This song makes me cry every time without fail, George embodies social anxiety and panic attacks so well for me and it gets me so hard. I relate to him and all the small details like the picking at the bath or the hand fidgeting adds to this performance. I can’t even explain how much I love this song
Agreed! Some comments here dont like me giving him different suggestions or intentions, but I only spend A LOT of time on the songs I love. And this is def one of them!
The context for this song is he hid in the bathroom, as he wasn't invited to the party, and confronted Jeremy when he came in. Jeremy, of his own free will, called Michael, his only friend for the longest time, a loser. This led to Michael reflecting on what has happened and eventually having a panic attack. Edit: also this bathroom is in a rich kids house. I can only imagine how big this bathroom is. I doubt it's a small one. It's probably oversized. And he has probably moved away from the door, since the bathtub was taken offstage. To me that implies he moved to a different part of the bathroom
@@austinjohnson2936 That what happens when you received a lot of hate from certain people about this musical and joined them hating it as well. Bandwagon Effect at its finest. The fact that he overlooked this pretty small context from the show means something. Please send this dude the link to BMC's slime tutorial.
I disagree with the earlier acting directions. Michael hadn't just locked himself in the bathroom; he had been in there for a while when Jeremy stumbled into him. He had been sitting in his isolation for a while, and then he had an argument with his best friend that shocked him into that disassociated state common in a lot of people with anxiety and depression. The way George and the directors mapped out the early onset through the crescendo of a panic attack really resonated with me. The quiet notions of the internalized panic that's sometimes hard to look at because you've disassociated from your body, coming back in slowly through small moments like the 'picking at grout' line. "No you can't come in," isn't at anyone physically at the door or the audience, it's at all of his peers he's trying to keep emotionally distant from his vulnerability, because his panic is making him feel like he's constantly being scrutinized. i guess i had more to say on this than i thought i did lol
Right? I feel like he's either not aware of what this song is about or is trying to rationalise person with panic attack. Like you can't just take song about character having panic attack and analyse it without making research about panic attacks and social anxiety it's just ignorant
Exactly!! He kept saying he would want Michael to act in ways that a drunk teen in the middle of a panic attack would not act. Maybe a sober adult would focus on one spot with his gaze, but when panicking, generally someone would be unfocused and discombobulated.
Thank you for the comment Keiku - yea looks like you had a bit to say there, but I'm glad you did. At the end of the day (for me), I'd like to see a little more character depth thats all. As i've said in a pervious comment: a composer wouldn't write a four minute number just to convey that the character is having a panic attack.
@@MarcDanielPatrick But is that not what they did? Michael was having a panic attack in a bathroom, and they wrote a song to explore that. My understanding is that the one of the biggest points of songs in musical theater is convey the insight into the emotional depth of a story. A panic attack is the grandest form of emotional anxiety, so why shouldn't a composer write a four minute number about having one? As someone with anxiety, all I'm saying is that I can see every aspect of having a panic attack displayed wonderfully with this number. One of the most effective parts of which is the quiet disassociation displayed at the start of the number.
The 'no you can't come in' feels like a self pitying joke to me. Like making fun of the fact he's hidden himself in a bathroom that someone will 100% eventually need to use. Also the bath gets pulled away before he goes for the door so I'm pretty sure he's moved from where he was. I guess it's a pretty big bathroom 😋
That and before the song people had already tried to get in right before the song starts in the show. This review took this scene out of a lot of context.
Usually I do agree with you, but in the context of the show (and what George himself has said), Michael is having a panic attack and this is what *mentally* is going on He’s freaking the hell out and having a panic attack and doesn’t know what to do George said he based it on his own experiences with anxiety and panic attacks 💕
Thanks for the comment Hannah. I think (for me) you cannot have an entire song that sits on just one note of "having a panic attack". There still needs to be levels of introspection and clarity. To that point, I have seen other performances of his where he does come at the song from a more internal place - instead of panic from start to finish. Entirely just my opinion however.
@@MarcDanielPatrick i understand that a panic might seem like a one note for a song and needs clarity, but I have had panic attacks and know that there is no clarity you can't focus as well as the panic isn't simple its a downward spiral. So I respectfully disagree with you, I believe the actors movements make sense as much as a panic attack makes sense
React to George Salazar singing another terrible day or tree on the hill from the lightning thief. They have quite some talking in the middle, but if you listen to them back to back, you might not realize it’s the same actor. Those two songs perfectly show George’s versatility as an actor
I get your points about things like where the door is and such, but this is from the press session which is where the staging and set isn't fully established yet so there are always changes between this stage and the previews as well as changes between previews and the final show so it may have been that the full staging wasn't yet determined at this point
This song is purposefully emulating a panic attack, and in my experience, you'll constantly be looking around, hence the scanning of the room/audience. Every action makes really calls to what it feels like to have a panic attack. It may not be the best technical performance but it really catches the emotions you experience in a panic attack for me, especially one like this where you cannot remove yourself from the situation. For me, it's the song that elicits the strongest emotional response in me, even more that Waving Through A Window and A Little Fall of Rain. I really enjoyed hearing you react to my favorite song and hearing these technical bits that I wouldn't think about normally though! :)
I appreciate Marc and all of his videos and for the most part i agree, however i don’t think he understands the context of this song.. he isn’t locked in the bathroom and freaking out because he’s locked there. he’s having a panic attack because his only friend called him a loser at this huge party. i would like if marc looked at this with the actual context
I feel like this feedback would be great if Michael wasn't character with social anxiety. This song is about panic attack, he doesn't need to think about why he is in the bathroom because in that moment it's his safe place away from people. It's not like he is tired of people and does not want to talk to them, It's like he can't because he feels like he's gonna die. He feels like whole world is crashing down so it really doesn't matter where doors are because at that moment they are all around him. Panic attacks are not normal that's why this song shouldn't be analyzed like a normal character song.
Thanks for the comment. You very well might be right. Just for me as an audience member I dont want to watch an entire number that only hits one note "I'm having a panic attack". A composer wouldn't develop a four minute number just to communicate one five words.
2:08 I get that, 100%, but in the play Jeremy enters the bathroom, and Micheal’s already in the tub, meaning he’s probably been there for a while already, and is passed that stage and just in self pity
Listening to George Salazar made me think of The Lightning Theif Musical. I would highly recommend reacting to anything for that musical. Just another Terrible Day, Good Kid, Strong all amazing songs the show is a little juvenile but its meant to me as its an adaptation of a middle grade book series but still Hilarious and the actors are amazingly talented
By far one of my favorite songs, and as someone who wishes to be a theatre major, this is really interesting! I love how in depth you go with these videos, it feels like I’m apart of a great class!
I actually think that having a lot of continuity in this particular situation wouldn't make sense, I've had experiences with panicking in such a fashion, while I don't think I have actual panick attacks, the spiraling of thoughts and all the small things you'll try to latch onto, just... SOMETHING other than this dread is something I'm very familiar with. He gets sidetracked by certain thoughts or by the girl singing, only for his brain to find a way to twist it into something negative. I also don't think that Michael is angry at Jeremy, he already went through that before, he's kind of going through the five stages of grief, earlier in the musical he was almost in denial about Jeremy possibly hurting him on purpose. Then, the confrontation happens, Jeremy, very distressed runs into the bathroom and due to alcohol deactivating the SQUIP finally has a conversation with Micheal. In that scene, while Micheal is (rightfully) angry, even mentioning that he wrote a whole monologue about his anger but pushes it aside for the sake of trying to warn Jeremy about the SQUIP, leading to Jeremy accusing him of being jealous, etc. Eventually it escalates, and Jeremy turns to leave but Michael stops him. Cue the iconic exchange: J: "Move it!" M: "Or you'll what??" J: "Get out of my way, loser" In that moment, Jeremy is completely in control, tipsy enough to turn off the SQUIP but sober enough to have an actual, logical conversation, and Micheal knows this. Imagine your best and basically only friend - of 12 years may I add - calls you a loser, knowing full well that it'll hurt you, in Micheals' eyes one of the most important people in his life, thinks of him as basically worthless. After Jeremy is outside Michael sits down to process what just happened, he just isn't angry anymore, just... hurt. The first few lines actually strike me as trying to ground yourself, I'm in a bathroom, at this party but it backfires because he immediately remembers why he is in that situation. When a person so important to you that's usually super nice to you suddenly calls you a loser, that's going to feed into all your insecurities, especially because Michael probably has some issues with Anxiety/ depression anyway, and his only anker of hope just decided to not only leave him, but actively put him down. This song actually expands our understanding of Michael as a person and reinforces how ridiculously important and meaningful his friendship with Jeremy truly was. It shows us insecurities that have been buried, Michael managed to convince everyone, probably including himself, that he didn't care about his social status, that he actually enjoyed being able to just do him because, it can't really get worse. But now we see that all this only worked for him because he had Jeremy with him, he always had one person he knew would catch him and without that security, suddenly others matter because otherwise he's on his own. The point is, the song wasn't intended to be easy and clear to understand because panick attacks and break downs are hard and no matter how many exercises you know in that moment you're often just too overwhelmed to actually use them. Any kind of clarity in the song would give it a way to calm down and then we would slowly start to ebb out of the spiral because there's this one thing that you can cling to, but Michael is in a boring or maybe even slightly intimidating bathroom, there's nothing that he could easily shift his focus on, even if he was able to concentrate, the only thing he can do is pick at grout, keep his breathing as normal as possible and try his best to calm down. There's also a couple of lines that can be interpreted as self deprecating humor/ or just trying to cope by being sarcastic, which are actually kind of relatable, since sometimes such comments/thoughts can give me a small positive thing but it's a very thin line between that positive effect and unintentionally reinforcing the idea that you are somehow not good enough in your subconscious. Also, the last two lines are quite literally an embodiment of his core issue, imo: "And all you know about me is my name", again, that innate desire to belong to have a safety net outside of his parents, he is also seemingly split on who to blame, clearly, people thinking they know him after a few conversations, when truthfully they just know that his name is Michael, I also feel like "my name" can also refer to who he is to a random outsider: "some nerdy teenager that's too chill not to be a stoner", isn't really his fault "but what if his carelessness made it impossible for him to ever outlive that reputation, what if it's his fault? Maybe he truly is just a loser, I mean his closest friend thinks that, so it's probably true." Stuff like that probably went through his mind, similar to how verbally abusive parents can install a belief that one is less than, simply because the people they should trust the most said so and why would someone who cares about you say something like that unless they know it's true? And finally "Awesome party, I'm so glad I came" is obviously a sarcastic and also kinda bitter comment on how he showed up without being invited just to sit in the bathroom and eat and later, be a emotional mess.
i’d love to see you watch George Salazar and Mj Rodriguez’s version of Suddenly Seymour! It’s one of the best versions of the song i’ve heard, especially since Mj being a trans woman gives the song so much more meaning
Giving criticism does not imply dislike. You must not be in the dance/musical theatre world. My girls hear over and over corrections are a gift. Otherwise you’d never improve.
YESSS I never got to see it live (had a friend with a good bootleg) but it was so good. But I got to go see Andy on the Wicked tour and Alex in DEH when I went to New York and with both of them I semi-screamed about how much I loved DWSA. 😅
I honestly love your feedback so much. I was a bit upset when you started to criticize it because how could you possibly nit pick this scene of pure brilliance but you gave some amazing incite on why you should nit pick these things and tune them up.
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I see a lot of people talking about his actions, but this was a press performance so he's playing to the cameras as well, while also performing as the character. It's definitely a different vibe from when I saw the show live. I know I'm late, but sadly we don't have a pro shot to get your thoughts on a full show bc id love to hear your thoughts for a show where he's not playing for the press
I would actually really love to hear a performance you have done that you critique. I would love to see an example of how to be non biased when judging your own performance because what we hear when we sing is not what others hear.
This review is very nice because some people just focus on his voice or just the acting and not how it all comes together in a play. With every reaction, I learn something new about musicals thanks to you.
I'm always so thankful for your thoughtful reactions to musical theatre! I'd be super interested to hear what you'd have to say of Glenn Close performing "As If We Never Said Goodbye" at ALW's birthday celebration.
Absolutely agree. The show falls short in regard to its potential, but this song is to Be More Chill what Memory is to Cats; it’s the highlight of the show, and arguably all some people care about in each show.
Wait this show isn't about how awful the teenage years are? That's what I thought it was about and the different ways people deal with it *caveat haven't actually seen it. I just feel like it makes me feel like going to my old high school and just screaming in the hallways. Also MAYBE its a Jack and Jill bathroom
Yes! In my humble opinion, it’s more of an AU fanfic- but my lord the music is SO GOOD. I hope he reacts to Ramin’s Till I Hear You Sing, maybe Sierra’s Love Never Dies, and honestly anything.
@@user-jl6mv8of4r Yes!!! I love Ramin’s Til I Hear You Sing and his The Beauty Underneath, but if he was going to react it would be to the Australian film version with Ben Lewis :(
Michael did in fact not lock himself in the bathroom because he didn't want to talk to anyone. He's locked in there because he wanted to stop his friend from ruining his own life, but said best friend didn't want to here any of it and called him a loser before leaving. Michael in the Bathroom is a song about the literal panic attack that insues after 12 years of friendship was dropped like nothing. He just happens to be in a bathroom at a party.
Can you do a review of Company, the 2006 revival with Raul Esparaza? In that revival, actors were also part of the orchestra so they played instruments while singing, dancing and acting on stage. The songs 'Company', 'Drive a Person Crazy' or 'Side by Side' are good examples. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this format. Thank you!
"I'm sorry I keep making these videos so long." I could listen to you and watch your videos all day long. I think you're great. Just keep doing your thing 😊
If I remember correctly when I saw it on Broadway they actually had the door on wheels and moved it around to add to the panic. But my memory might be fuzzy
I would absolutely love to see you cover the 5th Avenue performance of “Made of Stone” or “Out There” from their deaf version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. Something about ASL theater always hits home for me, and the addition of sign language is beautiful, and I’d love to hear your opinion on it. Here’s a link! ruclips.net/video/vh_qPOHrDOA/видео.html
I’m kinda late, but I agree in some points with you. Despite of the anxiety the song and performance touch, there are some things to remark, it’s not anxiety 100%. Great video!
That's just plain nitpicking. That explains a lot since you don't like this musical in the first place. You can't just instruct every movement of an actor in a performance. That's what makes it theirs and theirs alone. You're the only one who I've seen reacted like a rock to this song. You also noticed the" No, you can't come in" part. We obviously know that we are not the ones he's referring to. We're the audience, Jesus. I mean if you know the context, you'll never ask these lame questions.
@8:57 yeah, he kinda went off-key, and honestly one of the first times I've ever heard him go off-key! :0 Also, I thought he was looking for the bathtub and I'm still not sure what happened there.
This is very cool...I'm learning about lots of new musicals, and watching musicals in new ways. I would love to see you analyze Chris Colfer doing one of - The Boy Next Door or Jazz Hot or Defying Gravity (with Lea Michelle)
I love Les Mis and Phantom and Hamilton as much as the next theater geek, but it is refreshing to see something different here. I am not as familiar with this piece, and this a very enjoyable introduction to it. It may be that I “don’t fit in” (haha) to your subscriber group because I’m not looking for a song to do at an audition. I’m just super appreciative of the musical genre, and have fond memories of theater from days long since past. Anyway, not telling you what to do, but I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these less-epic hit musical pieces in the future.
Ive never really gotten into this musical but this was a great video as always! Please do letter from the refuge from newsies or really any song from newsies please I’m playing and crutchie an would like some help with the part
Abby trout i remember that now! It was great but doesn’t help me learn my part and Andrew Keenan Bolgers rendition of letter from the refuge is my fav performance from the show
Hi Marc, I just recently discovered this song on YT and hearing your comments, makes sense. Although George's performance here is great but there are moments where I found it a little bit "too much" maybe because of his actions or the tiny details you've mentioned. For example, the "layering" of the song, or where does the door really located? But I'm not diminishing the fact the he is a great performer. I also understand that when you're in a theater, movements are supposed to be big to expressed emotions clearly.
This song slaps. But it makes me sad cause it reminds me of my late best friend. George salazar is a King his work in the lightning thief musical is *so* good
Great choice, Marc! I felt exactly the same way about the show's weaknesses, but I do absolutely LOVE this song (and the final version was on repeat for me for days when it was making the rounds on the Internet). I wonder -- do you know where/when in the rehearsal process this was? Had it been blocked, etc.? Because I was distracted by the same things -- George plays to three different directions on where the "door" is (and -- confusingly -- so do his castmates), and it feels sloppy versus intentional -- but then again, this may have been really early in rehearsals. I also prefer his final performance choice -- that he pulls himself together with "Awesome party, I'm so glad I came," versus here, where it feels overwrought. But George is amazing in this role, and deserves all the accolades he got for it.
I know this was done for the "press" day to promote the show, thats all. I have seen other versions that are tighter and hit a much different emotional note - so maybe this was early on?
@@MarcDanielPatrick Thanks, Marc! I was really curious because it does feel a bit rough around the edges, and that has its own charm, but I was curious if (for instance) blocking was still a bit fluid at this point, etc. It's such a great number regardless, and I'm so glad you reviewed and analyzed it!
I don't know if you still read comments on videos posted this long ago. However, if you do, you should watch and critique Caleb Hyles version of this song. It's pretty incredible.
Great constructive critique! When a performer is talented, as George is, it's fun to move on from teaching the fundamentals to working on characterization and intention. I like to liken it to a ballet class: corrections are a good thing. They mean a teacher sees the potential to be great.
Marc, I so much look forward to each of your videos. I am having a difficult time liking George Salazar. I'm trying but it's not working. I find his voice pinched and spread as if there is no room to sing higher. I just don't care for the color of his voice as I prefer a more focused voice with more of a ring. Also his performance, for me, seemed forced trying to become this character that is not convincing. I'm sure others may differ. Perhaps we each have the type of voice we prefer. Marc, I would really love for you to make three vocal comparisons with Patti Lupone, Betty Buckley and Glenn Close singing With One Look from Sunset Boulevard. I had seen and heard Patii ( in London) and Betty (in NY) and I had heard Glenn at the Tony's. Would be curious what you thought about these three as singers and yes, I have a definite favorite. Thank you as always!
Ok, but like, I don’t think you understand the context of this song very well, which makes this video a little hard to watch. Not tryna be rude, just saying. But I liked some of your points!
Not rude at all. I very much understand the context of the song, I would just like him to approach some areas differently and with a little more character depth.
personally, this is the only song from be more chill i listen to. i’m not a massive fan of the story or the other music, and it’s honestly a shame cause of how talented everyone involved is. the only thing that i actually disagree with you on is the door thing. based on my understanding, michael has locked himself in the bathroom and is experiencing a panic attack coupled with sensory overload. as someone who experiences both quite regularly, i usually feel like the walls are starting to close in on me, along with everything being too loud and generally too much. i think they were trying to replicate this by having the ensemble on stage close in on michael. just a thought though, i could be completely wrong.
I can't wait for the day George Salazar is in a big-name popular musical and everyone starts to understand just how amazing he is :)
Ugh I know right
We're seeing that soon enough !! He's got such HUUUGE potential
Isn't it BMC popular though?
George Salazar is a cinnamon roll, and a great singer and actor, I just love him
Godspell is pretty damn big of a name.
This song makes me cry every time without fail, George embodies social anxiety and panic attacks so well for me and it gets me so hard. I relate to him and all the small details like the picking at the bath or the hand fidgeting adds to this performance. I can’t even explain how much I love this song
Agreed! Some comments here dont like me giving him different suggestions or intentions, but I only spend A LOT of time on the songs I love. And this is def one of them!
Uh... buddy, you might wanna reread what you wrote xD
@@pencilRC1 Late to the party, but I saw the same thing and did a double take.
@@ethanhinkle683 I don’t remember making this comment and it’s much worse than I thought
@@pencilRC1 😂😂
The context for this song is he hid in the bathroom, as he wasn't invited to the party, and confronted Jeremy when he came in. Jeremy, of his own free will, called Michael, his only friend for the longest time, a loser. This led to Michael reflecting on what has happened and eventually having a panic attack.
Edit: also this bathroom is in a rich kids house. I can only imagine how big this bathroom is. I doubt it's a small one. It's probably oversized. And he has probably moved away from the door, since the bathtub was taken offstage. To me that implies he moved to a different part of the bathroom
Yeah i have no clue where he gets the idea that the song is about someone going "oh shit i just locked myself in the bathroom, how do i get out?"
@@austinjohnson2936 What?
Austin Johnson HAHAHAHAHA imagine if that’s what actually happened
@@austinjohnson2936 That what happens when you received a lot of hate from certain people about this musical and joined them hating it as well. Bandwagon Effect at its finest. The fact that he overlooked this pretty small context from the show means something. Please send this dude the link to BMC's slime tutorial.
I love how Jake's be relegated to "rich kid".
I disagree with the earlier acting directions. Michael hadn't just locked himself in the bathroom; he had been in there for a while when Jeremy stumbled into him. He had been sitting in his isolation for a while, and then he had an argument with his best friend that shocked him into that disassociated state common in a lot of people with anxiety and depression. The way George and the directors mapped out the early onset through the crescendo of a panic attack really resonated with me. The quiet notions of the internalized panic that's sometimes hard to look at because you've disassociated from your body, coming back in slowly through small moments like the 'picking at grout' line. "No you can't come in," isn't at anyone physically at the door or the audience, it's at all of his peers he's trying to keep emotionally distant from his vulnerability, because his panic is making him feel like he's constantly being scrutinized.
i guess i had more to say on this than i thought i did lol
Right? I feel like he's either not aware of what this song is about or is trying to rationalise person with panic attack. Like you can't just take song about character having panic attack and analyse it without making research about panic attacks and social anxiety it's just ignorant
Exactly!! He kept saying he would want Michael to act in ways that a drunk teen in the middle of a panic attack would not act. Maybe a sober adult would focus on one spot with his gaze, but when panicking, generally someone would be unfocused and discombobulated.
Thank you for the comment Keiku - yea looks like you had a bit to say there, but I'm glad you did. At the end of the day (for me), I'd like to see a little more character depth thats all. As i've said in a pervious comment: a composer wouldn't write a four minute number just to convey that the character is having a panic attack.
@@MarcDanielPatrick But is that not what they did? Michael was having a panic attack in a bathroom, and they wrote a song to explore that. My understanding is that the one of the biggest points of songs in musical theater is convey the insight into the emotional depth of a story. A panic attack is the grandest form of emotional anxiety, so why shouldn't a composer write a four minute number about having one? As someone with anxiety, all I'm saying is that I can see every aspect of having a panic attack displayed wonderfully with this number. One of the most effective parts of which is the quiet disassociation displayed at the start of the number.
@@keikustar I agree! I have quite a few panic attacks in the bathroom as well so it resonates... very well with me
The 'no you can't come in' feels like a self pitying joke to me. Like making fun of the fact he's hidden himself in a bathroom that someone will 100% eventually need to use. Also the bath gets pulled away before he goes for the door so I'm pretty sure he's moved from where he was. I guess it's a pretty big bathroom 😋
EXACTLY
That and before the song people had already tried to get in right before the song starts in the show. This review took this scene out of a lot of context.
Great comments.
Usually I do agree with you, but in the context of the show (and what George himself has said), Michael is having a panic attack and this is what *mentally* is going on
He’s freaking the hell out and having a panic attack and doesn’t know what to do
George said he based it on his own experiences with anxiety and panic attacks 💕
Thanks for the comment Hannah. I think (for me) you cannot have an entire song that sits on just one note of "having a panic attack". There still needs to be levels of introspection and clarity. To that point, I have seen other performances of his where he does come at the song from a more internal place - instead of panic from start to finish. Entirely just my opinion however.
@@MarcDanielPatrick understandable :)
@@MarcDanielPatrick i understand that a panic might seem like a one note for a song and needs clarity, but I have had panic attacks and know that there is no clarity you can't focus as well as the panic isn't simple its a downward spiral. So I respectfully disagree with you, I believe the actors movements make sense as much as a panic attack makes sense
React to George Salazar singing another terrible day or tree on the hill from the lightning thief. They have quite some talking in the middle, but if you listen to them back to back, you might not realize it’s the same actor. Those two songs perfectly show George’s versatility as an actor
It took me so long to realize that they were played the same actor!
wow i agree, i almost can't see george in another terrible day
I'm not a fan of the entire musical at all, but I'm totally obsessed with this song because of George Salazar's voice! Loved your analysis too!
There's a video of Andrew Barth Feldman, before he became a Broadway star, singing it, and he just kills it.
I love the little hand ticks he does. It’s a small thing that people might do if you’re anxious. Such a nice touch.
I get your points about things like where the door is and such, but this is from the press session which is where the staging and set isn't fully established yet so there are always changes between this stage and the previews as well as changes between previews and the final show so it may have been that the full staging wasn't yet determined at this point
George Salazar and MJ Rodriguez doing Suddenly Seymour on James Corden's show would be a GREAT follow up to this
Yes, I agree! Please please please
Oh yeah I really like it. I discovered that musical because of them.
Yes!!!!
I am so protective of this song and performer, but you had great notes! I am sure this will be helpful for anyone who wants to perform it.
I really love the way you analyse the how George sings the song, but you clearly didn´t look up the whole context of the scene.
This song is purposefully emulating a panic attack, and in my experience, you'll constantly be looking around, hence the scanning of the room/audience. Every action makes really calls to what it feels like to have a panic attack. It may not be the best technical performance but it really catches the emotions you experience in a panic attack for me, especially one like this where you cannot remove yourself from the situation. For me, it's the song that elicits the strongest emotional response in me, even more that Waving Through A Window and A Little Fall of Rain. I really enjoyed hearing you react to my favorite song and hearing these technical bits that I wouldn't think about normally though! :)
I appreciate Marc and all of his videos and for the most part i agree, however i don’t think he understands the context of this song.. he isn’t locked in the bathroom and freaking out because he’s locked there. he’s having a panic attack because his only friend called him a loser at this huge party. i would like if marc looked at this with the actual context
I feel like this feedback would be great if Michael wasn't character with social anxiety. This song is about panic attack, he doesn't need to think about why he is in the bathroom because in that moment it's his safe place away from people. It's not like he is tired of people and does not want to talk to them, It's like he can't because he feels like he's gonna die. He feels like whole world is crashing down so it really doesn't matter where doors are because at that moment they are all around him. Panic attacks are not normal that's why this song shouldn't be analyzed like a normal character song.
Thanks for the comment. You very well might be right. Just for me as an audience member I dont want to watch an entire number that only hits one note "I'm having a panic attack". A composer wouldn't develop a four minute number just to communicate one five words.
I was just scrolling through RUclips thinking, “man.I should suggest that Marc reacts to this.”
2:08
I get that, 100%, but in the play Jeremy enters the bathroom, and Micheal’s already in the tub, meaning he’s probably been there for a while already, and is passed that stage and just in self pity
Would love to see you do "Good Kid" from The Lighting Thief The Percy Jackson Musical by Chris McCarrell
Listening to George Salazar made me think of The Lightning Theif Musical. I would highly recommend reacting to anything for that musical. Just another Terrible Day, Good Kid, Strong all amazing songs the show is a little juvenile but its meant to me as its an adaptation of a middle grade book series but still Hilarious and the actors are amazingly talented
Good kid is such a bop I love it. So fun to sing
Please do a reaction to "Wait for me" from Hadestown
By far one of my favorite songs, and as someone who wishes to be a theatre major, this is really interesting! I love how in depth you go with these videos, it feels like I’m apart of a great class!
Aww, thanks so much.
I've been obsessing over george salazar for a while now
Arent we all
I actually think that having a lot of continuity in this particular situation wouldn't make sense, I've had experiences with panicking in such a fashion, while I don't think I have actual panick attacks, the spiraling of thoughts and all the small things you'll try to latch onto, just... SOMETHING other than this dread is something I'm very familiar with. He gets sidetracked by certain thoughts or by the girl singing, only for his brain to find a way to twist it into something negative. I also don't think that Michael is angry at Jeremy, he already went through that before, he's kind of going through the five stages of grief, earlier in the musical he was almost in denial about Jeremy possibly hurting him on purpose. Then, the confrontation happens, Jeremy, very distressed runs into the bathroom and due to alcohol deactivating the SQUIP finally has a conversation with Micheal. In that scene, while Micheal is (rightfully) angry, even mentioning that he wrote a whole monologue about his anger but pushes it aside for the sake of trying to warn Jeremy about the SQUIP, leading to Jeremy accusing him of being jealous, etc. Eventually it escalates, and Jeremy turns to leave but Michael stops him. Cue the iconic exchange:
J: "Move it!"
M: "Or you'll what??"
J: "Get out of my way, loser"
In that moment, Jeremy is completely in control, tipsy enough to turn off the SQUIP but sober enough to have an actual, logical conversation, and Micheal knows this. Imagine your best and basically only friend - of 12 years may I add - calls you a loser, knowing full well that it'll hurt you, in Micheals' eyes one of the most important people in his life, thinks of him as basically worthless. After Jeremy is outside Michael sits down to process what just happened, he just isn't angry anymore, just... hurt. The first few lines actually strike me as trying to ground yourself, I'm in a bathroom, at this party but it backfires because he immediately remembers why he is in that situation. When a person so important to you that's usually super nice to you suddenly calls you a loser, that's going to feed into all your insecurities, especially because Michael probably has some issues with Anxiety/ depression anyway, and his only anker of hope just decided to not only leave him, but actively put him down. This song actually expands our understanding of Michael as a person and reinforces how ridiculously important and meaningful his friendship with Jeremy truly was. It shows us insecurities that have been buried, Michael managed to convince everyone, probably including himself, that he didn't care about his social status, that he actually enjoyed being able to just do him because, it can't really get worse. But now we see that all this only worked for him because he had Jeremy with him, he always had one person he knew would catch him and without that security, suddenly others matter because otherwise he's on his own.
The point is, the song wasn't intended to be easy and clear to understand because panick attacks and break downs are hard and no matter how many exercises you know in that moment you're often just too overwhelmed to actually use them. Any kind of clarity in the song would give it a way to calm down and then we would slowly start to ebb out of the spiral because there's this one thing that you can cling to, but Michael is in a boring or maybe even slightly intimidating bathroom, there's nothing that he could easily shift his focus on, even if he was able to concentrate, the only thing he can do is pick at grout, keep his breathing as normal as possible and try his best to calm down.
There's also a couple of lines that can be interpreted as self deprecating humor/ or just trying to cope by being sarcastic, which are actually kind of relatable, since sometimes such comments/thoughts can give me a small positive thing but it's a very thin line between that positive effect and unintentionally reinforcing the idea that you are somehow not good enough in your subconscious.
Also, the last two lines are quite literally an embodiment of his core issue, imo: "And all you know about me is my name", again, that innate desire to belong to have a safety net outside of his parents, he is also seemingly split on who to blame, clearly, people thinking they know him after a few conversations, when truthfully they just know that his name is Michael, I also feel like "my name" can also refer to who he is to a random outsider: "some nerdy teenager that's too chill not to be a stoner", isn't really his fault "but what if his carelessness made it impossible for him to ever outlive that reputation, what if it's his fault? Maybe he truly is just a loser, I mean his closest friend thinks that, so it's probably true." Stuff like that probably went through his mind, similar to how verbally abusive parents can install a belief that one is less than, simply because the people they should trust the most said so and why would someone who cares about you say something like that unless they know it's true?
And finally "Awesome party, I'm so glad I came" is obviously a sarcastic and also kinda bitter comment on how he showed up without being invited just to sit in the bathroom and eat and later, be a emotional mess.
i’d love to see you watch George Salazar and Mj Rodriguez’s version of Suddenly Seymour! It’s one of the best versions of the song i’ve heard, especially since Mj being a trans woman gives the song so much more meaning
Man, I feel like Marc has a personal vendetta against George Salazar. Lol
Yes, seriously!
Couldn't be further from the truth, but ah well.
Giving criticism does not imply dislike. You must not be in the dance/musical theatre world. My girls hear over and over corrections are a gift. Otherwise you’d never improve.
Also, I’m going to keep begging you to react to the deaf west production of spring awakening!
YESSS I never got to see it live (had a friend with a good bootleg) but it was so good. But I got to go see Andy on the Wicked tour and Alex in DEH when I went to New York and with both of them I semi-screamed about how much I loved DWSA. 😅
@@kated2147 the entire cast is just *chefs kiss*
Yes, this.
I honestly love your feedback so much. I was a bit upset when you started to criticize it because how could you possibly nit pick this scene of pure brilliance but you gave some amazing incite on why you should nit pick these things and tune them up.
Hope you can forgive me... lol
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I think this is the most times Marc has commented negatively on a musical. But, I also agree with all of the points.
I love your videos they teach me so much! Thank you so much:)
I love your analysis and appreciate longer, more detailed videos--so no apologies needed for me, at least!
Thank you Rachel
I've never heard of this performer or show, but there is something so compelling about this song. We've all been there.... or will be.
Hey andrew barth feldman from dear evan hansen did a cover of this and i thought it was amazing. You should check it out!
Video link?
Here ruclips.net/video/pZgyavnjpWY/видео.html
I love this song and musical! This was basically me in high school!
And this is basically me in college. Lol.
I see a lot of people talking about his actions, but this was a press performance so he's playing to the cameras as well, while also performing as the character. It's definitely a different vibe from when I saw the show live. I know I'm late, but sadly we don't have a pro shot to get your thoughts on a full show bc id love to hear your thoughts for a show where he's not playing for the press
Thank you for this - I've learned again so much from you..
as someone who has been in Be More Chill, you definatly gain an appreciation doing the show that isn't there when you watch it
I would love to be Michael in this at some point
@@Ringohulk777 it's a fun role for sure!
@@Bowling_Dude was he your character?
@@Ringohulk777 I was scary stockboy. I don't have the pipes for michael 😂
@@Bowling_Dude ah. That doesn't seem familiar, but I'm only halfway through. This song was what made me discover the musical
I would actually really love to hear a performance you have done that you critique. I would love to see an example of how to be non biased when judging your own performance because what we hear when we sing is not what others hear.
This review is very nice because some people just focus on his voice or just the acting and not how it all comes together in a play. With every reaction, I learn something new about musicals thanks to you.
I'm always so thankful for your thoughtful reactions to musical theatre! I'd be super interested to hear what you'd have to say of Glenn Close performing "As If We Never Said Goodbye" at ALW's birthday celebration.
one of my favorites of musical theatre songs!
Absolutely agree. The show falls short in regard to its potential, but this song is to Be More Chill what Memory is to Cats; it’s the highlight of the show, and arguably all some people care about in each show.
The video you’re watching is when they were workshopping the show so they working out everything
Wait this show isn't about how awful the teenage years are? That's what I thought it was about and the different ways people deal with it *caveat haven't actually seen it. I just feel like it makes me feel like going to my old high school and just screaming in the hallways.
Also MAYBE its a Jack and Jill bathroom
I like the lengths of these videos and the detail you out into them
Please react to Love Never Dies! I know it has a bad reputation for the plot but the music is AMAZING.
Yes! In my humble opinion, it’s more of an AU fanfic- but my lord the music is SO GOOD. I hope he reacts to Ramin’s Till I Hear You Sing, maybe Sierra’s Love Never Dies, and honestly anything.
@@user-jl6mv8of4r Yes!!! I love Ramin’s Til I Hear You Sing and his The Beauty Underneath, but if he was going to react it would be to the Australian film version with Ben Lewis :(
@@user-jl6mv8of4r But I’d still want to see his reaction, even though it’s not Ramin!
Gotta admit, I did say to myself "Huh. That's a good point" multiple times during the video. Great job my guy.
I love this musical
Michael did in fact not lock himself in the bathroom because he didn't want to talk to anyone. He's locked in there because he wanted to stop his friend from ruining his own life, but said best friend didn't want to here any of it and called him a loser before leaving. Michael in the Bathroom is a song about the literal panic attack that insues after 12 years of friendship was dropped like nothing. He just happens to be in a bathroom at a party.
this musical is the BEST and i absolutelyyyy love this song!!!
I love this musical,, and the Broadway version was really good live imo, wish it got better reviews
Can you do a review of Company, the 2006 revival with Raul Esparaza? In that revival, actors were also part of the orchestra so they played instruments while singing, dancing and acting on stage. The songs 'Company', 'Drive a Person Crazy' or 'Side by Side' are good examples. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this format. Thank you!
Ben Platt as Micheal....please happen someday!
Ohhh interesting.
You should react to eva noblezada in hadestown if you havent
"I'm sorry I keep making these videos so long."
I could listen to you and watch your videos all day long. I think you're great. Just keep doing your thing 😊
Aww thanks Sara. Means a lot.
If I remember correctly when I saw it on Broadway they actually had the door on wheels and moved it around to add to the panic. But my memory might be fuzzy
4:19 There is this little things called context T_T
I would absolutely love to see you cover the 5th Avenue performance of “Made of Stone” or “Out There” from their deaf version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. Something about ASL theater always hits home for me, and the addition of sign language is beautiful, and I’d love to hear your opinion on it. Here’s a link!
ruclips.net/video/vh_qPOHrDOA/видео.html
This is one musical I could never get into, and you put my thoughts into words.
I don't know if I should thank or curse you for introducing me to this song, as since then I've been listening to every version that exists.
Thank me. Its a great modern musical theatre number.
"No one's going to love you until you love yourself" the gift I want to package and give to every 12 year old on earth!!!
I’m kinda late, but I agree in some points with you. Despite of the anxiety the song and performance touch, there are some things to remark, it’s not anxiety 100%. Great video!
That's just plain nitpicking. That explains a lot since you don't like this musical in the first place. You can't just instruct every movement of an actor in a performance. That's what makes it theirs and theirs alone. You're the only one who I've seen reacted like a rock to this song. You also noticed the" No, you can't come in" part. We obviously know that we are not the ones he's referring to. We're the audience, Jesus. I mean if you know the context, you'll never ask these lame questions.
I actually think he was pretty positive. Idk. He made certain points, but then reinforced the positive immediately after.
The way you analyze performance is awesome.....I would love to see you comment on anything by starkid.
@8:57 yeah, he kinda went off-key, and honestly one of the first times I've ever heard him go off-key! :0
Also, I thought he was looking for the bathtub and I'm still not sure what happened there.
Can you do 21 chump street?
Don't apologize for the length of the video. "too long" doesn't exists! :)
This is very cool...I'm learning about lots of new musicals, and watching musicals in new ways. I would love to see you analyze Chris Colfer doing one of - The Boy Next Door or Jazz Hot or Defying Gravity (with Lea Michelle)
I love Les Mis and Phantom and Hamilton as much as the next theater geek, but it is refreshing to see something different here. I am not as familiar with this piece, and this a very enjoyable introduction to it. It may be that I “don’t fit in” (haha) to your subscriber group because I’m not looking for a song to do at an audition. I’m just super appreciative of the musical genre, and have fond memories of theater from days long since past. Anyway, not telling you what to do, but I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these less-epic hit musical pieces in the future.
Thanks for the comment Kristen. So glad to hear you're enjoying the content, appreciate the support.
Would LOVE to see Imelda Stauntons “Rose’s Turn”
Would love to see you react to Dead Mom from Beetlejuice
Marc: This musical doesn't allow itself to become vulnerable (apart from this song)
Loser Geek Whatever: **Am I a joke to you?**
More Than Survive: **really?**
The Pants Song: **hmm**
Be More Chill Pt 2 (that beginning part with Jeremy): **oof**
Ive never really gotten into this musical but this was a great video as always! Please do letter from the refuge from newsies or really any song from newsies please I’m playing and crutchie an would like some help with the part
He’s done a video on Newsies before, “Watch What Happens” by Kara Lindsay, if that helps!
Abby trout i remember that now! It was great but doesn’t help me learn my part and Andrew Keenan Bolgers rendition of letter from the refuge is my fav performance from the show
@@ElisesMusicalLife I know, since Crutchie wasn’t in the song, it probably doesn’t help. Sorry :(
I'll do my best to get to this one soon!
I enjoy Marc’s “ mmmmm” sounds in every video 😅
Hi Marc, I just recently discovered this song on YT and hearing your comments, makes sense. Although George's performance here is great but there are moments where I found it a little bit "too much" maybe because of his actions or the tiny details you've mentioned. For example, the "layering" of the song, or where does the door really located? But I'm not diminishing the fact the he is a great performer. I also understand that when you're in a theater, movements are supposed to be big to expressed emotions clearly.
Thanks for the comment sir.
It is so funny when I first saw this video open I thought you had a cuppie doll curl. Then I saw it was the black from you shirt on the wall.
Haha
This song slaps. But it makes me sad cause it reminds me of my late best friend. George salazar is a King his work in the lightning thief musical is *so* good
I agree on your comment regarding the "mirror" part. Those succeeding lines could be delivered more effectively if he sung it while facing the mirror.
Great choice, Marc! I felt exactly the same way about the show's weaknesses, but I do absolutely LOVE this song (and the final version was on repeat for me for days when it was making the rounds on the Internet). I wonder -- do you know where/when in the rehearsal process this was? Had it been blocked, etc.? Because I was distracted by the same things -- George plays to three different directions on where the "door" is (and -- confusingly -- so do his castmates), and it feels sloppy versus intentional -- but then again, this may have been really early in rehearsals. I also prefer his final performance choice -- that he pulls himself together with "Awesome party, I'm so glad I came," versus here, where it feels overwrought. But George is amazing in this role, and deserves all the accolades he got for it.
I know this was done for the "press" day to promote the show, thats all. I have seen other versions that are tighter and hit a much different emotional note - so maybe this was early on?
@@MarcDanielPatrick Thanks, Marc! I was really curious because it does feel a bit rough around the edges, and that has its own charm, but I was curious if (for instance) blocking was still a bit fluid at this point, etc. It's such a great number regardless, and I'm so glad you reviewed and analyzed it!
Great breakdown as usual! I've never heard this song before lol... could you react to Amber Riley in The Wiz Live? Or Alfie Boe singing Who Am I.
Both great suggestions. I'll do my best
@@MarcDanielPatrick Thank you!!!
Mark, have you reacted to Aaron Tveit yet? Seeing as he finally won a Tony now😂
I will certainly get to one of his performances for sure. Mmmm...but has he actually won it?? 😏
@@MarcDanielPatrick imagine if he doesn't reach 60% - that would be so cruel😂
You should react to Sierra Boggess singing Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom! It makes me cry every time
And the Sarah berry song
Please react to the Goodbye Song also sung by George Salazar please
I don't know if you still read comments on videos posted this long ago. However, if you do, you should watch and critique Caleb Hyles version of this song. It's pretty incredible.
Great constructive critique! When a performer is talented, as George is, it's fun to move on from teaching the fundamentals to working on characterization and intention.
I like to liken it to a ballet class: corrections are a good thing. They mean a teacher sees the potential to be great.
I enjoyed the more stop start nature of this video. It was more entertaining
Marc, I so much look forward to each of your videos. I am having a difficult time liking George Salazar. I'm trying but it's not working. I find his voice pinched and spread as if there is no room to sing higher. I just don't care for the color of his voice as I prefer a more focused voice with more of a ring. Also his performance, for me, seemed forced trying to become this character that is not convincing. I'm sure others may differ. Perhaps we each have the type of voice we prefer. Marc, I would really love for you to make three vocal comparisons with Patti Lupone, Betty Buckley and Glenn Close singing With One Look from Sunset Boulevard. I had seen and heard Patii ( in London) and Betty (in NY) and I had heard Glenn at the Tony's. Would be curious what you thought about these three as singers and yes, I have a definite favorite. Thank you as always!
Roberto, thanks for the comment. I will do my to make a video around those three icons.
You should react to George Salazar performing little shop of horrors on James corden.
Ok, but like, I don’t think you understand the context of this song very well, which makes this video a little hard to watch. Not tryna be rude, just saying. But I liked some of your points!
Not rude at all. I very much understand the context of the song, I would just like him to approach some areas differently and with a little more character depth.
You should do another Les Miserable comparison between Ruthie Henshall and Lea Solonga in Fantine’s solo I dreamed a Dream
Ha. Could you imagine....
You should react to Gaten Matarazzo singing this song.
How bout a reaction to Falsettos?
“I’m Breaking Down” is amazing! (I saw the Stephanie Block version available on BroadwayHD.)
Gotta say, Marc is articulating exactly what I felt watching this. Beautiful voice though
hii please can you react to Josh groban singing dust and ashes from Natasha, Pierre and the great comet of 1812?
personally, this is the only song from be more chill i listen to. i’m not a massive fan of the story or the other music, and it’s honestly a shame cause of how talented everyone involved is. the only thing that i actually disagree with you on is the door thing. based on my understanding, michael has locked himself in the bathroom and is experiencing a panic attack coupled with sensory overload. as someone who experiences both quite regularly, i usually feel like the walls are starting to close in on me, along with everything being too loud and generally too much. i think they were trying to replicate this by having the ensemble on stage close in on michael. just a thought though, i could be completely wrong.
Please do a reaction to Betty Buckley singing "As If We Never Said Goodbye." There are a few excellent ones to choose from.
Very good analysis.
He could have transformed better his body language from introvert-fearful guy to the angry-fearful. He reviled his cards too soon.
Can you please reaction to the nightwish cover of phantom of the opera? Please?!