My dear friend, Liza, is a beautiful woman of Philippine decent. She is a kind soul who always wears what she calls her “happy shoes” in bold colors. However, as our friendship initially developed, one thing intrigued me about her — her passion for musical theater. She was always singing along to her favorite musical, reenacting her favorite scene, or looking forward to the next show coming to town. I had no previous exposure to musical theater, but the joy it brought her was something I wanted to share.
Before the success of Oprah Winfrey’s Broadway production of The Color Purple, the notion of musical theater was foreign to me. No one in my circle of peers had ever spoken of Les Miserables or Rent.
Cabaret was the first musical Liza invited me to see. Centering on the “nightlife” of the “KittyKat Klub,” the play takes the audience on an emotional journey through the eyes of those affected by the events of World War II. Although I was aware that Liza and I were perhaps the only Philippine and African-American in attendance, it did not matter. The performers on the stage captivated me, and I realized that theatrical performance provided a literal stage for discussing those issues of race and ethnicity that affected us on a national level. It taught lessons through lyrics and rhythmic recollection.
I soon found myself drawn to the jubilant lyrics, intrigued by her descriptions of outrageous characters and soon became a self-proclaimed fan.
Not long after we saw the ‘KittyKat Klub,” we attended a theater performance of "Rent, “which is a sentimental tale of survival and non-traditional relationships. When the musical came out on the big screen, Liza and I were first in line for our tickets. We played the soundtrack and celebrated our friendship by singing along and recounting our favorite scenes.
We followed with Les Miserables, Dreamgirls, and most recently, Wicked, which cleverly sends a message of what it is like to live life as the minority. It has become our affable tradition to look forward to the next “big show.” It matters not that we come from two different backgrounds, or that outside of each other, our circle of friends may not have that much in common. Through music, we find a way to connect to both our own cultural history, but that of others as well.