Dating someone who doesn't like broadway musicals?

[Fiyero13]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:06pm

Hey I'm a guy and I am in love with musicals as are most people on this board and i'm thinking abotu dating this girl who doesn't like musicals and hasn't seen many...that's almost a deal breaker for me. Isn't it supposed to happen the other way around, the girl likes musicals and the guy doesn't...

wonder if anybody else has had this experience

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:11pm

I don't think that should stop you from dating her. That's like not dating a girl because she doesn't like sports.

[artscallion]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:12pm

My partner has zero interest in musicals. Fortunately he is always willing to go to them with me and is always glad that he has. The relationship works really well because I expose him to wonderful things that he would never think to seek out on his own. And I also benefit because his interests are in things It would never occur to me to seek out on my own. So, we enrich each other's lives through our differences.

The key is whether or not she's willing to support you in your interests by attending them with you.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:13pm

Well my experience comes from a black gay perspective. I was partners with another black man who didn't like musicals unless Patti LaBelle was in them or they were black oriented. (So there weren't a whole lot of shows for him to see). I ended up going alone. I wasn't going to miss out because he wouldn't go. All of my black gay friends used to call me "Miss White Woman" because I liked the theatre. I always told them, they had no clue what they were missing out on!

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:14pm

Fiyero- you should probably come out and date a guy that's into musicals too...I'm just kidding !!!

Seriously.... well you can always make her like the theater too! start wth something basic.. like ....a theatrical experience- Cirque du Soleil or Blue Man Group.

J*
Updated On: 11/21/07 at 03:14 PM

[roseaddams]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:14pm

My girlfriend doesn't really like musicals like I do -- she does have a passing interest, but nowhere near mine. It's not a big deal between us. There's plenty of other things we agree on and talk about.

If you really feel this is a big deal, though, find out what kind of music she does like, and find musicals in that genre to pique her interest. Then see what happens from there. But don't force musicals on her. Actually, don't force anything on her. If she doesn't like 'em, she doesn't like 'em. But I don't see why non-love of musicals should be a dealbreaker.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:20pm

I've never dated a guy who enjoyed musicals. Occasionally they would go to a show with me but I just made it clear early in the relationship that this was something I loved, that I wasn't going to force them to go see it, and that was that. I've never had any problems with it at all.

I might have had I tried to drag them with me all the time - I think that's where people make mistakes. Its healthy for couples to have seperate interests.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:42pm

This is interesting. If they don't like Musicals, I wouldn't force it on them. Nothing worse than having someone complain all of the time. If you can create your space and feel good about that then you have a good relationship. You don't have to like everything. As long as it doesn't become an issue and you have a trusting relationship. If it comes to the point that you don't have anything in common to talk about, then you might have some trouble in the long run of things because you might not be together much.

As long as you have a couple of hobbies you both enjoy, she should be lucky and hopefully she will find at least some kind of Musical she can stand without complaining. If not, try going to Plays together once in awhile. If she loves you, she will go sometimes just to be with you or appease you. Not all of the time. I didn't like boxing but I'd go once in awhile because I liked my boyfriend. I would use that time to do something I liked that he would rather not be doing instead. We still did a lot of other things together so it worked out most of the time.

________________________________________________________________

uncageg-

I'm sorry about your friends. I do believe more successful Black Artists need to invest into Musicals and Theatre. At least Oprah is trying to set an example that I hope more Producers will be inspired to follow. It also would be nice to see something a little more uplifting without too much trauma in it too. Until then though how can you avoid seeing something different? I love the variety so hopefully your example will spread to your other friends as well.

Aida should have a Black Director and largely a Black Production Crew to keep it more authentic. The Lion King, though I don't know the Production team, is doing great with a largely Black American Cast. So it proves that not only are the stories good but they are also profitable.

Personally, I don't feel we have too many Asian Productions and that is a rift I hope changes more in the future as well.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:57pm

Tkt2ARide -

It is nice that Oprah was a producer on Color Purple. But she had to be talked into it. And then, it became "her show". I really don't look to her as far as theatre is concerned. She doesn't feature it on her show. You don't see her at openings unless the show is black oriented. In my opinion, just about every show tells a story that people can understand. it doesn't have to be black or white. The show that started this with my then partner was "Sweeney Todd". He asked why should he see it. it was too white for him. So my response was if Patti LaBelle was making the meat pies and Cleavon Little was slicing the throats, you would see it? You would "understand it more". (This was for the 1st tour of the original production) Needless to say, we saw "Your Arms Too Short to Box With God" together. it shocked him that I broke down in tears a few times during the show. He said he didn't know that gospel music would do that to me. I said "it does, and now maybe you should see a show that I like. It may move you in some way". He and I are still best of friends and he has since seen a non-black show here in Denver on one of his many visits here.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 4:49pm

sorry for jacking your thread here-but it brought up another interesting topic here.

uncageg-

That is very good to hear about your friend. Sad about Oprah. She does lend her name up there for everyone to see on the marquees. If she talked too much about it, people would accuse her of doing it all for the money and taking the spotlight away from the real Stars of the show. So I think it is a delicate balance.

I would love to see Ben Vereen in almost anything. I would be overjoyed to see Pippin revived backed by Will and Jada Smith or the Wayans. Let's make Bill Cosby bend his wallet a little so that we can see some more great Black Actors on the Stage in something good. An original story would be even better! We do need to see more ethnic groups band together to create Production Companies that can compete on Broadway. It will only improve the Theatre and make it bigger and stronger than ever before.

Why Aida for example has taken so long to produce for Disney is a sad mystery to me. I would expect something also based on a Mayan Princess as well. Both would be beautiful and stunning if done well.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 5:27pm

My current (?? 7 years now) is repelled by musicals, opera or any film with content that goes beyond that of Adam Sandler. I'm still crazy about him and just make that anther part of my life. He's respectful of my interests and I try to be the same for his. 7 years is 7 years, can't argue with that. I guess the fact that he's drop-dead gorgeous helps.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 5:34pm

And I loved my former partner and still do. He is the number one love in my life. And I too think our differences are what kept us together. The only reason we broke up was because of where we both needed to live for our jobs. But we still talk every day. We started dating the week after I graduated high school and lived together for 7 years....and that was 28 years ago!

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 6:13pm

I think it's pretty sh!tty that whether or not she likes musicals is your deal breaker. So she doesn't like musicals, big deal. My ex loved football. I never understood the game. So he watched it, I did other things. It's really not a huge issue

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 6:15pm

i have to say that my partner of 5 years hated musicals, this was a HUGE problem because i work on stage for a living and he would never come and see me, needless to say we broke up and now im with a guy who LOVES musicals

[justafan2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 6:34pm

My husband doesn't really like musicals, but he'll go to some to basically appease me. If I choose carefully, he'll usually enjoy them---but I know when to stop pushing. If I really want to see other musicals (which I always do), I ask a friend to go. (In fact, many times, my husband will meet us for dinner afterward). I will then go to a sporting even he enjoys (which I really don't, but...). I guess the word is COMPROMISE.

[Mikey3]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 7:21pm

Well... as long as she doesn't HATE musicals...you should go for it.
Not like my partner, HATES musical... not nice to talk about ANYTHING about musicals.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 7:26pm

If you are having problems dating a girl who doesn't hold one of your interests, then either you aren't really in to her, or you have deeper issues that need to be addressed.