The BYU-Idaho Music Department’s latest concert “Musical Theatre in the Eras” blends the themes and musical styles of the Taylor Swift Eras tour with musical theater songs.
The performance features Music and Theatre Department adjunct faculty member Danielle Matheson, third national tour production of “Les Misérables” alum Nicole Riding Stoker and nine BYU-Idaho students.
The concert features 24 musical theatre songs that share styles and themes with each of the different Taylor Swift albums featured in her tour. Matheson chose the Taylor Swift theme because she says everybody is familiar with her and Matheson wants students to recognize how they can take what they learn in their classes and make it interesting.
“It's always my goal on campus to take what is working now and use the tools that we have and the things we're trying to teach on campus and find a really nice way to mesh those things to make them new and interesting and fresh for the students,” Matheson said. “I've taken the Taylor Swift eras and the themes and the musical styles, to a certain degree, of each one of her eras. And then I've replaced her songs with musical theater pieces that reflect the same themes and situations that she has in her individual areas.”
The free concert is Tuesday evening at the Snow Recital Hall and starts at 7:30. Matheson encourages the community to support the students.
“I hope people come out and support the students that are in this concert,” Matheson said. “There's a lot of talent on this campus. A lot of the students that are participating were actually in the Joseph production this weekend. So, they've been working really hard on multiple projects simultaneously and they are rocking it. They are awesome at what they're doing.”
Matheson hopes people who come will enjoy the show and the positive emotions it brings.
“I hope they have fun,” Matheson said. “I hope they have a night of good entertainment, and I hope they leave having an emotional journey that makes them walk out feeling like it was just a moment to really sit back and enjoy and have some positive emotions.”
For more information, visit byui.edu/music.