---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love musicals but it's very, very…"
description: "\"I love musicals but it's very, very different. It's really just a different form than serious drama, and has very different rules and a completely diff..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tony-kushner-2204_ambition_i-love-musicals-but-it-s-very-very-diffe_520721.jpg"
---

#  I love musicals but it's very, very different. It's really…

![“I love musicals but it's very, very different. It's really just a different form than serious drama, and has very different rules and a completely different set of characters and requirements and ambitions. It maybe shouldn't be as separate as it is, but it's got a different history. In terms of…” quote by Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tony-kushner-2204_ambition_i-love-musicals-but-it-s-very-very-diffe_520721.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tony-kushner-2204_ambition_i-love-musicals-but-it-s-very-very-diffe_520721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tony-kushner-2204_ambition_i-love-musicals-but-it-s-very-very-diffe_520721.jpg)

> “I love musicals but it's very, very different. It's really just a different form than serious drama, and has very different rules and a completely different set of characters and requirements and ambitions. It maybe shouldn't be as separate as it is, but it's got a different history. In terms of serious drama, I think you'd have to say that you could break it down essentially into the narrative realist tradition and experimental theater.”

[Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/)

## About This Quote

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

Musicals differ from serious drama in form, rules, characters, and history, making them a distinct genre despite shared storytelling roots.

**In simple terms:** Musicals are a separate genre with unique conventions.

Key Takeaway

Recognize both commonalities and differences when evaluating theater.

Themes

theater musicals genre storytelling

Mood

analytical reflective

Type

critical educational

When to use this quote

- producing a musical
- writing a play
- studying drama
- teaching theater
- audience analysis

Key Concepts

form rules character archetypes historical development

Questions to Reflect On

- How do the distinct rules of musicals affect audience expectations?
- Can serious drama adopt musical elements without losing its core?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that categorizing them separately limits creative cross‑pollination.

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[Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicals/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Realist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realist/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/)

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