We have found that over the past few years of teaching, more and more children seem to have less knowledge about the majority of Musicals that exist, especially the classics.
I remember sitting in a class naming just a few of oldies such as: The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Grease, Cats,
Show boat,
(Yes I know, not so old to many of us) Oh the list does go on, and half of them looked at me blankly.
In my mind I was thinking "Who has not heard of, Grease? Or Cats?" I was really shocked.
Some had heard of them, but never seen them! some had seen them but never really acknowledged them! however, the reality is, I wasn't actually surprised.
With so many new amazing musicals that exist, like "Matilda," "Charlie and the chocolate factory." has the classics been pushed aside?
Or is it up to the teachers to keep them alive?
During a lot of our classes, workshops up in and around London we have always made sure that our teaching materials, have always been vast. Understanding Musicals is not just about the current but also the old timely classics, the ones that made Musicals what they are today, the ones that shaped Broadway and the West End.
Surely there must be a reason that we keep seeing many of the Musicals being re made into films?
Do you think remaking them into films is going to help bring old classics back to it's popularity? Even then, I know lot's of children who have never even seen some of the films.
Take the Cats Musical coming to our screens in December 2019 directed by Tom Hooper who also directed Les Miserables. This has an incredible cast, and the trailers look incredible, but something to never forget, it's not the same as watching it live in the theatre.
What are your thoughts? Why do you feel the old classics are slowly dying out?
Fall in love with Musicals,
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