Shoshi Greene Week 2: Hidden Details in Musical Theater

Looking at musical theater, the average person may see the beautiful choreography and hear the amazing singing from talented actors, but it is not always a given that they will know every little detail about the shows they are seeing. This changes when you are part of a cast, whether it be on stage or in the wings, as it gives you the advantage of knowing these little details that make the show enjoyable time after time. It is important to note that most shows, especially ones on Broadway, have been so meticulously choreographed that everything is thought out in a symbolic way.

One example of this is The Bullet in Hamilton. The Bullet, played by Ariana Debose in the Original Broadway Cast, is an amalgamation of death in Hamilton, showing up everytime someone is about to die. In the second act, she gives directions to Phillip, Hamilton’s son, on where to find George Eaker, the man who ends up killing him. Not only does she bring death, but within the first twenty-five minutes we see The Bullet herself die at the hands of a redcoat under orders from King George, signaling her becoming Death.

Hidden details don’t just appear in the cast but also in the props and costumes. Last year here at Donna Kline, we did Little Shop of Horrors and I had the honor of working backstage with the amazing cast and even participate in some of these hidden details. One such detail is after Seymour Krelborn, played by Ben Heller, feeds Audrey Two for the first time. We continued to add bandaids onto his hands as the scenes progressed, showing the sacrifices Seymor was making for Two-y. When it comes to scenery, Dalia Malcom came to me with the brilliant idea to use vines we had left over to make it look like the plant was taking over the flower shop.

All these things seem insignificant, yet they inhance the stories in a way that is indescribable.