Theatre Terms Chapter 12

Questions and Answers

What are the two categories of theatre?

Plays without music (correct)

Operetta

Plays with music (correct)

Musical Comedy

What is an opera?

A drama that is set entirely to music; all the lines are sung.

What distinguishes an operetta from a grand opera?

It has a frivolous, comic theme and some spoken dialogue.

What characterizes a musical comedy?

A light-hearted, fast-moving comic story interspersed with popular music. Signup and view all the answers

What is a rock musical?

A musical that uses rock music from the 50s to contemporary pop. Signup and view all the answers

What is a revue?

A program of satirical sketches, singing, and dancing on a particular theme. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary functions of a comedy number in musicals?

To provide comic relief. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'showstopper' refer to?

A big production number. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of an overture in a musical?

A medley of the show's songs played as a preview. Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of a ballad?

A love song. Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the forms of plays with music?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the musical 'Showboat'?

It combines musical comedy and serious drama. Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'reprise' in musicals?

A repetition of a song, sometimes with new lyrics or meaning. Signup and view all the answers

The first modern musical in the United States was 'The Black Crook'.

True Signup and view all the answers

What does a 'book musical' imply?

Musicals with a particularly well-developed story and characters. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significant historical aspect of minstrel shows?

They included comic scenes and were based on white stereotypes of black life. Signup and view all the answers

What are the components of a musical's structure?

Music, lyrics, book, composer, lyricist, librettist. Signup and view all the answers

What impact did World War I have on musical comedies?

They became patriotic and sentimental. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two decades considered the golden age of great American musicals?

The 1940s and 1950s. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes today's musicals?

They often rely on revivals of older works. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Categories of Theatre

Two main categories: plays with music and straight plays (plays without music).

Types of Musical Theatre

Opera: Entirely sung, typically set to classical music. Originated in the late 1500s during the Italian Renaissance.
Operetta: Light opera featuring comic themes, spoken dialogue, and some dancing.
Musical Comedy: Light-hearted, fast-paced stories with dialogue interspersed with popular music.
Straight Musical: Focuses on serious plots and themes.
Rock Musical: Incorporates rock music from the 50s to contemporary pop.
Revue: A collection of satirical sketches, songs, and dances centered around a theme.
Variety Show: Unrelated acts of singing, dancing, and comedy, evolving from vaudeville.
Vaudeville: Popular stage entertainment from the 1880s to the 1940s, featuring a variety of acts.
Burlesque: Musical entertainment originating in the 1840s, characterized by bawdy songs and skits.

Structure of Musical Theatre

Components include music (by the composer), lyrics (by the lyricist), and books (spoken dialogue by the librettist).
Differentiations include book musicals (well-developed stories), dance musicals (featuring choreography), and operatic musicals (mostly sung with little dialogue).

Musical Terminology

Overture: A preview medley of the show's songs.
Ballad: A love song.
Comedy Number: Provides comic relief within the musical.
Showstopper: A notable big production number.
Reprise: Repetition of a song with new or altered lyrics to make a dramatic point.

Historical Development of Musical Theatre

American Invention: Musical theatre in America merged various traditions from other cultures.
The Black Crook (1866): Considered the first modern American musical; a financial success that lacked strong narrative depth.
African American Musicals: Early works like A Trip to Coontown (1898) laid the foundation for future contributions by African Americans in musical theatre.
World War I: The musical comedy genre thrived with composers like George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin shaping Broadway.
Showboat (1927): A landmark production that combined musical comedy with serious storytelling, changing the landscape of American musicals.

Key Musicals and Their Impact

Oklahoma! (1943): Integrated serious themes into musicals, featuring well-developed characters.
West Side Story (1957): A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, showcasing Broadway's evolution.
Cabaret (1966): Addressed cultural issues in pre-Nazi Germany.
Hair (1967): Introduced rock music and themes of counterculture to the musical format.

Contemporary Context

The rise of Bollywood has shifted the center of musical production and popularity from the U.S. to India.
U.S. musicals face high production costs, leading to a trend of revivals and adaptations from Hollywood movies.
Successful recent musicals include Mamma Mia! (2001) and Jersey Boys (2005), demonstrating the genre's evolution.

Current Trends

A diverse range of musicals now exists to cater to various audiences, including modern rock musicals and classic revivals.
Despite financial challenges, American musical theatre continues to innovate and adapt to contemporary tastes and influences.

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Description

Explore key terms related to theatre from Chapter 12. This quiz focuses on important categories and forms of theatre, including the distinctions between opera, operetta, and straight plays. Test your knowledge and enhance your understanding of these theatrical concepts.