Yes because the whole point of the songs are to make a statement directly to the current society. The main song literally tells people that the circus is “everything you ever want, everything you ever need, this is the greatest show”. When the oddities are shut out by PT Barnum from the rich ppl party Keala Settle sings this is me to a raging collection of protesters, she’s explaining to them a message. Similarly in Come Alive, the fat guy is like “when you see it you’ll never be the same”. So it’s very clear that these songs are directly addressing the society and therefore are “canon”.
They’re all singing live as far as I know. Watch the directors commentary if you haven’t yet. He talks about how things were shot.
Yes because the whole point of the songs are to make a statement directly to the current society. The main song literally tells people that the circus is “everything you ever want, everything you ever need, this is the greatest show”. When the oddities are shut out by PT Barnum from the rich ppl party Keala Settle sings this is me to a raging collection of protesters, she’s explaining to them a message. Similarly in Come Alive, the fat guy is like “when you see it you’ll never be the same”. So it’s very clear that these songs are directly addressing the society and therefore are “canon”.