Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Read more on Wikipedia here.
Performing in a show transports me into the story and puts me at ease to where I am just in the character and having fun with it all. It's a form of therapy to watch the audience go on the, sometimes, emotional journeys the characters go through, as well as hear the house filled with laughter at the comedic moments--intended or not😉.