The Musical Theatre Project Presents: Just for Laughs

What makes us laugh at a song in a musical? Sometimes it's the brilliant wordplay in a lyric (Yip Harburg's "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady"). Sometimes it's the shenanigans of an outrageous performer (Nathan Lane), or the character being played by that performer (Max Bialystock). Or sometimes it's all three, like Bert Lahr bellowing his way through the Cowardly Lion's "If I Were King of the Forest" in The Wizard of Oz. When that happens, we connect more deeply with our dreams, joys and frustrations. In short, our laughter brings us closer to ourselves.