Broadway Musicals: Miss Saigon, The Producers & More

20th and 21st Century Multimedia Forms: Broadway Musicals

• Miss Saigon:
  • A moving love story based on the final days of the Vietnam War
  • Depicts an American soldier named Chris falling in love with a bargirl named Kim in Saigon
  • Chris tries to bargain with the bar owner to earn Kim's freedom
• The Producers:
  • A musical adaptation of the 1967 film
  • Won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards
  • Opened on Broadway in 2001 with stars Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane
  • Ran for 2,502 performances
  • Parodies Broadway producers with sarcastic and satirical humor
• Mary Poppins:
  • Based on books and Disney films
  • Focuses on a nanny who transforms a family
  • Received seven Tony nominations including Best Musical and won for Best Scenic Design
  • The musical closed in 2013, remaining popular in high school productions
• Aladdin:
  • A hit Broadway musical with the same producers as The Lion King
  • Features beloved songs from the Disney film
  • Called “Pure GENIE-Us” by USA Today
  • Twelfth highest-grossing show in Broadway history
• Hamilton:
• A unique story of the Founding Fathers
• Unlikely Broadway hit with rap, R&B, hip hop, soul, and show tunes
• Show has non-white actors portraying the main roles
• Tickets are sold out for eternity
• Cats:
  • The fourth longest-running Broadway show of all time
  • Had a total lifespan of 18 years
  • Written by Andrew Lloyd Weber
  • The story centers around a tribe of cats called Jellicles
  • Most famous song from the production is "Memory"
• Les Miserables:
  • French story set in 19th-century France
  • A peasant (Jean Valjean) seeks atonement and is arrested for stealing bread for his sister's child
  • The ninth most profitable Broadway show ever
• Beauty and the Beast:
  • All eight songs from the original movie, with one cut song, in the Broadway retelling
  • Fans supported the play for 13 years, from 1994–2007
• The Book of Mormon:
  • Tells the tale of two Mormon missionaries aiming to spread their religion in Uganda
  • The script, lyrics, and music are by Trey Parker and Matt Stone
• Jersey Boys:
  • A documentary-style performance about the 1960s rock 'n roll group The Four Seasons
  • Includes popular songs like "Big Girls Don’t Cry," "Sherry," and "Rag Doll"
  • The show won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical
• Chicago (The 1996 Revival):
  • The original opened in 1975 and ran for 936 performances, closing in 1977
  • Revived in 1996, becoming the second longest-running Broadway show
  • Centers on two women accused of homicide and the media spectacle that followed
• Mamma Mia!:
  • Based on hit songs by ABBA
  • Raked in profits during its 14-year run
  • Became ninth longest-running performance and fourth highest earner
• The Phantom of the Opera:
  • An Andrew Lloyd Weber musical
  • Features a soprano obsessed with a disfigured musical genius under the Paris Opera House
  • Opened on Broadway in 1986 and celebrated 10,000th show in 2012
• Wicked:
  • An alternative take on The Wizard of Oz
  • It focuses on the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) and Galinda (Glinda)
  • One of three Broadway shows that has earned over $1 billion
• The Lion King:
  • The highest-grossing musical of all time
  • A Disney adaptation filled with catchy songs
  • Won numerous Tony Awards
  • Only three shows to earn over $1 billion

Top 10 Musical Plays in the Philippines

• Aurelio Sedisyoso (Tanghalang Pilipino):
  • The Philippine rock sarswela tackles the life of playwright Aurelio Tolentino and Philippine conflicts in the early 1900s under American colonization
  • Tolentino is known for the play "Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas," for which he was arrested for sedition
  • His company Teatro Porvenir performed publicly back in 1903.
• Guadalupe The Musical:
  • A historical epic musical set in 1531 in Mexico
  • Tells the story of Juan Diego, a mat-weaver, who saw the Virgin Mary
• Beautiful
  • Jukebox musical highlighting the life and career of Carole King
  • A Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical featuring King's hits
  • Songs like "You've Got a Friend" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" are featured
• Noli Me Tangere, The Opera:
  • Based on Rizal's political novel
  • Features music and lyrics from 2 National Artists
  • Explores themes that continue to be highly politically relevant
• Ang Huling El Bimbo (Full House Theater Company/Resorts World Manila):
  • Features iconic songs by the Eraserheads
  • Musical tells the story of childhood friends who reunite to confront their haunted past
• Dirty Old Musical (Spotlight Artists Centre):
  • Jukebox musical about "The Bench Boys," an 80s teenage boy group
  • A group who was disbanded due to personalities, reunite after a few decades
  • They reunite to hold a concert for a sick member
  • Show features hit OPM songs from the 70s and 80s
• After premiering (Andrew Lloyd Webber):
  • The musical tells a story of love, beytrial, and vengance
  • Explores themes of a beautiful soprano named: Christine Daaé
  • She becomes the objectv of a mysterious deformed maestro "Phantom" who hides under the underground labryinth of under the Paris Opera House
• Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! (9 Works Theatrical):
  • Jukebox tells the coming-of-age story of the barkada, college youth is told through APO Hikin Society
  • The barkada joins a singing contest within the 1970's
• Charot (PETA):
  • Presents a musical that will take place in the philipines
  • Encourages audinces to be aware on the upcoming elecetions
• Miong (Repertory Philippines):
• Chronicles the birth of a youth leader to the declaration date

Musical Plays

• A theatrical presentation composed of songs, dialogue, acting, and dancing
• Modern musicals use stage setup, lights, and sounds, with a live orchestra or band

Emotional Content

• Musicals present an idea or story through love, anger, nostalgia, bemusement, and humor
• The story uses music and drama elements
• Drama elements such as, dialogue, movement, space, stage, scenery, costumes, and special effects

Theatrical Elements

• In musicals, theatrical elements such as dialogue, acting, scenery and lighting are combined with music
• Dialogue surfaces through song lyrics
  • The melody is used to highlight the mood and tone
• Acting is accompanied by songs and instrumental music
• Scenery is a collection of props that symbolyze locations
  • Locations like, trains, a house, a park, road, or street
• Lighting and sounds are used for special effects
  • Instrumental music establishes the theme

Elements of a Musical

• Score:
  • Written by a composer
  • The music of the entire show and number of songs
• Lyrics:
  • Refers to the words of the songs
• Script:
  • Known as the book
  • Is the dialogue that the actors speak

Broadway Musical

• Is America's contribution to musical drama
• retains the features and aspects of opera excluding those involving speech
• Popular Broadway sound tracks"
  • My favorite things and DO, RE, MI from: 'The Sounds of Music'
  • Getting to Know you from: 'The King and I'
  • Sunrise, Sunset from: 'Fidler on the Roof'
  • All I ask of You from: 'Phantom of the Oprea'

Lea Salonga

• Popularized MISS SAIGON

Key Organizers of a Musical

• Choreographer:
  • Creates dances and manages movements based on the director's vision
• Costume Designer:
  • Decides and organizes what the actors will wear
• Director:
• Organizes all elements and players into his or her vision
• Lighting Designer
• Guarantees the mood that sets the plan for the actors setting
• Musical director:
  • Leads the actors and instrumentalists
• Set Designer:
  • Plans and monitors the illusory world

How Technology Affects the Music Industry

• Technology is used to express themselves through art
• Makes it possible for musicians to produce various sounds
• The way music is recorded and delivered has changed
• Composers continue to modernize skills and equipment
• Music technology has become a primary component for developing music

Computers & Technology Contributions to Musical Plays

• In the 1980s, when the effect of modern technology impacted theater, audiences were awed by lights and sounds
• Devices using images and sound conjured
• Presentations may be heard and seen using tablets
• Multimedia is now accessable to everyone

Contributions of Social Media to the Music Industry

• The advent of social media has made it easy for people to watch certain performances using a computer or device from any location
• Social media allows people to organize their own groups regarding specific performances
• People also use them more for important updates from their favorite websites
• Easily access venues, schedules, and even purchase their music