Seats were filled at the opening night Wednesday of “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” - or “Miz Martha” for short - produced by Ebony Road Players, Grand Rapids’ self-proclaimed black theater company.

After nearly every song in a musical there’s a bit of an applause, normally a few seconds at most. At last night’s performance of Love Never Dies, its title song earned far more than just a few seconds, and rightfully so.

The Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra brought to life its second classical performance of the season on Friday night.

Before Broadway musicals were spectacles full of pyrotechnics or made meaningful critiques through a social justice lens or turned popular jukebox hits into extended dance parties, they were pretty, lovely, dreamy, funny escapes for a certain theater-going audience who wanted such things. They were full of big dance numbers and pretty costumes and silly characters who sang songs that made patrons leave the theater humming to themselves, maybe even a little lighter in step.