Representation in Musicals + My Recommendations
By: Celeste Mazloum
Hi everyone!
I hope you guys are having a wonderful summer break. If your break looks anything like mine, you are soaking up the sun, eating countless fresh mangoes, reading a book a week, and of course watching films and musicals. Follow along with this article if you are interested in discovering your next must-watch!
This year, I completed my first year of college at the University of California, Los Angeles. My year at UCLA was one of the best and most transformative periods of my life. I met friends that I now consider family, explored the beautiful state of California, learned so much about myself, and took so many amazing courses- my favorite being Musicology 19:Disability in Musicals taught by the amazing Professor Raymond Knapp.
In this hands-on seminar-style course, 19 of my peers and I learned about how disability has been represented in musicals and movies. During our weekly discussions we looked at a wide range of musicals, exploring both genuine representation and the ways disability has sometimes been misrepresented on stage.
One idea that really stuck with me was how musicals often try to appeal to a broad audience. In doing so, they can exaggerate mental illness to make it more dramatic or easier to understand. Instead of portraying disability authentically, it can become more of a performance of illness. I found this perspective fascinating because it made me think more critically about the media I consume and the stories we choose to tell.
One of my favorite parts of the course was learning about Deaf West Theatre, a local Los Angeles company that creates productions integrating both spoken English and American Sign Language (ASL). We talked about how music can be experienced not only through sound but through movement. It completely changed the way I think about what a musical can be.
More than anything, this class taught me to look beyond whether disability is simply present in a story and instead ask how it is represented. It also introduced me to some incredible musicals and films that I think everyone should add to their summer watch list!
Musicals and Movies I Recommend:
- Next to Normal — A powerful musical that explores grief, family, and mental illness.
- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — Clever, hilarious, and surprisingly insightful about mental health, using music to explore complex emotions.
- Sweeney Todd — A dark and thrilling classic with unforgettable music and fascinating characters.
- The Music Man — A timeless musical that sparked some of our most interesting conversations about representation.
- Oklahoma! — A Broadway classic that is even more interesting when viewed through a modern critical lens.
- The Light in the Piazza — Beautiful music and a touching story about love, family, and disability.
- CODA — My favorite film we watched. Its authentic Deaf representation and heartfelt story make it incredibly moving, and it opened my eyes to the possibilities of accessible storytelling.
