---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got into musical comedy because of…"
description: "\"I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg"
---

#  I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not…

![“I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical auditions because the agent I had insisted I go to them.” quote by John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg)

> “I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical auditions because the agent I had insisted I go to them.”

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He pursued musical comedy driven by Shakespearean influence and opportunity, not vocal talent.

**In simple terms:** He chose comedy for drama, not singing.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your unique path.

Themes

career theatre comedy influence opportunity

Mood

reflective determined

Type

anecdotal motivational

When to use this quote

- auditions
- stage roles
- networking
- career pivots

Key Concepts

Shakespearean drama musical theatre career decisions

Questions to Reflect On

- How can non‑singers excel in musical comedy?
- What role does drama play in musical performance?

A Different Perspective

May lack of singing skill limit success in musical theatre.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agent/) [Agents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agents/) [Also](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) [Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions/) [Auditions Agent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auditions-agent-3085830/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-shakespeare-3860534/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Got Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-musical-438587/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Insisted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insisted/) [Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical/) [Musical Auditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-auditions-3860533/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-someone/) [Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richard/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Understudies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understudies/)

## Related quotes

> [I used to wear sweats and a T-shirt to auditions, but my agent would yell at me and tell me I had to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-used-to-wear-sweats-and-a-t-shirt-to-auditions-but-my-agent-would/)

[Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/)

> [Musical auditions are always the worst because you have to sing and act, and that's so stressful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/musical-auditions-are-always-the-worst-because-you-have-to-sing-and/)

[Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/)

> [Steve Sondheim got me into musical theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/steve-sondheim-got-me-into-musical-theater/)

[Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/)

> [Joy and grief are never far apart. In the same street the shutters of one house are closed, while the curtains of the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/joy-and-grief-are-never-far-apart-in-the-same-street-the-shutters-of/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I love acting, I really do, I've always loved doing it, and it's a joy to be asked to do this. I mean, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-giedroyc/i-love-acting-i-really-do-i-ve-always-loved-doing-it-and-it-s-a-joy/)

[Mel Giedroyc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-giedroyc/)

> [I've got so many musical personalities, I could probably get treatment for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-simpson/i-ve-got-so-many-musical-personalities-i-could-probably-get-treatment/)

[Charlie Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-simpson/)

> [Understudies don't normally get invited to openings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mulaney/understudies-don-t-normally-get-invited-to-openings/)

[John Mulaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mulaney/)

> [ What we did \[shooting "Fences"\] was we got young students from Carnegie Mellon, the acting and theater students, and we had them as our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/what-we-did-shooting-fences-was-we-got-young-students-from-carnegie/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [All my graduation money went to paying for bartending classes so I could have a side gig. I bartended for two months before I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patina-miller/all-my-graduation-money-went-to-paying-for-bartending-classes-so-i/)

[Patina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patina-miller/)

> [So the Clinton-Gore era culminates with an election as stained as the blue dress, a Democratic chorus complaining that the Constitution should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/so-the-clinton-gore-era-culminates-with-an-election-as-stained-as-the/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [I think if you look at guys in the past, guys have performed better and had better careers if they were understudies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bortles/i-think-if-you-look-at-guys-in-the-past-guys-have-performed-better/)

[Blake Bortles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bortles/)

> [A baby is such a blank slate, like training the understudy for a role you're planning to leave. You truly hope your replacement will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/a-baby-is-such-a-blank-slate-like-training-the-understudy-for-a-role/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [ I was 23, and I was in L.A. while on hiatus \[as an understudy\] from Biloxi Blues on Broadway. The guy that I'd been… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/i-was-23-and-i-was-in-l-a-while-on-hiatus-as-an-understudy-from/)

[David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/)

> [ The thing that was forfeited in the garden was regained. God gave him \[Adam\] dominion over the works of His hand. God made him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/the-thing-that-was-forfeited-in-the-garden-was-regained-god-gave-him/)

[John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/)

> [I dont know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ford/i-dont-know-how-it-is-now-but-the-assistant-stage-manager-had-to/)

[Glenn Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ford/)

## More by John Cullum

> [There was a time I wouldn't fly to California if I had to spend the night. Can you believe it? I would not fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/there-was-a-time-i-wouldn-t-fly-to-california-if-i-had-to-spend-the/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [I was married to a dancer who had a dance company in New York City, and she toured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-was-married-to-a-dancer-who-had-a-dance-company-in-new-york-city/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [After serving in the Korean War, I actually started working towards a master's degree in finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/after-serving-in-the-korean-war-i-actually-started-working-towards-a/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [My father was a businessman. We had discussions about honesty and dishonesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/my-father-was-a-businessman-we-had-discussions-about-honesty-and/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [I always wanted to act, but never thought of it as something serious to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-always-wanted-to-act-but-never-thought-of-it-as-something-serious/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [I was on the verge of taking over a company myself, from my father, before I left Knoxville to become an actor. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-was-on-the-verge-of-taking-over-a-company-myself-from-my-father/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [I sing the 'Star Spangled Banner,' so I can get into football, basketball and baseball games for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-sing-the-star-spangled-banner-so-i-can-get-into-football-basketball/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [You scratch a preacher a little bit, and you'll get an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/you-scratch-a-preacher-a-little-bit-and-you-ll-get-an-actor/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [Advertising is a wonderful lubricant for business, if it's used properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/advertising-is-a-wonderful-lubricant-for-business-if-it-s-used/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

> [I could make thousands of dollars in Broadway musicals, but among the best experiences I had was doing 'Hamlet' in Milwaukee and a version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-could-make-thousands-of-dollars-in-broadway-musicals-but-among-the/)

[John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

[Explore all 11 John Cullum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/)

## More Agent quotes

> [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/)

[Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/)

> [I was in Vietnam, and I was exposed to Agent Orange. And there's a high relationship between people that were exposed to Agent Orange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-jordan/i-was-in-vietnam-and-i-was-exposed-to-agent-orange-and-there-s-a-high/)

[Hamilton Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-jordan/)

> [My first job was a film called 'Storm Damage' for the BBC. I was 16 and working with really respected British actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/my-first-job-was-a-film-called-storm-damage-for-the-bbc-i-was-16-and/)

[Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/)

> [In 2011, I announced that I was going to retire, and my agent panicked. So she says: 'No, no, no. You have to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/in-2011-i-announced-that-i-was-going-to-retire-and-my-agent-panicked/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [In a fit of pique, I said to my agent, 'I'm going to write something you can sell.' The idea was to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/in-a-fit-of-pique-i-said-to-my-agent-i-m-going-to-write-something-you/)

[Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/)

> [You can change. And you can be an agent of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/you-can-change-and-you-can-be-an-agent-of-change/)

[Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/)

> [Anuj Bahari has always been a really good literary agent for me. What a good agent does is that he manages many of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/anuj-bahari-has-always-been-a-really-good-literary-agent-for-me-what/)

[Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/)

> [To be the agent whose touch changes nature from a wild force to a work of art is inspiration of the highest order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rodale/to-be-the-agent-whose-touch-changes-nature-from-a-wild-force-to-a/)

[Robert Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rodale/)

> [Every imperial agent wants to reduce what is possible to what is available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/every-imperial-agent-wants-to-reduce-what-is-possible-to-what-is/)

[Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/)

> [I wonder what an agent would do if he had to travel with the band he's booking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/i-wonder-what-an-agent-would-do-if-he-had-to-travel-with-the-band-he/)

[Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/)

> [I never had trouble getting an agent. I went out and got my first couple roles, and literally within six months I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-norris/i-never-had-trouble-getting-an-agent-i-went-out-and-got-my-first/)

[Dean Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-norris/)

> [When it comes to transfers, I leave everything with my agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk/when-it-comes-to-transfers-i-leave-everything-with-my-agent/)

[Hulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk/)

> [The short story and the truth is that I was taking vocal lessons here in New York... One day, instead of my lesson, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-gore/the-short-story-and-the-truth-is-that-i-was-taking-vocal-lessons-here/)

[Lesley Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-gore/)

> [I don't know if I'd want to be a Secret Service agent. In the movies, it's exciting and romantic and all that. Really, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-don-t-know-if-i-d-want-to-be-a-secret-service-agent-in-the-movies/)

[Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/)

> [I remember when I was younger. Dad's agent came round, and I asked if she would represent me. She didn't represent children at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-tomlinson/i-remember-when-i-was-younger-dad-s-agent-came-round-and-i-asked-if/)

[Eleanor Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-tomlinson/)

[Browse all 466 Agent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agent/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical auditions because the agent I had insisted I go to them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Cullum"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-shakespeare-not-because-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agent"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-shakespeare-not-because-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/john-cullum-40183_agent_i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-sha_1238897.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy…” — John Cullum",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Cullum",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I got into musical comedy because...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-shakespeare-not-because-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-got-into-musical-comedy-because-of-shakespeare-not-because-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
