History Of Musical Theatre

Terms

Book Musical – is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story traces the fortunes of the main characters through a series of adventures with a beginning, middle and end

Libretto – the text or words of an opera or similar extended musical composition.

Librettist – the writer of the Libretto

Lyricist – The Person Who Wrote the Words To The Songs

Composer – The Person Who Wrote The Instrumental Music

Score - orchestrated music for (a movie, play, television show)

Book - The Person Who Wrote The Script/ Dialogue For The Show

Terms

Opera – a drama set entirely to music and all text is sung

Operetta - contains scenes with spoken dialogue that alternate with songs telling a romantic story. It features solos, duets, trios and choral numbers.

Musical Comedy – a form of musical entertainment from the 1920s that features a light comic story interspersed with popular music with a silly or far fetched story.

Revue – musical entertainment in which sketches and vignettes alternate with musical numbers. Scene and songs are stand alone and do not have a single story line.

The American “Book” Musical - musical numbers alternate with spoken scenes; solos, duets alternate with choral numbers; singing alternates with dance numbers; comic songs and scenes alternate with serious songs and scenes/story progresses from one character to another to tell an exciting seamless story with a beginning, middle and end.

Vaudeville = Variety Show

Began in the 1880s Cheap and popular Family

Entertainment included all genders and

races. If you were “odd” that was

fine: beauty was not a requirement.

Focus was on Frivolity, Enthusiasm , Absurdity

Acts could not take longer than 10 minutes

Costume was instantly recognizable

Training ground for Broadway Musicals

Individual performer was the focus

Vaudeville Acts Included

• Female impersonators • Shadowists • Bird Imitators • Hand Cuff Chain and Trunk Acts • Chapeaugraphy • Lightening Calculators • Equilibrists • Clay Modelers • Fancy Diver and Swimmers • Living Picture Models • Statuary Posing • Paper Tearing • Whistlers • Billiardists • Hypnotists • Contortionists • Magicians • Ukulele Players • Acrobats • Knife Throwers • Eccentric Acts • Unicycle

• Hobo Acts (Judy Garland – We’re a Couple of

Swells)

• Comedy Cartoonists

• Ethiopian Entertainers

• Feats of Strength

• Electrical Acts

• Knockabout acts

• Iron Jaw acts

• Cornetists

• Gun spinners

• Trick Pianists

• Rolling Globe Acts

• Tabloid Plays

• Novelty Ladder Acts

• Parody Singers

• Yodelers

• Mind Reading

• Knife Throwing

• Regurgitators

• Dancing Dogs

• Jugglers

• Children Acts

Vaudeville

The handful of Performers who made the transfer Gene Kelly Danny Kay Fred Astair Ginger Rogers Buster Keaton George Burns W.C. Fields Al Jolson Eddie Cantor Jimmy Durante Bob Hope The Marx Brothers Fanny Brice (Funny Girl) Jack Benny Jimmy Cagney Charlie Chaplan Bert Williams (first black performer to be

accepted by all races) Ethel Merman (originally Zimmerman)

became a brassy Broadway belter The Andrew Sisters Abott and Costello

Vaudeville ended because of the performers

inability to adapt to film and radio.

Minstrel Show

Began with Northern white performers who observed Blacks entertaining themselves and imitated them

Put on black paint and parodied the blacks

Eventually, Black Americans started their own companies but continued to be expected to portray black stereo types set up by the white performers

White companies continued to use black stereo types but couldn’t compete with their authenticity or talent

Lasted until the 1960s

Burlesque

A revue-style show with sexual overtones.

For the majority of the 19th C burlesque included dramatic sketches and songs that satirized other theatrical forms

Near the end of

the 19th C it was synonymous with vulgar sketches and “girlie shows” (strip tease)

Ziegfeld Follies

Florenz Ziegfeld – legendary producer and first impresario of the American Musical

This is a variety show with several different acts. Grandiose sets and costumes, comedy and spectacle Amalgamation of ethnic communities and comedy

routines – the entertainment melting pot Glorifying the American girl and her beauty Zigfield Follies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJpsZvpu6FY Gypsy: Burlesque -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFRSawe33sA

Even if you're on the right track,

you'll get run over if you just sit

there.

Ziegfeld Follies of 1918-20s

Started to use Big Named Stars!!!! Marilyn Miller Fanny Bryce Will Rodgers-who became a leader around the country with his

humor & information. Vaudville http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA6wYvVnq4g Bob hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjXQ-

MRmROQ&feature=related A good example of several acts -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SfO30jvReU Vaudville video part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZo4imTt4Og http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsVQ9e8nWx0&feature=relate

d

George M. Cohan 1878 - 1942

Grew up in a Vaudeville performance family

Was an innovator who wrote the book, music and lyrics for his own shows in which he also performed.

In his musical shows, he gave his songs an American flavour and made his dialogue more realistic than the common musicals of the time. His shows moved toward the “Book Musical”

Focused on American subjects and made his songs relate to the story.

Wrote the Song “Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy”

George M Cohan

The only individual with a statue on Broadway

ALWAYS ended with, “My father thanks you, my mother thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I-thank you.”

Irving Berlin

Born: Israel Isidore Baline

Immigrated with his family from Russia.

Lived in abject poverty

Started to sing at age 13 for a living

Wrote: “White Christmas”, “Blue Skies”, “Puttin on the Ritz”, “God Bless America”, “Annie Get Your Gun (1946)”

His name was mis-spelled on a poster and he became Irving Berlin and he decided it was a good name for an American Song writer and he kept it.

The Princess Theater Shows

Jerome Kern’s next shows were in the Princess Theater.

These were very fun, young, and enjoyable.

Principle characters were in their late teens & early 20s, set around a college.

Pay tribute to the commedia dell’arte

2 young couples with a fontesca

The Princess Musicals – 1915- 1919

Named for the Princess Theatre Jerome Kern composed 16

Broadway scores between 1915 and 1919.

His musicals used modern, humourous, intimate , intimate stories that were more cohesive than previous shows.

Other composers and lyricists were adapting European Operetta to American purposes.

Oscar Hammerstein II (1895 – Aug 23rd 1960. The lights were extinguished on Sept 1st 1960 at pm on Broadway in memory of his death) combined the best of operetta and native musical comedy to create the book and lyrics for “Showboat” and Jerome Kern composed the musical score.

1920 -1930 Guys Famous for Writing “STANDARDS”

Composers Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) “Alexander’s Rag Time Band”, “Easter Parade” (wrote his own lyrics) Cole Porter (1893 – 1964) “I Get A Kick Out of You”, “Night And Day” (wrote his own lyrics) Jerome Kern (1885 – 1945) “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, “Who?” George Gershwin (1898 1937) “Fascinating Ryhthm”, “Someone To Watch Over Me”, “Embraceable You” Richard Rogers (1902 – 1979) – “My Romance”, “Falling in Love with Love” Lyricists Ira Gershwin (1896 – 1983) wrote lyrics for his brother George Lorenz Hart (1895 – 1943) Collaborations Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II – Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music Richard Rogers and Lorenze Hart – Pal Joey and Babes in Arms Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II - Showboat Frederick Lowe and Alan Jay Lerner – My Fair Lady, Camelot, Brigadoon John Kander and Fred Ebb – Cabaret, Chicago 1950s Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim – Gypsy Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) and Stephen Sondheim (1930 - ) – West Side Story 1970s Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,

Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, Cats Elton John and Tim Rice – Aida, The Lion King

More Collaborations

1950s

Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim – Gypsy

Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) and Stephen Sondheim (1930 - ) – West Side Story

1970s

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, Cats

Elton John and Tim Rice – Aida, The Lion King,

SHOWBOAT

Showboat premiered

on December 27,

1927.

One of a dozen shows

to premiere that night.

One of TWO to

remain running the

following evening.

SHOWBOAT’S IMPORTANCE

Music By Jerome Kern

Book & Lyrics by Oscar

Hammerstein II

Produced by Florenz

Ziegfeld

Based on the novel by Edna

Ferber

SHOWBOAT’s Firsts

First musical where the music moved

the plot of the play forward.

First musical to have depth to the

book;

Socially Relevant;

Addresses the issue of racism in

the plot; which was not allowed

before that time;

Inter-Racial Couple in a primary

role; black woman and a white man

as well as black workers on the

levees of the Mississippi River

African-Americans in major roles.

SHOWBOAT’s Firsts

First musical where the music moved

the plot of the play forward.

First musical to have depth to the

book;

Socially Relevant;

Addresses the issue of racism in

the plot; which was not allowed

before that time;

Inter-Racial Couple in a primary

role; black woman and a white man

as well as black workers on the

levees of the Mississippi River

African-Americans in major roles.

SHOWBOAT’s Firsts 2

First musical to be a DRAMA; up until that time they were musical-

comedies.

First EPIC musical; it is multi-generational with three generations of one

family dealing with love.

First musical to inspire more than 1 movie.

First musical to be performed by opera companies.

Eliminated the line of chorus girls

Songs from SHOWBOAT

Ol’ Man River

Bill

Can’t Help Loving That/Dat Man

Why Do I Love You

Make Believe

After The Ball-which was a

contemporary song that was

included into the show to give

the production a modern feel.

George & Ira Gershwin

Brothers dedicated to musical theatre

Of Thee I Sing (1931) Political and cultural satire

first musical to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize

Porgy & Bess

1935-All African-American Opera/Musical Theatre

Gershwin called it a “folk opera”

Music by George Gershwin

Lyrics by Ira Gershwin & DuBose Heyward

Book by DuBose Heyward based on his novel, Porgy.

Incredibly important in breaking down stereotypes.

Porgy & Bess

Famous Songs…

“I Love You Porgy”, “I’ve Got Plenty of Nuttin’”

“Summertime”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”

“Bess You Is My Woman Now”

OKLAHOMA!

Music by Richard

Rodgers

Lyrics & Book by

Oscar Hammerstein

Based on the novel

Green Grows the

Lilacs, about the

founding of Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA!

1943-First musical to use DANCE to move the plot forward.

“Dream” Ballet moves the show forward.

Choreographer – Agnes de Mille

OKLAHOMA!

It is considered the first fully integrated musical. The entire show fuses story, music, lyrics, and dances together with tone, mood and intention.

Oklahoma: Dream Dance with Hugh Jackman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64&feature=related

Original Choreography for the Dream Ballet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxzMqbJtlX0&feature=fvsr

Rodgers & Hammerstein Musicals

Oklahoma was the first of

a long line of successes

for this collaborative pair

1945 Carousel

1946 State Fair (MOVIE)

1949 South Pacific- deals

with World War II &

Racism

1951 The King & I

1958 Flower Drum Song

1959 The Sound of Music

Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady

1956-Very Important the words are meant

to be SPOKEN, not sung

Rex Harrison could not sing

This led later to Rap Music, early rap artists

recount hearing this album when they were

kids.

Julie Andrews’ First Show!

WEST SIDE STORY

Music by Leonard Bernstein

Concept by Jerome Robbins

Book by Arthur Laurents

Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

A modern day Romeo & Juliet

Directed & Choreographed by Jerome

Robbins

Importance of West Side Story

Socially relevant-dealing with real issues of racism, immigration, teenagers, gangs

Very daring for theatre

Parents called for the closing of the show and the theaters

Now Others can take risks of the show

First show with Stephen Sondheim who writes the lyrics

West Side Story, opening scene : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8R9GiLImSw

WWS, Mambo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kokbJvSEMUY&feature=related

Meets Grease – at the dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lf9gftFhKY&feature=related

Stephen Sondheim Shows

1959- Gypsy!: music by Jule Styne,

book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by

Sondheim

1963- A Funny Thing Happened On The

Way To The Forum-music & lyrics

1970- Company (concept musical

about relationships)

1971- Follies - (concept musical about

the former starts of Ziegfeld Follies)

1973- A Little Night Music

Sondheim Shows (2)

1975- Pacific Overtures

1979- Sweeney Todd

1984- Sunday In The Park With George

1987- Into The Woods

1990- Assassins

1994- Passion

1996- Getting Away With Murder (play)

2001- Bounce

Fiddler on the Roof:

The End of an Era

Opened 1964

Music by Jerry Bock (1928 - )

Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (1924 - )

Book by Joseph Stein (1912 - )

Choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Three Shows of Importance

60s & 70s

1. Fiddler on the Roof (1964) –

music by Jerry Bock, lyrics –

Sheldon Harnick, book – Joseph

Stein, choreographed – Jerome

Robbins

2. Hair (1967) written by Galt

MacDermot and Gerome Ragni.

Had no real story line and was

the first in a series of very

cultural & social musicals…

“pop”

And……

3. A Chorus Line- 1975

Music by Marvin Hammlisch

Lyrics by Edward Kleban

Directed by Michael Bennett (1943 –

1987)

3rd Longest Running Show in Broadway

history

Symbolized the ascendancy of

choreographer/directors like

Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Michael

Bennett

1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

Starting in the 19thC with Gilbert and

Sullivan

Two British men who were friends

They wrote formal “Mini” operas

All Following a similar theme

Theme of a G and S show:

Young Lovers Meet & are forbidden to

marry

Someone complicates their relationship

Several Comic Characters

Must have a “Patter” Song

1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

The Pirates of Penzance - Poor Wandering One (linda ronstadt-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAFRRYyrx7o

Modern Major General:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64&feature=related

The Mikado - Three little Maids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWkIZUPmDY&feature=fvwrel

HMS Pinafore

1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

1971 Jesus Christ Superstar

Music by Andrew Lloyd

Webber

Lyrics by Tim Rice

Started as a concept album &

grew into a major performance

and cultural aspect

Very avant-garde & minimalistic

“Rock” Opera- all sung

1979- Evita!

1980 – Cats

1986 – Les Miserable

1987 Phantom of the Opera

1989 – Miss Saigon

They were Spectacle Shows

BIG….BIG…BIG!!!!!

Very Technical

Very Expensive Sets & Lighting

Large Casts

Special Effects Heavy

Inspired from the British

Cats in 1982 is the 2nd-longest

running show

Other Shows by

Andrew Lloyd Webber

1987- Starlight Express

1988- The Phantom of the Opera (Longest running show on

Broadway)

1990- Aspects of Love

1992- Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (revivial)

1994- Sunset Boulevard

1998- Whistle Down The Wind

2005- The Woman In White

Other Spectacle Shows

Les Miserables- 1987

British Invasion Solidified

Epic; Based on the classic novel

Miss Saigon- 1990

Vietnam story

Big shows still in effect, but drop

in sales

Revivals rule the 90s, until 1996…

RENT

Modern Day Opera based on La Boheme

Brought back cutting edge realism into the theater

Very Minimalistic- low key

The story & characters moved the show, not the special effects

Allowed others to TAKE RISKS!

1996-98

1996-Bring In Da’ Noise,

Bring In Da’ Funk- brought

tap back to its roots

1996/7- Chicago (revival)-

small & minimalistic

1997- Titanic-big & grand,

but with small elements

1998

1998- Ragtime & The Lion

King-powerful and

cutting-edge

1998- Cabaret!

(revisal)- Change in the

classic show; the future?

1999

The Who’s Tommy-1969; just an album…Becomes a Broadway show in 1991…HOWEVER- it is the 1st Rock Opera

The Focus of 1999 Is A Combination Of Updating The Past…A form of REVISAL

You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown

Fosse (Tony Award Winner)

Kiss Me Kate

Annie Get Your Gun

The Music Man

The NEW Century

The Musicals Of 2000 Are Finding New Life In Putting Together Past & Present

Contact- dance show…TONY

The Suessical (flop)

2001-A New Era (?)

• The PRODUCERS

• Record # or TONY Awards

• Movie 1st

• The Full Monty

• Also a movie

• Urinetown

• Another Satire

• Sweet Smell of Success-2002

2001-2002

Movies & Rock RULE

Thoroughly Modern Millie (TONY)

Hairspray…destined To Be A Classic(tony)

Mamma Mia (Abba)

MOVIN’ Out (Billy Joel)

POST 9/11-TODAY

Comedies

Avenue Q

Putnam County

The Drowsy Chaperone

“Pop-sicals”

Imagine

Jersey Boys

POST 9/11- TODAY

Movies

SPAM-A-LOT

HIGH FIDELITY

Revivals

Little Shop Of Horrors

The Pajama Game

Revisals

Sweeney Todd & Company