Musical/Play Conspiracy Theories?

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/7/20 at 5:34am

I feel Ike there should be an entire thread just for Pippin given the depth of the show in every corner of the show (see what I did there?), but what are your others? One that I have, and this may just be me being really slow in realizing this or maybe its a new thought, but that Mean Girls is literally a razzle-dazzle-ized retelling is the year in a slideshow (or a flashback, however sucks its through the theatrical Damians mind, thats why there is singing and dancing as well). The slideshow would explain the LED backdrop and the LED transitions, as they do remind me of a slideshow presentation (but like the fancy ones from Prezzy). I probably have more but given the time that I posted this And the fact that I still have yet to fall asleep, I leave my abstract mind in control. Anyways, what are yours?

P.S. Ive tried to find musical theatre conspiracies and I have found many, However maybe I didnt look hard enough.

[missthemountains]

Posted: 5/8/20 at 7:16pm

I feel like the term conspiracy theory doesn't quite apply--I think the term you're looking for is fan theories, (this is just me being pedantic). I've always enjoyed the theory that Rapunzel and the Witch are in a gay incestuous relationship, that one always feels fun to me.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/8/20 at 10:10pm

In You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Marcy says, "My Aunt Marian was right; never discuss marriage with a musician". What Marian in musical theatre is talking about marriage with a musician?

Marcy's Dad is Winthrop Paroo confirmed.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/8/20 at 10:14pm

I got a couple of these so buckle up:

Someone postulated that in In The Heights, the Piragua guy is really Usnavi if he went to the Dominican Republic at the end of the show and grew old there. The show is him remembering the block he grew up on, fantasizing what would have happened if he stayed.

I had a theory about Little Shop of Horrors that Seymour was a deranged schizophrenic, infatuated with his coworker (who is in an intense but healthy BDSM relationship with Orin), and hallucinates the plant telling him to kill people.

[Fan123]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 7:22am

In 'The Secret Garden', the garden is a place of healing and restoration for Mary and her family. But the fact remains that Lily died because a branch in that same garden broke while she was sitting on it. So... is the garden just playing the long game during the events of the musical, and is ultimately plotting an even more thorough destruction of the Craven/Lennox clan? (Yes, the garden is sentient in this theory.)

[fosterfan2]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 10:03am

Alex Kulak2 said: "InYou're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Marcy says, "My Aunt Marian was right; never discuss marriage with a musician". What Marian in musical theatre is talking about marriage with a musician?

Marcy's Dad is Winthrop Paroo confirmed."

That was Lucy. Marcy was Peppermint Patty's best friend and she wasn't in YAGMCB.

[cattails17]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 10:42am

I've heard so many really amazing ones, but I'll only say my favorite:
Maybe my favorite movie theory, but applies to Broadway because the show is on Broadway now. In Frozen, that Hans may not actually be evil, and that he was cursed by the trolls. At the beginning of the show, he seems very genuine, and he could just be acting to be with Anna, but he seems to actually like her. Later in the movie/show in Fixer-Upper, there are lines of the song that seem very suspicious. The trolls are trying to set Anna up with Kristoff, but learn she's engaged to Hans, and they say things like: "[Her engagement]'s a minor thing", "Her quote engagement is a flex arrangement", and "get the fiance out of the way and the whole thing will be fixed." Don't these sound kind of fishy? Then when she goes back is when Hans really shows that he's evil, which is kind of unexpected. We know the trolls can alter memories as well.

IDK I just love this theory.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/9/20 at 1:17pm

fosterfan2 said: "Alex Kulak2 said: "InYou're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Marcy says, "My Aunt Marian was right; never discuss marriage with a musician". What Marian in musical theatre is talking about marriage with a musician?

Marcy's Dad is Winthrop Paroo confirmed."

That was Lucy. Marcy was Peppermint Patty's best friend and she wasn't in YAGMCB."

Sorry, my Peanuts lore failed me this time.

[Alex M]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 3:07am

I’ve always thought about the idea that in Spelling Olives mom is actually pregnant with another mans baby. Which would explain her “9 month spiritual quest” and Olives dad taking out his anger on Olive that he wants to take out on her mother.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/10/20 at 9:57am

Alex M said: "I’ve always thought about the idea that in Spelling Olives mom is actually pregnant with another mans baby. Which would explain her “9 month spiritual quest” and Olives dad taking out his anger on Olive that he wants to take out on her mother."

That reminds of me of the theory that Corny Collins knocked up Fun-Lovin, Free-Wheelin' Brenda in Hairspray (who'll be gone for 9 months). In the movie, right before that scene, you can see her arguing with Corny in the background while pointing at her stomach.

[Fluffy 2]

Posted: 5/27/20 at 2:02pm

Alex M said: "I’ve always thought about the idea that in Spelling Olives mom is actually pregnant with another mans baby. Which would explain her “9 month spiritual quest” and Olives dad taking out his anger on Olive that he wants to take out on her mother."

Spelling Bee is one of my fave musicals and I never even thought about this, but it makes a ton of sense! When I played Leaf a little fan theory of mine was that he seems to get possessed when he spells because he can't believe that he would actually be smart enough to do that, so he copes by thinking he's being possessed.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/27/20 at 2:19pm

I always thought it was rehab. But HmmmMM!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/27/20 at 8:23pm

missthemountains said: "I feel like the term conspiracy theory doesn't quite apply--I think the term you're looking for is fan theories, (this is just me being pedantic). I've always enjoyed the theory that Rapunzel and the Witch are in a gay incestuous relationship, that one always feels fun to me."

I'm not picking on your post because I know you didn't start that theory.

But it's a great example--to me--of how "fan theories" usually make shows less interesting even when the theorist is trying to make his subject more profound.

One of the brilliant things about the writing of INTO THE WOODS is the way the parental relationship between Witch and Rapunzel is expressed with such strong erotic undertones! "What would have me be? Handsome as a prince? But I am old, I am ugly, I embarrass you! You are ashamed of me. You don't understand."

This eroticism between parent and child is consistent with Freud's and Bettelheim's concepts of sexuality lying beneath all human interaction. It gives both actresses subtext to play, and the Witch's virtual acknowledgement of her complex feelings is consistent with her refusal to "play nice" like humans.

An INTO THE WOODS where the Witch has literally been molesting her (adopted) daughter is just seamy, however ripped from the headlines. And what happens to our sympathy for the Witch's grief when her daughter is killed? I don't know about others, but I don't feel much empathy for pedophiles whose victims are taken from them.

[joevitus]

Posted: 5/27/20 at 8:54pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "
I had a theory aboutLittle Shop of Horrorsthat Seymour was a deranged schizophrenic, infatuated with his coworker (who is in an intense but healthy BDSM relationship with Orin), and hallucinates the plant telling him to kill people."

I think this is flat out brilliant. 

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/27/20 at 9:33pm

joevitus said: "Alex Kulak2 said: "
I had a theory aboutLittle Shop of Horrorsthat Seymour was a deranged schizophrenic, infatuated with his coworker (who is in an intense but healthy BDSM relationship with Orin), and hallucinates the plant telling him to kill people."

I think this is flat out brilliant."

If my dream comes true and Scott Rudin gives me a blank check to produce this on Broadway, Seymour is gonna operate the puppet himself, a la Hand to God.