Welcome!

Hi everyone, my name’s Mica and I want to give you a big welcome to my stagey world! As my first blog post, I thought it’d be best to offer what you’ll expect from this blog along some (OK a lot of) insight about my musical theatre tastes.

What’s my favourite musical?

That changes every week, if not everyday!

What was the first musical I saw?

The Lion King when I was five. I still vividly remember all the incredible puppetry and sets, and it’s amazing to see how it’s still beloved by families today.

What’s my favourite musical theatre memory?

Attending the Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a once in a lifetime experience and felt like a culmination of my love for the show (plus I work with someone who was involved in the show)!

Which musical made me fall in love with theatre?

It’s always between Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera as I got into them at the same time. I’d watch the Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert on DVD non stop (yes, that’s how old I am), but seeing The Phantom of the Opera on stage for the first time completely blew me away!

If I could audition with any song, which would it be?

If I had the vocal chops, it’d probably be Heart Of Stone from Six or the & Juliet remix of That’s The Way It Is.

Do I prefer classic or modern musicals?

I like a mix of both and I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other as both have their own strengths. It’s interesting to see how theatre has evolved and how we can learn and grow from the past.

What’s my favourite musical movie?

I always have a soft spot for Moulin Rouge’s campy extravaganza, !

Do I stage door? If so, when did I start?

Yes, I like to stage door but I always respect an actor’s boundaries when doing so.

I remember the exact date and show: January 15th 2011 for the matinee performance of Les Miserables. Given that I met the likes of Samantha Barks, Norm Lewis and Simon Bowman on that day, it’s safe to say it was a big one to start with (and before anyone asks for any tea, they were all so kind and lovely).

What’s my strangest experience in a theatre?

I’ll share some in its own post some day, but the first one that pops into mind is the second time I went to see Pretty Woman when someone behind me full on whacked me in the head with their handbag. I ended up having to wear an ice pack throughout act one!

What’s my most underrated show?

There are so many shows that I find underrated, but especially anything in German language. The musicals produced across Austria and Germany, for example Elisabeth das Musical, Mozart and Tanz Der Vampire are honestly of the same caliber as big West End and Broadway shows and it’s sad to see them not get any attention in English language countries.

Have I ever seen more than one production of the same show?

Yes! I saw the Broadway productions of Waitress and Frozen while studying in New York and then I saw their West End productions when they transferred over.

What’s my biggest theatre pet peeve?

Mine is less to do with what happens onstage, but rather the audience. Lateness, having phones out, talking, (drunkenly) singing along and chewing loudly during a performance are big no-nos for me. The stories I have could be worth their own book!

What are my views on stunt casting?

That’s a tricky one for me. I used to be wholly against it, but if a celebrity fits a role and does it well, then it’s a great way for them to show their versatility and introduce a new audience to something they probably wouldn’t have watched beforehand. On the other hand, there are times where it can feel like a cynical cashgrab on the producer’s end, especially when the celebrity doesn’t fit a role or didn’t have enough time to train and prepare.

What are my thoughts on proshots?

I like them! They’re great if I’ve missed out on seeing a show or it’s too far away for me to go to. If anything, I think they encourage people to go and see a show because what makes theatre magic is that each individual performance is unique.

Let’s settle this once and for all: Is there such thing as a fake theatre kid?

Nope, and I don’t understand why this is still a discussion! If you’re normally not a theatre person and you find one show, even the most mainstream one, that you love, then you’re supporting an industry that needs more love and attention after all the trouble it has been through. Plus gatekeeping people because you know everything about theatre doesn’t make you better than anyone else.

Other than reviews, what else will I do on this blog?

Keep posted on my blog to see the latest stagey events, my opinions on the biggest theatre gossip, write fun gift guides and offer some other theatre tips and tricks that will help you on your next trip.

So that’s a little taste of me and what you’ll expect from my blog! If you want to see more of my fun stagey content, then hop over to my Instagram @micablackwell or Twitter MicaBlackwell_!