Questions and Answers
What are stage shows that are adaptations of nonmusical films called?
Musical theatre
What seems to be the modern formula for success in theatre?
What is the only form of theatre that is truly American?
Musical theatre
What is an opera generally characterized by?
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Define operetta.
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What was The Black Crook (1866) a combination of?
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Vaudeville was characterized by what type of performances?
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How did vaudeville circuits transport acts?
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Who were the Ziegfeld Follies made for?
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Ziegfeld Follies music was by only one composer.
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Ziegfeld Follies had a plot.
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The Ziegfeld Follies Act I always ended with a what?
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What were the Ziegfeld Follies usually about?
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Who started the Ziegfeld Follies in 1907?
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Many stars emerged from the Follies, including Ed Wynn, Billie Burke, and Bob Hope.
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What musicals were often silly comedies with romantic plots occurring within a 24-hour time period?
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What is SHOWBOAT known for?
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What is a characteristic of burlesque?
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What characterizes musicals of the 1920s-1930s?
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What was 'Oklahoma!' based on?
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What does a 'book musical' focus on?
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What defines a 'concept musical'?
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What are examples of Rock Musicals?
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What does a producer do in a musical?
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What does a composer do?
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What does a lyricist do?
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Who creates the book for a musical?
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What is a specialty advisor's role in a musical?
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What is nontraditional casting in Hamilton?
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What themes does the Book of Mormon address?
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What are the main themes of Dear Evan Hansen?
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What themes does The Prom explore?
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What is the American musical?
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The musical's origins lie in a fusion of different entertainment genres from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These are traditionally called __________ of the musical.
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The early genres are not __________, the genre that eventually displaced all of them.
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What are book musicals also known as?
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Many genres overlapped, coexisted with, and borrowed elements from one another.
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What is the tradition of performers 'blacking up' called?
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Blackface minstrelsy started becoming popular around what year?
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Black Americans started performing in troupes regularly after __________.
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In Dahomey (1903) is an early musical comedy drawing on the tradition of __________.
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What refers to theatrical presentations that used gestures done in silence?
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In the early history of the musical, __________ refers to classical dance with a storyline.
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What featured dance, elaborate scenery and costumes, sets, and sophisticated stage machinery?
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What had elements of melodrama and fantasy in musicals?
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What genre emphasized broad comedy and sexual content?
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Evangeline (1874) was the first burlesque for which the music was newly written. What was the narrative poem it was based on?
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What emerged in the last third of the nineteenth century, representing the use of short musical passages?
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The __________ emerged in the 1890s and remained popular to late 1930s.
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What was the first successful American revue?
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What genre represents entertainment that was considered highly disreputable and featured skits and specialized acts?
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Where did variety theatres begin to develop during the 1880s and 1890s?
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What is thought of as variety without alcohol and aimed at family audiences?
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Who is considered the first American musical?
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What is Tin Pan Alley known for?
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Who played songs on a piano in music stores to interest customers in buying sheet music?
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Most songs took the form of AABA, yielding what came to be known as __________.
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What was of great significance in the development of the musical?
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The __________ that would become integral to the book musical is central to the operetta.
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Musical theatre in the 1920s and 1930s was all about __________.
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What was a crucial element in the early musical comedies of the 1920s and 1930s?
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The plots of musical comedies are usually considered __________.
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Musical comedies emphasize more on comedy and dance than on __________.
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The musical language of __________ greatly influenced musical theatre of the 1920s and 1930s.
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Who created many of the 1920s and 1930s most popular works?
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What was the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize for drama?
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What dominated the 1940s and 1950s?
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What kind of shows combined lighthearted elements with greater depth and more complex characters in the 1940s and 1950s?
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Who is a towering figure in the history of American music?
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What began in the 1960s involving new ways of storytelling?
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Perhaps the most significant change to occur in the book musical's development was the continued broadening of __________.
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What play features a narrator and many songs that comment on plot events?
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The most important alternative to the book musical to emerge in the 1970s was the __________.
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What is often called a 'fully integrated' musical that won nine Tony awards?
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Who dominated Broadway in the 1970s and much of the 1980s?
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What was Sondheim's first show in which he composed all the music?
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A recurring theme in Sondheim's shows is the many different ways people __________.
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What was the first of Sondheim's collaborations?
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Sondheim's shows often __________ because of his innovative approaches.
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Sondheim's prominence lasted into the __________.
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Shows in which the visual spectacle is the main emphasis are known as __________.
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What represents the rock-influenced genre in musicals?
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Dreamgirls (1981) is a __________ musical.
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City of Angels (1989) represents the __________ musical.
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Shows that consist of existing pop songs are called __________.
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When has the musical's relationship with film been significant?
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Many of the great shows of the 1940s and 1950s were made into films called __________.
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__________ are crossovers, of which The Producers represents a success.
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Study Notes
American Musical Overview
- The American musical is a blend of song, dance, dialogue, and visual elements, serving as a vital entertainment form in popular culture.
- It reflects political and social themes and is driven by significant financial backing for large productions.
Origins and Genres
- Early genres that contributed to the musical's evolution include precursors, forerunners, or antecedents.
- The genre of book musicals evolved, featuring a structured storyline with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Minstrelsy and Early Entertainment
- Minstrelsy involved white performers using blackface, evolving into a complex tradition involving black performers post-slavery.
- It peaked in popularity around 1843, leading many to stereotype African American life through comic skits and songs.
Distinct Genres and Forms
- Pantomime used silent gestures accompanied by instrumental music to create mood.
- Ballet referenced classical dance with narrative elements, while spectacles involved elaborate scenery and stage machinery.
- Extravaganzas combined lavish spectacle with elements of melodrama and fantasy, with "The Black Crook" as a notable example from 1866.
Burlesque and Melodrama
- Burlesque emphasized broad comedy, innuendos, and parodying contemporary society, with "Evangeline" being an early musical comedy.
- Melodrama utilized short musical pieces to enhance dramatic effect, paving the way for underscoring used in later musicals.
Revue and Variety
- The revue format emerged in the 1890s, blending various performances under themes; "The Passing Show" was the first successful American revue.
- Variety shows, popular in the late 19th century, featured unrelated acts and were often performed in saloons, leading to vaudeville—a family-friendly evolution of variety entertainment.
Evolution of the Musical
- "Cohan's Little Johnny Jones" is recognized as the first American musical, showcasing the transition to structured musical formats.
- Tin Pan Alley became synonymous with American music distribution, influencing the popularity of musical theatre.
Structure of Songs
- Songs generally followed the AABA form, creating memorable hooks and contrasting sections.
- European opera inspired American musical development, introducing elements of dramatic narrative.
The 1920s and 1930s
- Musical theatre during these decades focused on entertainment, with dance becoming a vital component of the narrative.
- The onset of jazz significantly shaped the musical scene, with influential figures like George and Ira Gershwin creating memorable works.
The Dominance of Book Musicals
- The 1940s and 1950s solidified the book musical format, integrating songs into the narrative fabrics and allowing deeper character exploration.
- Leonard Bernstein emerged as a key figure in musical composition, integrating dance and music in "On the Town."
1960s to 1980s Divergence
- The 1960s marked experimentation with storytelling in musicals, leading to the emergence of concept musicals.
- "A Chorus Line" is noted for its integrated format that prioritizes dance and won multiple Tony awards.
Stephen Sondheim's Impact
- Sondheim revolutionized the genre with complex characters and innovative narratives in his shows, such as "Company" and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
- His works increasingly examined human communication and relationships, solidifying his legacy in musical theatre.
Megamusicals and New Genres
- Megamusicals emphasize grand visual spectacles and larger-than-life storytelling.
- Rock musicals, like "Dreamgirls," and jazz-infused works, such as "City of Angels," highlight the genre's adaptability to various musical styles.
Jukebox Musicals and Adaptations
- Jukebox musicals compile existing pop songs, reflecting the evolving landscape of musical theatre.
- The blending of musicals with film adaptations is significant from the 1930s onward, expanding the reach of musical narratives.
Ziegfeld Follies
- Ziegfeld Follies catered to an elite audience, characterized by its lavish productions.
- The shows featured various composers, lacked a cohesive plot, and often concluded with extravagant wedding scenes.
Characteristics of Musical Theatre
- Emphasizes entertainment value, innovative storytelling, and the integration of diverse musical styles.
- The genre remains distinctly American, evolving continuously while maintaining core elements of song, dance, and narrative.### American Musical Theatre Origins
- Glorification of the American Woman as central theme, featuring women in elegant costumes and simple choreography.
- Women utilized as decorative elements in performances, often nude and immobile, enforcing strict rules against touching.
- Choreography popularized by Busby Berkeley, employing kaleidoscope formations despite dancers lacking significant talent.
Florenz Ziegfeld and the Follies
- Launch of "Ziegfeld Follies" in 1907 marked initiation of an annual theatrical event, lasting until 1936 before transitioning to radio and film.
- Florenz Ziegfeld was the creative force behind this influential series.
Stars from the Follies
- Numerous prominent stars emerged from the Follies, including Ed Wynn, Billie Burke, Fanny Brice, Bob Hope, and Will Rogers.
Characteristics of 1910s-1920s Musicals
- Musicals featured silly comedies with romantic plots occurring within a 24-hour timeframe.
- Songs often disconnected from the plot yet became popular music of the era.
- Dance sequences served as spectacle, lacking narrative relevance, and many shows credited multiple composers.
Showboat (1927)
- Produced by Ziegfeld, Showboat featured the collaboration of Jerome Kern (composer) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyricist).
- Spanning 30 years (1800s-1920s), the plot engaged serious themes like romantic disintegration, gambling, racism, and alcoholism.
- Notable for inclusive casting, featuring both white and Black choruses.
- Established the model for future writer/composer partnerships, leading to iconic duos like Gershwin and Rogers and Hammerstein.
Burlesque as Entertainment
- Closely related to Vaudeville, burlesque showcased acts of low morality, combining sexual innuendo with comedic performances.
- The rise of "talkies" diminished the roles of silent film stars, leading to the emergence of vulgar acts to attract theatergoers.
- Authorities often intervened, resulting in the closure of theaters and imprisonment of performers for lewdness.
Evolution of 1920s-1930s Musicals
- Musicals from this era depicted silly and complex plots with extravagant opening numbers.
- Featured lead performers, comic roles, and distinctive choruses—both singing and dancing, primarily ballet.
- Included minstrel shows, which illegally portrayed white performers in blackface.
Oklahoma! (1942)
- Based on "Green Grow the Lilacs," a significant work by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
- Featured a straightforward plot initiated by a solo performer instead of a large ensemble.
- Songs and dances contributed meaningfully, enhancing plot development and character backstories.
Development of the Musical
- Characterized by triple threat performers (sing, dance, act) with choreographers like Jerome Robbins becoming integral to production.
- Emerged trend towards ensemble casts, exemplified by "A Chorus Line."
- Diversification of dance styles in musicals, incorporating jazz, tap, folk, and ballroom.
Changes in Music and Singing
- Lack of microphones in traditional settings required singers to project over full orchestras.
- Transition to recorded music altered audience tastes towards "American Idol"-style performers, especially after the adaptation of musicals to film.
Financial Aspects of Musicals
- Rising production costs, typically ranging from $10 million to $20 million, with notable exceptions like SPIDERMAN at $75 million.
- Ticket prices vary significantly, between $75 and $400, reflecting high financial stakes in production.
Types of Musicals
- Book Musical: Story-driven formats, exemplified by "My Fair Lady," "Sound of Music," and "Oklahoma!".
- Concept Musical: Theme-driven works such as "A Chorus Line," "Company," and "Cabaret."
- Rock Musical: Includes shows like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Hair"; characterized by grand spectacle, as seen in megamusicals like "Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats."
- Jukebox Musical/Musical Revue: Revues drawing from existing music, popular titles include "Smokey Joe's Café" and "Ain't Misbehavin'."
Personnel in Musicals
- Key roles include producers, composers, lyricists, librettists, directors, choreographers, and specialty advisors for specific skills.
- Essential performers encompass leads, secondary roles, singers, and dancers.
Modern Themes and Casting
- Nontraditional and diverse casting practices highlighted in productions like "Hamilton."
- Significant themes explored in contemporary musicals include societal impacts, sexuality, and inclusiveness as seen in "Book of Mormon," "Dear Evan Hansen," and "The Prom."
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Explore the essence of the American musical through flashcards that explains its components, cultural significance, and economic impact. This quiz will enhance your understanding of how song and dance blend with storytelling in this captivating art form.