The show that has had the biggest impact on me is one I know none of you have heard of. It's WHILE CHILDHOOD SLEPT, a musical about the children of the Holocaust. Being able to perform in it was probably the greatest experience of my life and it taught me so much and helped me grow as an artist and as a human being.
THE COLOR PURPLE was such a beautifully touching show. Words can't even describe it. I was such a mess when I saw it... crying like crazy. And as a side note: you don't have to be black to enjoy it. I hate when people think that way or say that. I'm white, yet it was still a wonderful experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.
Even though BARE: A POP OPERA doesn't have the best score, and is a little over-dramatic, I liked it because of the subject matter. I relate to Peter, struggling with his mother, and the church... only not to the same extreme.
All of these shows deal with prejudice, racism, etc. and overcoming them. They're about keeping your dignity, discovering who you are, and accepting others for being themselves. As a homosexual, "in a world that's quick to judge" (I threw that in for all of you BARE fans) you because of your lifestyle, and as a person growing up around bigoted, close-minded people, I believe whole-heartedly in all of these things. I believe as artists, it is our job to communicate these morals through our work, and these three pieces attempt to do that.
"I believe that art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge one to think, to provoke, even to disturb, to engage in a constant search for the truth."
- Barbra Streisand