#cantstopwatchingthelastfiveyears

So, I actually wrote this a few weeks ago. Just never got around to actually posting it, but I think that since I'm now in a new show (yay!) I should put it out there to express my opinion about the power of theatre, music and storytelling. Hope you're having a great Wednesday, people.

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My theatre professor in London only taught like six of us at a time because it was only the UH students who were required to take this class for being in the study abroad program.

I loved it.

Maybe because I was already familiar with the subject matters (Theatre 101 and Children's theatre) or maybe because it was a small class where I could actually talk about something I'm interested in.

I distinctly remember him discussing the topic of catharsis. This concept was something that I understood but never had a word for.

Merriam Webster defines catharsis as a "purification or purgation of the emotions primarily through art."

So why am I bringing this up? Because over the last few days I've had a major cathartic experience due to a musical in an extremely full circle kind of way.

The Last FiveYears by Jason Robert Brown chronicles the complicated, and ultimately broken, relationship of Cathy and Jamie in a unique way--through song from present to past (Cathy) and past to present (Jamie). I recently re-watched the movie that stars Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan and bawled my eyes out.

It's not like it was the first time that I had heard these songs or watched the film (my private covers of "Still Hurting" are evidence enough), but it was the first time that I had such a cathartic experience. I think that's what makes it beautiful and full circle--even though the show isn't unfamiliar, life experiences constantly change and cause you to grow so you may find something new in a piece that resonates with you in a way you were unaware of before.

Maybe that's why I saw Wicked three times...yeah, let's just say that...haha

At the heart of it, theatre is storytelling and in every story, there is a way to connect to the characters or the situations. I mean, maybe we don't all know a Gavorache who got shot in a revolution or a group of people from Washington Heights who struggle to find the meaning of home, but their stories are rooted in human experiences that we can all relate to on some level.

I was talking to one of my best friends about this one song ("Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You" for you theatre peeps) and how I was crying while watching it. I told her that I've been watching it over and over and I don't know why (whata baby). But I think I was doing that because the cathartic experience it gave me was so powerful that it almost felt good to cry about it in a continuous manner. I had control over why and when I was crying so it was a means for me to let it all out on my terms.

I don't think it means I'm gonna be okay the next time I choose to obsess over this musical (or any other cathartic inducing musical for that matter), but at least I know that I can turn to my first love, theatre, to help me out even when I'm not involved in a show. That's cool.

So here's just a reminder to cry when you need to, watch the same movie scene over and over again, or listen to that song that just puts everything into a 2 minute journey--just do it. Being in touch with your emotions is great and if music or art or Jeremy Jordan singing "All I could do was love you hard and let you go" lets you have a cathartic experience, then I'm all for it.

P.S. Jeremy Jordan is a beautiful creature, but Jamie--eff you.