Musical Theatre

Musical theatre is a stage form blending song, dialogue, and dance, and it holds a deep place in queer culture, especially gay male culture, as both a creative outlet and a shared in-group language. Before gay liberation, theatre offered gay men and women a relatively safe space to work as writers, performers, and audiences, and a love of show tunes became a quiet signal of belonging. Many landmark American musicals were written by gay composers and lyricists, and the industry's high number of LGBTQ+ artists shaped its sensibility. Over time, queer stories moved from subtext to center stage, from 'La Cage aux Folles' and its anthem 'I Am What I Am' to 'Fun Home' and 'A Strange Loop.'