ABSTRACT
Joss Whedon, creator of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is a self-professed geek. So are many members of the cast and crew—and most of the characters. Whedon creates fascinating worlds with innovative characters that are almost always in the realm of science fiction and fantasy. For Whedon, “there is no more glorious form of expression” than musicals. Although influenced by composers and lyricists like Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, Frank Loesser, and Stephen Schwartz, Whedon is particularly fond of Sondheim, especially how he structures his shows, uses language, and exploits moral ambiguity. With “Once More, With Feeling,” Whedon wanted to make musicals accessible for an audience largely unfamiliar or uncomfortable with them. Younger men, in particular, may reject musicals, perhaps for fear of association with the many gay men who make and support the genre, or because, as they stubbornly insist, they “know what they like.
