1927-1939
What was the name of the “first great American musical” in 1927? Who was is by? Why was it important (include details about why it was revolutionary in terms of the musical genre and also about the topic of the show).
The first musical is Showboat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein. It is important because it discussed a controversial racial topic.
What revolutionary/significant musical did Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein come together to write in 1943?
Oklahoma
What is a rock musical?
A rock musical is one that incorporates rock music.
Who is the father of the megamusical?
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Musical theatre in the 1930s was socially and politically charged. Why was this?
Theatre at this time was socially and politically charged due to the Great Depression. Much of the theatre that came out of the 1930s was a response to what was going on in the country.
What is a book musical?
A book musical is a musical in which the plot is the most important aspect of the musical. All songs, staging, and choreography support the story.
What was the first rock musical? This musical was the first musical to do what?
The first rock musical was Hair. This was the first musical to devalue the plot. This was the first time the book musical was not the primary type of musical on stage.
Name two Disney musicals from the 1990s.
Beauty and the Beast and Lion King
Who wrote Anything Goes? Why was this show important?
Anything Goes was written by Cole Porter. This show is important to note because much of the music has become jazz standards.
Carousel was important in terms of the staging of solos for the main characters. What major change happened with Carousel and the delivery of solos?
By the time Carousel came about, solos could be sung from any location on the stage.
What is a concept musical?
A concept musical is one in which the concept, message, or theme is the most important aspect of the show, moreso than the story.
What is a corporate musical?
A corporate musical is one in which the creative process of a musical is controlled by a corporation.
Who is Ethel Merman and why is she important?
Ethel Merman was an actress in Anything Goes. She was the first woman to reject the classical style of singing and introduce a new style of singing: belting.
South Pacific was known for addressing a particular social issue. What major social issue did South Pacific deal with?
South Pacific is known for addressing racism and prejudice.
Discuss the music in the Company. Were the songs used to drive the plot forward or did they serve a different purpose?
The music in the show is not used to move the plot forward. The songs in Company were used as commentary – different characters would comment about the particular memory on stage.
Why was Rent a significant show when it came out in 1996?
Rent was a significant show because it was one of the first shows that young people of that era could relate to. It discussed relevant issues of the time – trying to make ends meet but also following your dreams of being an artist; the HIV epidemic; drug use; and more.
Explain the situation surrounding Blitzstein’s musical, The Cradle Will Rock. What happened opening night and why? What did the production team do in response to this?
The Cradle Will Rock was funded by the government; however, when they discovered that the show was a portraying the government in a negative light, they cancelled it on opening night. The theatre doors were locked and they could not get any of the props. In addition, the actors were not permitted to perform on any other stage due to their contracts. The composer was determined to perform the show, so he performed a one-man version of the musical at a different location. Miraculously, the actors stood up in the audience and sang the songs with him.
What musical signaled the end of the Golden Age of Musicals?
The musical that signaled the end of the Golden Age of Musicals was Fiddler on the Roof.
Give some information about Sondheim’s philosophy about the theatre and the way he wrote music.
Sondheim wanted audience members to leave the theatre having to reflect on their own lives, not necessarily for a happy ending. He wrote very complex music that is sometimes hard for the listener to understand.
Explain how Cats and Phantom of the Opera are megamusicals.
Both have very distinct logos that were heavily advertised. Each of these musicals have something visual about them that created a lot of hype. In Cats, it was the sets and costumes and in Phantom of the Opera it was the chandelier that comes crashing down. Both have music that is simple and written in the pop style.