Questions and Answers
What was the primary type of entertainment that influenced the development of musical theatre?
Vaudeville
In early Greek theatre, how was music typically used?
To underscore the meaning of lines delivered by the chorus
What major historical event contributed significantly to the development of a separate genre known as musical theatre?
World War I
What role did songs like 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and 'Over There' play during the years of World War I?
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Which types of theatre provided popular entertainment that set the stage for the development of musical theatre in the late 1800s?
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What type of acts were typically included in the early musical plots?
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Who were some of the popular musical composers during the golden age of American musical theatre?
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What event in 1943 is highlighted as a significant moment in musical theatre history?
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How did the content of musicals change in the late 1960s?
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What was added to the plot of The Black Crook in a frantic attempt to save the production?
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Study Notes
Development of American Musical Theatre
- The modern American musical developed from vaudeville and burlesque, which provided popular entertainment throughout the 1800s.
- Burlesque featured dramatic sketches and songs that made fun of legitimate theatre.
Early Musical Theatre
- The first American musical, "The Black Crook," opened in 1866 and was a melodrama that included music and dance.
- The musical combined elements of ballet and melodrama after a last-minute decision to merge the two productions.
Golden Age of American Musical
- By 1943, the musical "Oklahoma!" opened in New York, marking the golden age of American musical theatre.
- Musicals during this period dealt with a wide variety of subjects, such as Annie Oakley's life in "Annie Get Your Gun" and Shakespeare in "Kiss Me Kate."
Changes in Musical Theatre
- In the late 1960s, musicals became more like musical revues, featuring many songs with little dialogue.
- Irving Berlin and George Gershwin specialized in this movement, creating a new form of theatre.
Association with Music and Dance
- Musical theatre has always been closely associated with music and dance.
- In early Greek theatre, music was used to underscore the meaning of lines delivered by the chorus.
American Perspective
- American musical theatre expressed and supported the nation's growing sense of nationalism around World War I.
- Songs like Cohan's "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Over There" played a great role in keeping American spirits up during World War I.
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