{"id":14310,"date":"2024-04-19T15:56:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T21:56:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/?p=14310"},"modified":"2026-02-10T14:46:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T20:46:49","slug":"no-more-musical-theater-from-the-musical-pray-the-gay-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/no-more-musical-theater-from-the-musical-pray-the-gay-away\/","title":{"rendered":"No More Musical Theater from the musical PTGA"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gat9CtkP5_o?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>I&#8217;m finally starting to release some clips from my 2019 original musical &#8220;Pray Away&#8221;. This song &#8220;No More Musical Theater&#8221; is a turning point in the musical where it quickly switches from a comedy to a tragedy. This is the last of the &#8220;fun and games&#8221; moments in the script as we follow the journey of two boys going through gay conversion therapy.<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more PTGA clips and other music video projects I&#8217;m working on at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ConradAskland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ConradAskland<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">NOTE FROM THE COMPOSER<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">When I was researching gay conversion therapy while writing the musical &#8220;Pray Away&#8221;, I came across an actual note from therapists in gay conversion therapy that said patients should avoid musical theater. So of course I knew right away that I had to create a big number about this. I compiled all the tropes and stereotypes I could think of from my experience in working on musical theater shows. This song started at 4 minutes, then 5, then 6 &#8211; until eventually I had about 12 minutes of material. I cut it down to the best (in my opinion) 8 minutes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">During pre-production it was often suggested that I cut this song down, but I loved it so much and really wanted it to stay intact in full &#8211; so here it is. &#8220;No More Musical Theater&#8221; is the second song of Act Two. It&#8217;s main purpose is simply to delight the audience. My musical Pray the Gay Away is an emotional rollercoaster with many emotional trigger points for audiences. After this song, the story takes a very dark turn that is an emotionally charged experience for audience members. This song is a final &#8220;feel good&#8221; moment for the audience before they experience the upcoming darkness (tragedy) together. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">My whole mission in creating the musical Pray Away was to bring awareness of gay conversion therapy to a mainstream audience. Most people I talk to have heard of gay conversion therapy but really had no understanding of its practices or affects. This musical aims to change that, and to change hearts. It is my most reverent hope that this musical will be brought to a wider audience. I do think this is a musical that can change the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">&#8211; Conrad Askland, April 2024 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">************************** <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">ABOUT THE MUSICAL PRAY THE GAY AWAY<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">Pray the Gay Away, this highly anticipated and controversial live stage show packs plenty of blissful sacrilege and politically incorrect mischief into a reflection of U.S. culture that is humorous, beautiful, shocking, sweet, thought-provoking and incredibly heart-breaking. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color\">For his fourth full-length musical, Conrad Askland has trained his satirical missile system on the cultural, political and theological forces that surround the painful world of gay conversion therapy and the \u201cpray away the gay\u201d movement. This is a big, full-blooded musical with an irreverently comic heart that is also heart-breaking and emotionally charged. Pray the Gay Away pulls up the carpet to expose the underlying U.S. religious, political and cultural attitudes surrounding homosexuality and our understanding of human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>LYRICS to NO MORE MUSICAL THEATER<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My trigger point to the dirty, sweaty world of homosexuality was\u2026<br \/>\nMusical Theater<\/p>\n<p>It all began with open auditions at the Rosenbaum Children\u2019s Theater for a production of The Reluctant Dragon<\/p>\n<p>It was \u2013 a musical<br \/>\nAnd that musical was \u2013 delightful<\/p>\n<p>But in time, Tyler\u2019s theatrical urges began to bulge and swell<br \/>\nMy cravings increased<br \/>\nGrowing unsatisfied with ensemble roles, I soon yearned to perform in the Sound of Music<\/p>\n<p>At first it was the role of Kurt, then Friedrich<br \/>\nEventually I obsessed over Julie Andrews and the quintessential role of \u2013 Maria<\/p>\n<p>Tell us. How do you solve a problem like Maria?<\/p>\n<p>I said no more musical theater<br \/>\nNo more musical theater for me<br \/>\nNo more backstage pouts or belting out all my inner dreams<br \/>\nAnd if I relapse, wear my taps, even just one time<br \/>\nI just have to say NO<br \/>\nThat\u2019s why there\u2019s no more musical theater for me<\/p>\n<p>Son, you could be just like him<br \/>\nChange the world to God\u2019s world<\/p>\n<p>There is no more musical theater<br \/>\nNo more musical theater for me<br \/>\nNow it\u2019s time to avoid Andrew Lloyd<br \/>\nAnd inner rhymes of Sondheim<\/p>\n<p>So I\u2019m no longer over the moon<br \/>\nFor tech week boom boom in the Green Room<br \/>\nThat\u2019s why there\u2019s no absolutely no more musical theater for me<br \/>\n(applause)<\/p>\n<p>No there\u2019s no more musical theater for me<\/p>\n<p>So you\u2019re saying no more Judy Garland?<br \/>\nHa &#8211; Greta was bettah<br \/>\nAnd no more Barbra Streisand?<br \/>\nI hope she understands<\/p>\n<p>So have you straight up given up speaking in dialogue rhyme?<br \/>\nYes, I just don\u2019t have the time<\/p>\n<p>Because I\u2019ve lost the passion for verbose verbal mansions<br \/>\nAnd unscholarly scansion<\/p>\n<p>But the biggest temptation for me was<br \/>\nThose overdone Cockney accents<\/p>\n<p>Top of the morni\u2019 governor<br \/>\nHave a bloomin\u2019 raspberry tart will ya?<br \/>\nNow you got no trouble and strife today for your Tom and Dick<br \/>\nIt\u2019s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve<\/p>\n<p>Now who don\u2019t love a nice strong cock-ney accent<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why there\u2019s no more musical theater for me<\/p>\n<p>And no Recitative \u2013 Recitative<\/p>\n<p>Is universally hated by everyone except old Queens who like Gilbert and Sullivan<\/p>\n<p>Never again \u2013 No \u2013 No \u2013 No<\/p>\n<p>Unless of course, the recitative comes right before the dream sequence<\/p>\n<p>No! Save us from the dream sequence\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Muaha ha ha ha! Muaha ha ha ha!<\/p>\n<p>Well hello Erik Jacobsen<br \/>\nHow do you know my name?<br \/>\nI am omniscient<\/p>\n<p>Oh it\u2019s only a dream Erik<br \/>\nYou can do anything you want in a dream<br \/>\nPolitics \u2013 Religion \u2013 ooh Lutefisk!<br \/>\nAnd no one will ever know<br \/>\nYou could rob a bank \u2013 No<br \/>\nYou could vote for a woman to be a minister \u2013 Ugh No<br \/>\nYou could master the dark art of musical theater &#8211; Noo!<\/p>\n<p>Surrender Dorothy \u2013 there is no resisting Satan\u2019s secret diabolical weapon<br \/>\nSatan\u2019s secret weapon is a tap dance chorus line<\/p>\n<p>Tap dancing is fun<br \/>\nCome on you know you like it<br \/>\nJoin us just for one<br \/>\nJoin us \u2013 Join us \u2013 Join us<br \/>\nGosh darn it \u2013 okay<br \/>\nTyler Noooo!<\/p>\n<p>(Tap Dance)<\/p>\n<p>There is no more musical theater<br \/>\nNo more musical theater for him<br \/>\nIt\u2019s a burial for Ariel with Tevye and Tiny Tim<br \/>\nNo more torch songs with feather boas<br \/>\nThe only arc I study now is Noah \u2013 Noah\u2019s Ark<\/p>\n<p>Now it\u2019s a total breakdown of money notes<br \/>\nDisney quotes and those octave jumps<\/p>\n<p>Satan get behind me<\/p>\n<p>No more mugging and chewing the scenery<br \/>\nOr dreaming of sugar-plum weinery<br \/>\nSo goodbye Phantom, goodbye Forum<br \/>\nGoodbye Fiddler, Goodbye Hair<\/p>\n<p>Musical theater well I don\u2019t care!<br \/>\nTheater will only get your heart broken<br \/>\nWhile pushing you toward the love unspoken<\/p>\n<p>So hello to my King<br \/>\nAnd goodbye to my Queen<\/p>\n<p>Judy Garland you are dead to me<br \/>\nGoodbye Satan<br \/>\nGoodbye Barbra<\/p>\n<p>No Barbra I didn\u2019t mean it, please forgive me<\/p>\n<p>No, don\u2019t cry for me Minnesota<\/p>\n<p>Hear my cry O Lord<br \/>\nAnd set my demons free<\/p>\n<p>Goodbye Satan and musical theater<\/p>\n<p>Time to tell musical theater good-bye-ee-aye-ee-aye<\/p>\n<p>(Applause)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>No More Musical Theater \u00a9 2019 Conrad Askland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m finally starting to release some clips from my 2019 original musical &#8220;Pray Away&#8221;. This song &#8220;No More Musical Theater&#8221; is a turning point in the musical where it quickly switches from a comedy to a tragedy. This is the last of the &#8220;fun and games&#8221; moments in the script as we follow the journey [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,3923,4130],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3C0LX-3IO","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14310"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14310"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18744,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14310\/revisions\/18744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}