Religion on Broadway

Through the power of both acting and song, we see how many theatrical performances mirror religious values and beliefs. Some broadway shows focus on the idea that religion has been taken too literally and that we need to be more realistic in what our beliefs are, while some use religion as a base for making major life decisions that will surely have repercussions. We can even lay our focus on certain musical numbers in these performances to further highlight the prominence of religion. In The Book of Mormon, we see religion in pieces like “I Believe”, and in the Sound of Music, we see it in inspirational numbers like “Climb Every Mountain”. 

 

Maybe it's the energy from a live performance that makes it hit a little harder. Or maybe it's the enjoyment of singing along and clapping your hands to a musical number that makes it unforgettable. Or it could also be the emotional attachments we form with each character that makes the theme of a broadway show more impactful on our lives. It's hard to forget an experience in a theatre, and it's also hard to forget the themes that present themselves within the scripts. Religion is prominent in many forms of media and literature, but when something is in the form on a broadway production, we seem to pay closer attention to the details. Religious themes are certainly excentuated and exxagerated in many broadway productions, which leaves us to reflect on those themes well after we leave ur seats. 

 

 

Religion in pop culture is much more prominent than we may think, and through an analysis such as this one, we will be able to better understand how religion plays a role in modern society.