Upworthy

These 23 songs every Broadway fan knows could actually help fight dementia.

Back in 2013, researchers in the U.S. stumbled upon a novel new treatment for dementia patients: listening to show tunes. Seriously.

"West Side Story." Photo by Fred Fehl/Wikimedia Commons.

Keep Reading

music cats oklahoma dementia chicago alzheimer's hamilton broadway musicals phantom of the opera les misérables fun home damn yankees the music man the producers sweeney todd west side story a chorus line little shop of horrors 1776 avenue q cabaret rent gypsy the book of mormon ragtime guys and dolls merrily we roll along show tunes

More

3 lessons Broadway shows like 'Hamilton' can teach Hollywood.

Broadway isn't exactly a shining example of diversity, but you aren't going to see #TonysSoWhite anytime soon.

Only one African-American woman has ever earned the Academy Award for Best Actress. One. (In fact, you can see all of the African-American Oscar winners for acting and most of their speeches in this video that's less than five minutes long.)

Meanwhile, Broadway has celebrated actors, writers, choreographers, and directors of color on the stage for decades, with several big names earning multiple awards in their lifetime — a feat few Hollywood actors of color have been able to achieve.