17 Times People Fell Head-Over-Heels For Musical Theater

    Looks like modern Broadway should send the producers of Wicked a thank you card.

    Alanna Bennett
    by Alanna Bennett

    BuzzFeed Staff

    BroadwayCon, the first ever all-Broadway convention, was held for the first time this past weekend in New York City. BuzzFeed took the chance to ask some Broadway fans when they first fell in love with theater.

    BroadwayCon / Via instagram.com

    1. Witnessing the glory of Bernadette Peters at the stage door.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "My first Broadway show – Gypsy, starring Bernadette Peters – and I realized at the stage door you could have a career on the stage."

    2. When a performance of "Defying Gravity" left this person breathless.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "Saw my first Broadway show when I was 18. Wicked, with Jackie Burns as Elphaba. Her 'Defying Gravity' left me breathless and that's when I knew I was in love with Broadway."

    3. Seeing the magic of The Lion King in person.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I saw The Lion King in fourth grade and have two memories: 1) Flying bird puppets. 2) Looking out over Times Square and thinking 'I want to be here forever!"

    4. Performing a salty role in Beauty and the Beast.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When I played a salt shaker in Beauty and the Beast."

    5. Finding solidarity with fellow theater-lovers in the wake of Wicked.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I saw Wicked for the first time and realized there were other lame theater nerds like me!"

    6. Wicked was a big inspiration for many, it seems.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I fell in love with theater when my dad took me to see Wicked in NYC as a surprise for my 15th birthday."

    7. Tina Turner's Acid Queen in Tommy also had an influence.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "Seeing Tommy when I was 5. Yay Acid Queen."

    8. Seeing the future in Mary Poppins.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I fell in love with theater when I saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. I was blown away and knew it was something I wanted to do."

    9. Catching a glimpse of wig caps and realizing that real people can make magical things happen on the stage.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When I sat front row in Wicked and saw their wig caps, I knew they were real and I wanted to perform."

    10. Seeing Evita live at eight years old.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I saw Evita live when I was eight years old. I've been hooked ever since."

    11. Watching the dancing newsboys in Newsies.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When I watched the Newsies movie at age 17."

    12. Setting eyes on an astonishing local production of Little Women.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When I saw an AMAZING production of Little Women in Santa Ana, CA."

    13. And witnessing the legendary John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When Is aw John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig on Broadway in April, 2015. MAGICAL!!"

    14. When Wicked helped this person see the magic in themselves.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "When my grandma took me to see Wicked and I was convinced I had magic powers."

    15. For some people it was just their default setting.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I've been listening and watching [musical theater] since birth. Thanks, mom and dad!"

    16. Some picked it up an elementary school music class.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "I first fell in love with musical theater in the third grade. It was in a music class; we were doing a musical medley which included songs from Oklahoma!, Sound Of Music, King and I, Mamma Mia, and, I think, The Fantasticks."

    17. And for some it's been with them since before they were even born.

    Alanna Bennett / BuzzFeed

    "In utero."

    Hit the comments to tell us when YOU fell in love with musical theater. You can find out more about BroadwayCon here.

    Thumbnail via Torsten Blackwood/Getty Images.