THET110NotesNovember 28, 2012Musical Theater- “Everyone has AIDS” – from team America- Parody of Rent – saying everyone has aids – white audience, upper class- Rent: o 5th musical to have open gay couples on the stage and 2nd musical with open lesbian characterso Story told through eyes of white straight protagonisto Mark is the voice of Jonathon Larsono Jonathon Larson died the night before the opening of the show from an aortic aneurism- Musical theater is America’s own form of theaterThe Minstrel Show- Stereotypes- 3 acts:o Act 1: First acto Act 2: The Olio (becomes Vaudeville); everyone would do a specific act – song, dance, speech, jokeso Act 3: Burlesque Act – was a play on the existing pieces/popular entertainmentThe First Musical- The Black Crook (1866)o William Wheatley and Niblo’s Garden TheaterVaudeville- Pastor’s Fourteenth Street Theater- New York 1881Variety Entertainment- Singers and dancers- 1880-1920o Dies out in 1930o Not because of Great Depressiono Replaced by filmMusical Comedy and Operetta of the 1920- Shows for the “Tired Businessman”- Stock plots- Backstage Musicals (with poetic songs) or Cinderella stories- Interpolated songsOklahoma!- Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II – composer and lyricist- First integrated musical- All elements of the musical (text, song, and dance) work to push the plot forwardWest Side Story (1957)- Leonard Bernstein (composer), Stephen Sondheim (lyricist), Jerome Rogers (director and choreographer)- From Romeo and JulietCharacteristics of Golden Age Musicals- Plot centered- Elevated importance of lyrics and dance- Serious themes- But…happy (or at least hopeful) endingsWorld War II Propaganda Posters- If you’re not with us, you’re against us- Black and white ideas- Counter cultureThe 1960s Vietnam War- Fighting for rights- Watergate and Nixon Characteristics of Concept Musicals- Theme over plot- Episodic- Dark themes with no easy
View Full Document
Unlocking...