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I had never read a musical before and this one was very interesting.  At first, I found it difficult to read and follow along with the music.  I had to keep stopping the music to read the stage directions and the dialogue that was between the songs. As the play progressed, it was easier as there were less dialogue and more back to back songs.  The choice of the music really reflected the mood of the character at that moment such as when Diana was frustrated.  The music became more tense and quick as well as the lyrics. When Dan was singing, his music became slower and calmer as though he was trying to get control of the situation.   Occasionally Tom Kitt wrote some eerie music such as when Diana is trying to remember and she sings, “How could I ever forget?”  (Yorkey 81) The tempo of the play seems to change every time the music changed.  One place that this happens is Diana sings Didn’t I see This Movie and A Light in the Dark. The first song is very fast paced and the second song slows down quite a bit.

I found and interesting motif in this play.  They talk/sing a lot about light and dark.  It seems to reflect the fact that this play is a lot about mental illness and recovering from grief.  Diana seems to be stuck in a dark place where she can’t get out of.  Even when she is given the Electric Shock Therapy, she describes it as seeing lightening in her mind. Dan sings about it in A Light in the Dark where he sings, “One light shines in the drive.” (Yorkey 57) At the end of the play the cast is singing about light again. Everyone sings, ”There will be light,” It is as though everyone is searching for the light.