Basic Information
What is a musical?
A musical tells a story through combination of spoken words, songs, and dances.
What do most historians agree was the first musical?
Most historians agree that the first musical was The Black Crook.
What was one of the most important musicals ever written?
Showboat was one of the most important musicals ever written.
What type of songs did George M. Cohan write?
George M. Cohan wrote patriotic songs.
What was one of the greatest songs in the history of the musical Showboat?
One of the greatest songs in the history of the musical Showboat was “Old Man River.”
Who was the first popular American-born writer who composed musicals?
George M. Cohan was the first major American-born writer of musicals.
When was the first musical performed in the United States?
The first musical was performed in the United States in 1866.
What was different about Showboat than earlier musicals?
Unlike earlier musicals, Showboat contained a serious subject matter and was presented in a realistic manner.
What composer wrote the musical Phantom of the Opera?
Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the musical Phantom of the Opera.
What musical was the first to win the Pulitzer Prize?
Of Thee I Sing was the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize.
What time period did musicals become popular in the United States?
Musicals became popular in the United States in the mid-1800s.
Who is a major figure in modern musical theatre who wrote West Side Story? Daily Double: Name another musical he wrote
Stephen Sondheim was a major figure in modern musical theater who wrote West Side Story.
Daily Double: Company, A Little Night, Sweeny Todd
Name one musical that Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote.
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote My Fair Lady and Camelot.
What musical did George and Ira Gershwin write?
George and Ira Gershwin wrote Of Thee I Sing.
Name one patriotic song that George M. Cohan wrote.
George M. Cohan wrote “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Yankee Doodle Boy,” and “Over There.”
Which culture had a strong influence on early musicals?
European culture had a strong influence on early musicals.
Name one of the musicals that Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote.
Cats, Phantom of the Opera, or Evita
When did the musical Oklahoma! open on Broadway?
The musical Oklahoma! Opened on Broadway in 1943.
Name at least one composer who used the European style in their musicals.
The three composer who used European style in their musicals were Rudolf Frimel, Sigmund Romberg, and Victor Herbert.
Name one musical written by Rudolf Frimel, Sigmund Rhomberg, and Victor Herbert wrote.
Rudolf Frimel, Sigmund Rhomberg, and Victor Herbert wrote Naughty Marietti, The Red Mill, The Student Prince and Rose Marie.
Where did most of the popular music during the early 1900s come from?
Most of the popular music of this time came from Broadway musicals.
What did Stephen Sondheim's musicals usually contain?
Stephen Sondheim’s musicals often contained unusual subject matter and musical treatments.
What two writers dominated the musical theater during the mid-1900s?
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II dominated the musical theater during the mid-1900s.
Name the three composers who wrote the musical Showboat.
Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Edna Ferber wrote the musical Showboat.
What musical established a Broadway record of over 3,000 performances? Daily Double: What musical broke that record?
The musical Fiddler On The Roof established a Broadway record of over 3,000 performances.
Daily Double: The musical A Chorus Line broke that record.