Welcome to the Musicals Thread, the Avocado’s space for anything and everything related to musical theatre! Every month I’ll post a discussion prompt, but please feel free to comment on other topics, from new discoveries to old favorites. If you have ideas for future prompts or would like to write a feature for the thread, let me know!
We’ve recently been looking at various types and uses of dance in musical theatre. I could never hope to assemble a set of prompts to fully encompass the history of creative choreography, though. What are your favorite types/examples of dances from musicals that don’t fit the other recent prompts? Alternatively, what are some favorites that fit the previous prompts but weren’t mentioned?
“He Plays the Violin” from 1776 offers a moment of levity (and ensures that Abigail isn’t the only female character in the cast) with a visit from Martha Jefferson. She describes to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin her husband’s means of romancing her, and the number becomes a brief showcase for all three characters’ personalities. She and Franklin sweep each other into a spirited waltz, but John is distracted by the question of who provides the music when she and Tom do the same. He hesitates when Martha approaches him for a turn (I always imagine he’s still thinking of Abigail) but then proves that, while more subdued, he’s just as light on his feet.