Awards season has always proven to be an exciting time, bringing fans of all different artistic mediums together to celebrate the best and worst of the previous year. While the Academy, Grammy and Emmy award ceremonies usually draw rather large crowds, the Tony and Olivier Awards have never found the same popularity. While it is an unfortunate fact that theatre and musicals do not have as large a fan base as film and television have, it has never been determined why that is the case. The most popular theory seems to be that stuffy old, family friendly musical theatre cannot possibly keep up with the high energy, confrontational ways of cinema. How can musicals possibly compete with the Breaking Bads and South Parks that television delivers night after night? Well, it may come to some as a surprise, but theatre has always been at the forefront of tackling confronting issues, with musicals being no different. If you spend just a little bit of time scouring musical history, one can discover a hidden treasure of graphic films, rocking soundtracks and offensive jokes to last a lifetime. Some of the greatest actors in history have been known for their extensive musical work, and modern comics are slowly discovering the freedom that this medium affords them. So, with the Academy and Olivier Awards floating in our recent memories, and the Tony Awards not far down the track, let's celebrate this years awards season with a quick look into the adult only underbelly of the musical world.
A writer, actor, teacher and musician from New South Wales, Australia. His first play/musical "Hipster Apocalypse: A Zombie Cabaret" will be hitting the stage in Wollongong, Australia later this year. If you have any questions or just want to chat, you can contact Bradley on Facebook, Twitter and Google+
