I have a friend who is a five year old budding Broadway addict. He’s never actually even seen a musical in person, but I predict that will change very soon (especially since Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are coming to the Durham Performing Arts Center in the next year). However, I often play him kid-appropriate songs from musicals (he loves Thoroughly Modern Millie, especially “Speed Test” and “Forget About the Boy”) and show him clips on YouTube – the loves the Tony Awards performances from Shrek the Musical and the tenth anniversary of The Lion King, and he thinks the tap dancing in Millie is “so cool!” Whenever I play show tunes for him, he asks me “what’s this play about?” You try explaining Les Miserables to a five-year-old! Anyway, the point I’m trying to make here is that my young friend isn’t even in kindergarten yet, and he is old enough to appreciate the wonder of musical theater. Even though I’m embracing the digital age (I can’t imagine life without my ipod!), I think that makes it all the more essential to introduce the next generation to live theater. It’s a unique experience which we should make sure all young people get to have. The recent proliferation of digital media brought with it a personal disconnectedness in our society. I adamantly believe that live theater encourages personal connections. It’s got something your television just can’t give you. Kids love theater. Kids need theater. Don’t deny them! Sharing my love of Broadway has helped bridge an 18-year age gap. Give it a try. Play some Broadway music for the child in your life.
Play these videos for a kid you know:
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