People rarely say they hate books, or television, or films. But they often say they hate musicals. Moreover everyone seems to have a fixed idea of exactly what a musical is; what it sounds like, looks like, or is about.

Why is the collision and integration of music, song and storytelling so polarising and why have we allowed a form so full of possibility to become so repetitive and restrictive?

Through a series of essays 'Breaking Into Song' asks what audiences can do to stay open minded and what creatives can do to make new musicals better. Examining both sides of the divide, Adam Lenson asks how those who both love and hate musicals can further expand the possibilities of this widely misunderstood medium.