Shelby Anderson is a first-year journalism major and writes “Shelby’s Scribbles” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
From a young age, it was obvious to me that sports were never my thing, but music and acting were. I first started acting in the seventh grade, making my debut in “The Music Man.” Although I had never acted before, I knew then that theater was my true calling.
I learned how much I loved the stage, the feeling of the lights shining down on me and, most of all, opening night. Opening night did cause me some anxiety, but once the curtain opened and the music began, my fear faded away as the show began to unfold.
Musicals can affect all of us in different ways. It can make us feel emotions and stimulate the heart.
According to GotAED, when we feel emotionally engaged with a musical, our brains release chemicals like dopamine, which contribute to “feelings of pleasure and satisfaction."
When I go see these shows, my heart races with excitement, and once the show starts, I feel a sense of euphoria and happiness that’s indescribable.
All the shows I have seen live on Broadway have made me feel more than any music playlist has in the past, and they have helped me become the person I am today.
Broadway makes me really feel something. I haven’t acted for a while, but I've still been listening to music and watching live shows.
One of the first shows that shaped me was “Hamilton.” I first saw this musical in 2020 when I was only 14. It wasn’t just the music or choreography that inspired me but the main character himself, Alexander Hamilton.
His musical character was passionate and had a love for writing. That same passion inspired me to try it out for myself. It wasn’t long before I discovered my own love for writing, and I began to tell stories on my own.
Once I was in high school, I knew I wanted to grow my skills as a writer. This led me to join a handful of clubs that would eventually change my life. I had decided to join not only the writer’s club, which fueled my love for writing, but the yearbook club too. There, I was able to share real stories about real people.
This newfound passion of mine made me wonder if I could make a career out of it.
Now, as a first-year student in college, I am a student journalist who can tell stories. Because of Hamilton’s character in the musical, I can tell these stories and allow myself to be creative and embrace my writing talent.
Another show that affected me was “Wicked.”
I saw this show in 2021 when I was 15 years old, and the experience left a lasting impact on my life. The actors were talented, the stage was colorful and the show solidified the fact that live performances felt like a dream. I was also able to connect with one of the main characters, Elphaba.
Elphaba was different; she didn’t fit into the social norms of Shiz. Much like Elphaba, I was never popular in school, as I was both a choir and a theater kid, so I fell under the “unpopular” categorization.
Elphaba stands up for what she believes in, even if it changes other peoples' opinions of her. Despite everything, she still lived her best life. It was characteristics like this that made me love her character.
After I saw "Wicked", I didn’t let peoples' opinions affect me, and I stopped caring about what others thought. If Elphaba could stand up for what she believed in, then so could I.
A third show that shaped me was “The Outsiders.” I saw this show when I was 18, right after I graduated high school.
This is a newer musical, but I have always loved the classic book. This live show was breathtaking. Throughout the performance, there was one saying that was repeated, and it is a line that is still just as famous as it was when the book was released.
The line “stay gold” has many meanings, but the most important one is that you should always stay true to yourself, no matter how tough times get.
Both the show and the book taught me that even when times are tough, you have to stay true to yourself and do the right thing. This show is a simple story that anyone could understand and truly enjoy. Before seeing it, I was listening to the songs, and although they sounded amazing, I still could not wait to see them live.
It was worth the wait. It was just like how I had pictured it in my head, if not better.
Live Broadway shows not only influence us but also make us feel better overall. I can testify that seeing these performances live changed my life for the better. But a live performance is only a part of the magic.
Broadway shapes people. It shaped me.
From my first Broadway show up to my most recent, all of them have molded me into who I am today. I am forever thankful for all the shows that I have been able to see and the lessons that I was able to learn from them.
Those lessons helped make me who I am today. There are shows out there for everyone that are just waiting to be heard.
Contact Shelby Anderson via email at sanderson9@bsu.edu.
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