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THTR 3011: EXAM 1
Bass |
lowest/deepest
male voice
villan/bad guy |
Tenor |
highest natural voice
male
hero, guy who gets the girl |
Alto |
lower pitch voice
woman
contralto |
soprano |
highest pitch
female
love voice |
The Golden Triangle |
-perfectly integrated book musical,
-integrates
music
dialogue/words
dance
-IDEA OF INTEGRATION |
Bubble Formula |
when words can't express emotion, you sing, when singing isn't enough, you dance
Dialogue > Sing > Dance |
score |
combination of
lyrics
music |
Libretto |
aka BOOK
spoken dialogue, said not sung
story, characters, script |
Librettist |
writes libretto |
lyrics |
words to the song |
lyricist |
writes lyrics |
composer |
writes the music |
choreography |
designed dance steps
movement on stage
BY choreographer |
a cappella |
just vocals
no accompaniment |
duet |
-song sung by two or more voices
-2 voices, 1 piece |
contrapuntal |
-sing separate melody and lyrics at the same time
-each melody/voice is given the same weight |
patter song |
many lyrics
sung very fast
usually, comical effect |
ballad |
slow
romantic song |
recitative |
sung speech in opera
drives the plot forward
usually what is said, but instead is sung |
orchestration |
music for the orchestra
written music/parts for the same |
Ancient Greek Theater |
-major influence for Western Theater
-introduction of the chorus
-not lots of evidence |
opera |
-European
-dramatic work- serious
-high art
-stories of
nobility
mythology
upper class - Kings
-opulent staging
sung
recitative |
Ballad Opera |
-England 18th century
-parody of upper class
-low art
-stories of
beggars
thieves
lower class
-spoken dialogue
satirical
NOT recitative |
operetta |
-"little opera"
-comical/romantic plots
simple plots about upper class
happy endings
-usually dialogue - not recitative
-presentational acting style
directly addressing the crowd
sing to the audience
patter song |
presentational acting style |
directly addressing/facing the crowd |
representational acting style |
actors only reacting to one another
not addressing the audience
real life representation |
W.S. Gilbert |
lyricist/librettist for
operetta |
Arthur Sullivan |
composer for
operetta |
reflective song |
song reflects on feelings of what just happened |
Melodrama |
-"music drama"
-spoken text
-action parts had musical underscoring
-stock characters - villain, hero, female lead
-Simple morality - character is either good or bad, not both
-poetic justice - hero wins, villan loses
-contrived plot |
The Black Crook |
-Written by
Charles M Barras
-melodrama
-debatably the first musical
Huge Hit |
minstrelsy |
-very racist
racial stereotyping
-very popular
-white male performers painting their faces black
blackface
-Christine Minstrels
-most popular form of entertainment during time of the civil war |
Victor Herbert |
-American Operetta
conductor, composer, orchestrator
-worked in: (rare combination of both high and low art)
popular music
classical music
-Formed ASCAP - 1914 |
Who was the conductor, composer and orchestrator of American Operetta |
Victor Herbert |
A.S.C.A.P |
American Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers
-financial split:
publishers and authors split 50/50 anytime a restaurant plays their song. Pays composer/lyricist to ASCAP |
Show Boat |
Music(Composer): Jerome Kern
Mississippi River
-Book (Librettist)/Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein
-beginning of the "Golden Age of Musicals"
-not fully integrated bc missing dance
-Source Material:
Show Boat by Edna Ferber
-First musical with Af Am and Caucasians on stage during a chorus
desegregated chorus |
"Galavantin' Around" |
music is being integrated into the score |
Revue |
songs and sketches (usually dance) linked by one theme |
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. |
-most successful/influential producer of early 20th century
-if you knew him, he could make you famous
-made Ziegfeld Theater
during the stock market crash he lost everything |
Sandow |
-bodybuilder
-made famous by Ziegfeld
-brought into World's Fair and made famous
-musical display performances = revolutionary
-Americas first sexual object |
tableau vivant |
-curtains rise, performers posed naked as art
-sensors couldn't say anything about it since art was being reenacted
this is how Ziegfeld got around sensors |
How did Ziegfeld get around the sensors?
dealing with nudity |
tableau vivant |
glorifying the American girl |
-a "Ziegfeld Girl" set the standard for female sexuality in the 20th century
-Ziegfeld shouldn't be seen as a sexist man
he was an impresario
star maker |
Bert Williams |
-one of the most popular comedians of all time
-Began in Vaudeville and Minstrel shows
Performed in black face
"The Two Coons"
Was in "In Dahomey"
first broadway musical written by and starring
African Americans
-hired by Ziegfeld
Huge hit and huge controversy |
Tin Pan Alley |
West 28th st between Broadway and 6th Ave
-most music publishers were on this block |
song plugger |
-convinced producers or singers to purchase their music
EX: Cohan and Gershwin |
stooge |
"poser" or "random citizen" put in the audience who sings the songs to get other people to thinking the song is very catchy
"poser"/"random citizen" is planned so the audience
is tricked into thinking song is catchy |
Vaudeville |
series of unrelated acts (variety show)
-appealed to immigrant/ non english speaking people
-negative stereotypes of minorities
-the shows would travel from theater to theater around the country
very competitive
-1890-1920 most popular from of entertainment in the US
- 2-3 shows per day with 8-16 turns/acts per show |
Tony Paster |
-"Father of Vaudeville"
-opened first theater for family trade
-had door prizes, appealed to housewives
-cleaned up acts
cheap tickets
variety |
Turns |
-refers to Vaudeville
-8-16 acts per show
different people would come out |
Circuit |
Vaudeville (or all acts, idk) would travel from theater to theater all around the country |
George M Cohan |
Father of American Musical comedy
-Joined the family act with Sister Josie
played fiddle and danced
-Said he was born on the 4th of July when he was really just born sometime in July to show how patriotic he was
-HE DID IT ALL! actor lyricist composer etc
-he said his
Passion: Patriotism
Religion: Show Business |
Little Johnny Jones |
-George M Cohan
-plot filled with pro American references
-PLOT: Johnny Jones hires a detective to prove Anthony Antsy was spreading rumors saying he lost ____ on purpose. Goldy Gates and Johnny live happily ever after |
"Over There"
Song |
-Memorable song in Little Johnny Jones
hummable songs/tunes=key to success
George M Cohan |
Jerome Kern |
-Father of American Musical Theater
-composer
-song plugger
-knew style of ___ very well
ballad operas
operettas
-started Princess Musicals |
Princess Musicals |
-Composer: Jerome Kern
-Princess theater (299 seats) in danger of going out of business
-small in every aspect
-modern, believable comic situations |
overture |
-music you hear before the music from the orchestra starts playing
-introducing dramatic themes and and major songs |
reprise |
exact repeat of a song |
Leitmotif |
theme song
-musical theme of a character place or theme itself
-ex: "Ol' Man River" Joe ? |
AABA song structure |
Example:
Ol' Man River (Show Boat) |
Actors Equity Association |
-Actors strike
Ziegfeld/Cohan Reaction, both against it
-want better working condition and pay
-Ended when unions joined the strike |
Metatheater |
a show within a show |
Quasi Love Song |
-when two actors sing about what it would be like to be in love, and actually love each other, but don't admit to be in love
-Audience knows they are in love
EX: Show Boat, "Only Make Believe" |
"Ol' Man River"
song |
Show Boat
-central theme
no matter what is going on in your life, the river of life keeps going and you have no choice but to keep going with it
-AABA song
hummable songs |
"Only Make Believe"
song |
Show Boat
-quasi love song
-Magnolia and Ravanclau when they first met
-foreshadowing |
miscegenation |
mixing of races through marriage |
Golden Age of Musical Theater |
Showboat = beginning of golden age |
George Gershwin |
Born Jacob Gershwitz
-composer
would write music 1st
-youngest song plugger in Tin Pan Alley
-very well liked, charismatic, lots of girlfriends, player
-success in
popular music
classical music
"Rhapsody In Blue" |
Ira Gershwin |
-self expressive lyricist
one who shows off with the english language
-wrote the lyrics 2nd
after George would write the music
-opposite of George, very quiet, family man, book worm
Nickname: The Jeweler
-didn't know how to read music so he wrote "dummy lyrics" to help him |
The Gershwin's |
-became the dominant Broadway songwriters
early 1920's
-"Of Thee I Sing"
satire of white house, political process, presidential elections |
What won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama?
First Musical to win this prize |
Of Thee I Sing
BY George Gershwin - composer
Ira Gershwin - lyricist |
"Rhapsody In Blue" |
composed by George Gershwin |
Self Expressive Lyricist |
-shows off with the english language
-obvious that there is a person behind the lyrics bc they aren't natural |
"The Jeweler" |
Ira Gershwin
Never learned how to read music
He added jewels (lyrics) to the songs |
Dummy Lyrics |
-Ira Gershwin
-Never learned to read music
-George would write dummy lyrics to help Ira remember the rhythm of the song |
"Porgy and Bess" |
-George Gershwin: composer / orchestration
-DuBose Hayward: libretto
-Hayward and Ira: lyrics
-"American Folk Opera"
-Source material: novel "Porgy" by DuBose Hayward
-George traveled to Folly Island to learn about the Gullah people
-all AF AM cast |
Richard Rodgers |
composer
-Jewish American family, middle class
-Attended Columbia University
Varsity Show
-Rodgers wrote music 1st with Hart |
Larry Hart |
-lyricist
self expressive lyricist
-Jewish American
-attended Columbia 7yrs before Rodgers
-dark view of love
-deeply closeted homosexual
raging alcoholic
-wrote lyrics 2nc bc if Rodgers didn't write the music before, he would never write the lyrics
-sober while working on Hart/Rodger last project
Hart went on a alcohol bender over night
Dies due to exposure (pneumonia) |
Rodgers and Hart |
-relationship only lasted because they were both brilliant, otherwise, polar opposites
-extremely difficult relationship
-focused primarily on getting top hits out of the songs and not focusing on fully integrating the musical |
"The Garrick Gaieties" |
Rodgers: composer - Hart: lyrics
-Theater Guild
-"Manhattan" |
theater guild |
theatrical society founded in 1918 |
"On Your Toes" |
Rodgers and Hart
-first musical to integrate using dance
"Slaughter on 10th Avenue"
-George Balanchine
introduced choreography in theater
choreography for this musical |
What was the first musical to integrate using dance? |
"On Your Toes" by Rodgers and Hart
SONG: Slaughter On 10th Avenue |
Who introduced choreography in the theater? |
George Balanchine |
"Slaughter On 10th Avenue"
song |
-Integrated using dance
song first used with choreography
From the musical, "On Your Toes"
-Rodgers and Hart |
Pal Joey |
Rodgers and Hart
-sex, complicated affairs
-Joey= main character
anti hero
Joey sleeps with many women, two of the girls confront him, he walks away in the sunset with a different girl
No happy ending
Dark worldview
Further legitimized theater as a musical art form |
Anti hero |
-Does bad things but you still like him/her
The Villian the everyone loves (Heisenberg)
-EX: Johnny in "Pal Joey" by Rodgers and Hart |
Oscar Hammerstein |
lyricist, NOT self expressive
wealthy
Columbia University
liberal and progressive
musicals have divers material but mostly has an
underlying social message
-"poet among lyricist"
-positive world views, sentimental (opposite of Hart) |
Rodgers and Hammerstein |
-focused more on integrating their songs
Primary focus wasn't just to create a pop hit, at all
-Hammerstein writes lyrics 1st
Rodgers does music 2nd
(opposite of Rodgers and Hart) |
"Oklahoma" |
Rodgers: composer (2nd)
Hammerstein: music (1st)
Agnes De Mille: choreographer
-Source material:
"Green Grow The Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs
-original title was "Away We Go"
-First fully integrated musical
-first full cast album |
What was the first fully integrated musical? |
Oklahoma by Rodgers and Hammerstein |
"People Will Say We're In Love"
song |
Quasi-love song in "Oklahoma"
between Laurie and Curly |
Agnes De Mille |
-choreographer for "Oklahoma"
-"Oklahoma" put her on the map on Broadway
-Dream Ballet (scene in Oklahoma) |
Dream Ballet |
-Scene from Oklahoma
Rodgers and Hammerstein
-represents sexual desires
-choreography
Agnes De Mille |
"Carousel" |
Rodgers and Hammerstein
-based on a Hungarian Drama
-PLOT: Billy Biggalo, anti hero works at a carnival, Julie also works at the carnival, they both get fired. They get married. He beats her. She is pregnant, Billy needs money so he robs Julie's old boss, lands on a knife and dies. Goes to heave, watches his daughters life, comes down to have a second chance then back to heaven |
"If I Loved You"
song |
Quasi love song in "Carousel"
by Rodgers and Hammerstein |
"Bench Scene" |
-arguably the most important scene in all of theater
-integration without dance
-in "Carousel" and "If I Loved You" is a part of that scene |
Soliloquy |
-active song
-Billy is working on his feelings about being a dad
-"Carousel" |
What is arguably the most important scene in all of history and from what play? |
The "Bench Scene" from "Carousel" by Rodgers and Hammerstein |
"Annie Get Your Gun" |
-Book by
Dorothy (libretto) and Herbert Fields
-Music and Lyrics by
Irving Berlin
-Star Vehicle for Ethel Merman
shouter, huge powerful voice
-changed her name so it would fit on marquee
(billboards) was Ethel Zimmerman
-big brassy voice, belter
-ultimate show woman |
"There's No Business Like Show Business"
song |
Song in "Annie Get Your Gun"
by Irving Berlin |
Star Vehicle |
A play written specifically for someone
EX: Annie Get Your Gun for Ethel Merman |
Dorothy Fields |
-First successful Tin Pan Alley songwriter
-lyricist/librettist
-gave strong female voice to lyricists and librettos
-Libretto for "Annie Get Your Gun"
-She first asked Jerome Kern, who wrote ShowBoat, to write the score but he dies, then Irving did it |
Irving Berlin |
-Real name: Izzy Baline
-changed his name to Irving Berlin when there was a publishing error for the song "Marie from Sunny Italy"
-self taught composer/lyricist
Black keys only on a piano
never learned how to read music
Most Pop Hits! |
"Marie From Sunny Italy"
song |
From "Annie Get Your Gun" by Irving Berlin
-This is when his name changed
publisher got his name wrong, instead of writing
Izzy Baline, he wrote Irving Berlin. |
"Yip! Yip! Yaphank!" |
Irving Berlin
-Started playing at Camp Upton, where he was in the military and they would do military by day and perform musicals by night, THEN to Broadway
made fun of the military |
"As Thousands Cheer" |
Irving Berlin
composer and lyricist
-Musical Review
-created from newspaper headlines
-Satirical Revenue
-scenes from the news, current events, comics
-used real names of famous people
-First broadway show to have an African American Equal Billing with Caucasians |
What play used the names of famous people and was made up by newspaper headlines? |
"As Thousands Cheer" by Irving Berlin |
Ethel Waters |
-African American woman
nickname: Sweet Mama Stringbean
-Irving Berlin brought her to Broadway |
"Suppertime"
song |
In "As Thousands Cheer" Irving Berlin
-sung by Ethel Waters when her husband got lynched and she had to tell her children at suppertime
-Headline from newspaper inspiring this song: Unknown Negro Lynched by Frenzied Mob"
-very controversial, many people wanted him to cut this song but he refused, rightfully so |
Why wrote the famous song "White Christmas"? |
Irving Berlin
LOL bc he is Jewish |
"God Bless America"
song |
written by Irving Berlin
-trunk song |
"This Is The Army" |
Irving Berlin
-musical review
-first racially integrated unit in the US Army |
Ethel Merman |
Original Annie in "Annie Get Your Gun"
-shouter, huge powerful voice
-changed her name so it would fit on marquee (billboards). Was Ethel Zimmerman
-big brassy voice, belter
-ultimate show woman
-Broadway Debut in "Girl Crazy"
she started out with only a few lines but after each
rehearsal she was given more lines. Ended up
being one of the lead characters |
"Annie Get Your Gun" revival |
-very successful
-made the entire musical a metatheater
a show within a show
-changes the ending so the final shooting match ends with a tie |
Loewe |
-born/educated in Germany
-Always remained European in musical style
-composer |
Lerner |
-lyricist/librettist
-serial monogomist (8 wives)
-dominant partner
-passionate/sentimental + wit/brain
similar to Hammerstein |
Lerner and Loewe |
"The Last of the Romantics"
-unique work technique in which Lerner would write the title, then music by Loewe, then lyrics by Lerner
-heightened and romanticized past =
showing modern ideals and parallels
-wide variety of subject matter
all period pieces
-did not work together or in the same room
not very close to one another
not as loyal to one another
not a problem! |
"My Fair Lady" |
Book/Lyrics: Lerner
Music: Loewe
-PLOT: Eliza's main goal is to work in the flower shop, NOT to find a man such as other musicals like "Annie Get your Gun"
-Source Material:
"Pygmalion" by George Shaw
George Shaw= fabian socialism
-shows the American Dream is real
-Very political.
Shaw doesn't want it to be a musical but once he dies they make it into a play by Pascal.
Pascal talks to many people, they all reject it saying it won't be a good musical bc there is no dance
-Very faithful to Shaw's play, other than the ending
-original ending:
Eliza asserts her independence and leaves to escape
Higgins tyranny forever
My Fair Lady ending:
Eliza returns to Henry
-Challenges:
No love story
Solution:
focus on the characters and add dramatic events
that occurred offstage in Shaw's play
-Lerner and Loewe deemed all successors to Rodgers and Hammerstein
-Huge success!
breaks all records
480 weeks on the billboard chart |
George Bernard Shaw |
Wrote "Pygmalion" which was the source material for "My Fair Lady"
-fabian socialism
A cinderella story |
integration 2.0 |
-character driven songwriting
-revealing information about the characters |
Rex Harrison |
-Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady"
-Shakespearian actor
-no musical theater experience
-Lerner and Loewe wrote songs he could speak/sing |
Julie Andrews |
-not cast in the film version of "My Fair Lady" bc said to be too ugly
Replaced by Audrey Hepburn |
Audrey Hepburn |
-Eliza in "My Fair Lady" film version
-Marni Nixon sings the songs while she lip syncs |
Marni Nixon |
-nickname: the ghostess with the mostess
-ghost singer
-actual one singing when Audrey Hepburn fake sings |
"Brigadoon" |
Lerner: lyrics and libretto
Loewe: music
-fantasy word/Scotland
-Post war isolationist mentality in America
-PLOT: Typical Scottish attire. Tommy is reading Fiona's bible. He finds out there is a spell on Brigadoon where they wake up the net morning thinking it is the next day but actually 100 years has gone past. He leaves but loves Fiona. Blah blah love they fall in love |
"Paint Your Wagon" |
Lerner: lyrics/book
Loewe: music
-Gold Rush
American Folklore
-not a hit |
"They Call the Wind Maria"
song |
song in "Paint Your Wagon"
by Lerner and Loewe
-song became a hit but the musical was not |
"Camelot" |
Lerner & Loewe
-Adapted/Source Material from
The Once
Future King
PLOT: retelling of King Arthur and the knights of the round table
-association with the Kennedy clan |