Musical Theater Music and Dance have always been heavily involved in Theater Opera Developed in Italy around the same time Shakespeare began writing Melodrama song dramas Written ad little plays accompanied by music Vaudevillle Burlesque late 1900s Heavily involved song and dance Types of Musical Theater 1 Opera Drama set entirely to music Began in 1600 s in Italy Spread across Europe European s take on Musical Theater 2 Operetta Not entirely music some spoken parts Tends to be a romantic story in a far off setting 3 Musical Comedy United States 1920 s American Musicals Light comic stories with popular musical genre 4 Today s Musical Theater Mix of operetta comedy 5 Review Sketches vignette between music Came out of vaudeville Antecedents Menstrual Show Involved characteristics of vaudeville and review White chorus with faces painted black Developed into musical The Black Crook mounted by William Wheatly first mega musical that used ballet company and huge sets George Cohan Performer writer composer Influenced by menstrual shows tap dancing story type and song structure Created many patriotic songs including Yankee Doodle Give My Regards to Broadway and Grand Old Flag Shift During After WWI Musicals became more story based and the music in them became more important However they still used popular song Some composers began to write specifically for the stage Showboat by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kerns Produced in 1927 Romance between white man and black woman Songs were used specifically for this show and this plot NOT POPULAR SONG Of Thee I Sing 1931 Borgie Bess opera Gershwin Pal Joey 1940 Developmental shows with progressive subject matter Oklahoma 1943 Launched the golden era of musical theater By Richard Rogers Oscar Hammerstein II First musical that used dance to move the plot forward Agnes De Mille choreographer Guys and Dolls Carosel Annie Get Your Gun 1940 s musicals 1950 s Golden Era of Musical Theatre West Side Story Jerome Robbins choreographed directed Opened on Broadway in 1957 Contemporary retelling of Romeo Juliet Ground breaking Set in NYC Advanced in it s use of dance seamlessly from beginning to end The King and I Wonderful Town Damn Yankees My Fair Lady The Sound of Music Bob Fosse 1950 s Musicals Created own dance style Broken lines and odd shapes Fiddler on the Roof Opened in 1964 on Broadway Closed Golden Era Directed Choreographed by Jerome Robbins Musicals began to transition Hair Oliver Hello Dolly Cabaret Opened in 1967 on Broadway No true story line Informal establishment of people lifestyle in the 1960 s 1960 s Musicals Immergence of the Concept Musical Built around an idea rather than a story Ex Company 1970 Follies 1971 both by Steve Sondheim A Chorus Line First produced in 1975 on Broadway Michael Bennett Featured the ensemble as the stars telling their life stories 1980 s British Invasion Andrew Lloyd Webber composer Technicolored Dreamcoat Phantom of the Opera Jesus Christ Superstar Evita Cats and Joseph and the Les Miserables and Miss Saigon are two other known musicals from the 1980 s Current Trends Revivals from the past Contemporary Shows new shows Musicals from films Musicals created from popular music