Why do we revisit musicals?

It’s funny to me. I often hear people lamenting on the grapevine that so many shows are repeated when there is a plethora of musicals available for us to perform. However, we love them. Oklahoma!? Again? Count me in.

So why do we always return to the same shows? Why do we go and see them? Why do we buy the soundtrack and listen to it on repeat until we buy our next ticket? These are the questions that intrigue me.

Recently, Mark Shenton discussed something similar on revisiting shows. He apparently went to watch Bend It Like Beckham nine times. I, however, saw it only once and that was more than enough. But there are shows that enter the world that everybody seems to love and enjoy. Simply Theatre presented Sweeney Todd this month, Epsom Players are presenting it in October, along with productions of Mame (ELOC), The Producers (BROS), and until recently High Society (Lyric Players) happening the same month. We love the ‘classics’, the question is “why?”

In an earlier post, Mark Shenton (again! I know! He just talks a lot of sense) wrote about reinvigorating British musicals. He mentioned perhaps some musicals are less than successful because they lack a “killer tune”. The inference of this is that shows we love must have us tapping our toes like nobody’s business. Perhaps then, it is something about the music that appeals to us. Music, that enigma, which has no intrinsic value, yet influences us so much.

So I looked into this, got into some science-y stuff, and it appears listening to good music releases some dopamine into our systems. Dopamine, drug of love. It seems easy to figure then that we would want to revisit a song (or group of songs) we like for our next hit. More science-based research suggests that listening to good music can actually lead to an altered state of consciousness. A great song can break down barriers in our minds. Our brains sing along to songs we already know and they become part of ourselves.

It would seem, therefore, listening to songs from musicals we already know places our brains on stage. We are mentally singing along with the performers. Coupled with the hit of dopamine we’re riding, does that equate to the same thrill as being on stage? It’s a nice thought.

Back to that earwig that many shows are repeated on the amdram circuit. Taking that with a pinch of salt, there are still plenty of opportunities to participate in the same show more than once, especially if you have been doing shows for a number of years. And, largely, these shows hold happy memories for us. For myself, not only do I have the fun memories of performing and creating theatre, but I’ve met some of my best friends, fallen in love, and shaped my life, all from my hobby, and I know this is true for other people too. Does listening to or watching a production of a show I enjoy and have been involved in take me back to that time? As the barriers are broken down, as my state of mind alters, could the thrill of the music relate to the thrill of whatever memories I have of that show? Even just watching a show again that you’ve only seen could trigger this response from when you previously saw or heard it.

Does this completely answer my questions about why we go back to the same shows over and over? No. I’m not a neuroscientist and a lot of the research was lost on me. But the idea my body drugs me to feel great when musicals I love are playing and on some level transports me back to the happy memories of my past? That’s just enough to satisfy me.