Attention to the Pattern For a Musical
Finding a solid pattern is the first step to a newbie making an impressive cake How does one create a great musical? That’s a question...
Rebecca Burnham
Jan 16 min read
18 views
2 comments


Mightiest Instrument in My Director's Toolkit
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash I’ve mentioned a couple times in this newsletter that I am co-directing a community production of...
Rebecca Burnham
Nov 14, 20244 min read
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0 comments


When My Chava Became a Witch
Concept art by Sage Booher for The Princess and the Witch I’m writing this today because last week, we blocked the Chava scene in Fiddler...
Rebecca Burnham
Oct 10, 20247 min read
24 views
1 comment


Outside the Spotlight
When you are using musical theatre to build Beloved Community, every aspect of putting on a show becomes an opportunity. Even an issue as...
Rebecca Burnham
Oct 3, 20244 min read
5 views
0 comments


But What if I Say the Wrong Thing?
We need to brave the messiness of those conversations that don’t have a roadmap, because it’s the only way to the Beloved Community.
Rebecca Burnham
Sep 26, 20246 min read
11 views
0 comments
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