Nothing really benefits a student more than to get your nose out from your books and experience the full potential of the performing arts like musicals!
Yes, I know that as Singaporeans, we are prone to being academic labourers swept up in the toils of our various exam-oriented pursuits.
Academics demand studious attention to details, minute note scribblings and practising that takes us into the post-midnight hours.
Education is holistic. What this means is that we need to get plenty of stimulation from different sources to get our little grey cells to perform at their optimum best.
Musicals may be regarded as a temporary distraction, a mere hour to pass the time in vacant preoccupation.
Would it not be better to read a book, revise those notes or listen to an audio lecture instead?
Well…not really. It depends on your brain really.
If your brain is already chock full of practices and learning without the distraction outlet ( eating and sleeping not included), then there would be no use in squeezing some more material into it.
Everything needs an outlet and in some cases, an outlet can be used to enhance what you have.
Imagine a visit to a musical, extraordinary in its visual spectacle and harmonious in its melody with even more pronouncedly ravishing accompaniments on instruments to transport you to another plane.
What more can I say?
Who will say no to such a visual/ auditory treat?
More importantly, how will this benefit YOU, the student?
Let us have a look at exactly how watching musicals will add some lustre to your life.
#1 It Boosts Your Imaginative Powers!
Imagine, attending a musical at the theatre. Imagine the marble columns and beautiful balustrades.
Seating yourself before the plush velvet curtains before they open to reveal an unimaginably exotic backdrop with even more spectacular performers at the forefront will only whet your imagination.
The whole purpose is to stretch your mind in areas that you never use. For instance, you would not be in the habit of watching someone sing and dance in arresting costumes.
What would be the effect on you?
- You will be thrilled. And this will rouse your perceptive powers.
- Your powers of creativity will be at their best if you allow yourself to attend more than one.
- You will become more used to cultural performances belonging to diverse backgrounds.
#2 Comedies Will Increase Your Tolerance
Watching a play or musical means being able to understand the Plot, Sub-plot and character portrayals. These will strike a corresponding chord in you.
Imagine watching a musical about a scorned son or daughter. Watching them endure the emotional travails means that you will empathise with that character.
More importantly, you will become tolerant and display compassion for the sufferings of others. And this can greatly increase your writing power.
#3 Stress Reliever
Yes, this is the main attraction for watching a musical. At least, it is for me.
Musicals exist in a time encrypted capsule. They transport you to another world, set in a perfect dimension where the characters come to life according to the specifications of the plot.
Everything is blended to perfection and the entire ensemble is bound to captivate you till you forget your momentary troubles. That is the whole point of the musical. It is more than a welcome distraction.
It is entering a time capsule where you are borne on a tide of emotions and experiences totally disparate with your own life. And that, my dear friend, can be a terrific stress reliever.
#4 Accelerates your Thinking Power
Yep, your brain becomes supercharged! Isn’t that wonderful?
Music alone has been known to unleash your brain power. But a musical is much more than that! It is a performance culture.
The entire cast would have been trained to perfection till they become one with that character they portray. And more importantly, the musical is nothing without audience participation.
The audience is meant to become one with the musical. Your claps, gasps and cries are like fodder to those emotion-starved performers. They thrive on it. The stage is as much yours as it is theirs.
When you watch a musical, you become part of it. And your brain capacity becomes supercharged when you begin to assimilate a new set of circumstances, struggles, challenges and failures. Their wistful yearnings and dreams will be a part of your own thoughts and you live vicariously through them.
Naturally, your own senses are highly charged and you will begin to think in ways you never had before. This becomes a natural progression of your thoughts. They will gain more depth and an enhanced quality will be the result.
The potential for unleashing your hidden strengths is endless. Musicals have their own charm and allure to develop parts of your brain you didn’t even know existed!
The entire performance is surreal and you would have transcended. Give it a try.
There is nothing like a live musical. It beats everything online anyway. You’ll see the difference.