Final Thoughts

Portraying religion in musical theatre has a long history and a long purpose. Historically, spreading the Word of the Bible was a big motivator for creating these works of art. It is portrayed in ways that will be relatable and intimate to the audience. While controversy does lie with whether Jesus and God as a divine figures should be portrayed in a relatable way, the notable success of these musicals certainly acts as evidence that biblical figures portrayed as more human and relatable creates a sense of community. The fan reaction simply just works for the purpose intended. Additionally, it invites an audience who may not necessarily have been interested in the Word of the Bible in the first place.

In the same way musical theatre has been used as a tool to invite those to hear the Word, musical theatre has been used to comment on institutions and religion in a satirical way. While this may be the more fitting approach for those stereotypically involved in theatre as stated previously by Bial, the institutions have gone as far as taking the opportunity to flip the narrative and use the content to continue to promote their groups. Despite all of this, even when there is a clear mockery of certain aspects of religion, the works discussed on this website still promote a sincere, positive, message. For deeper analysis, it would be fascinating to see how the post-theatre glow, sense of community and vulnerable, intimate nature of theatre is connected to how people interpret these messages.