One aspect of Broadway shows that fascinates me is the repetition of melodic themes throughout the plays. Andrew Lloyd Webber in particular is known to preview all of a play’s songs at the beginning, in an overture…a clever technique that makes the songs recognizable, and therefore memorable, to the audience as the show progresses. The repetition of melodies also has an emotional impact, reflecting the story’s themes.

In my life, I have noticed Recurring Themes that I suppose would be composed as melodies if (only) life were a musical. Themes that manifest again and again in my life involve questioning authority, the bittersweet struggle to become a member of the middle class, and the contrast between living in the countryside and the big city. What are the themes of your life?