Songs
Key Figures
Antecedents
Cultural Contexts
Musicals
100

This number in the musical Oklahoma was unusual for an opening song because it was sung by a single actor who started offstage. 

What is "Oh What A Beautiful Morning"

100

This lyricist who wrote 11 musicals with Richard Rodgers was named after both of his grandfathers.

Who is Oscar Hammerstein II
100

This antecedent to musical theater was known for its use of stock characters and poetic justice.

What is melodrama

100

This idealized ethos says that anyone, regardless of background, can achieve prosperity and success through hard work alone.

What is "The American Dream"

100

This musical is widely considered to be the first integrated book musical.

What is Show Boat?

200

This song in the musical West Side Story shows the Puerto Rican characters' mixed feelings about their country.

What is "America"

200

This composer, known as the "Father of Musical Theater" brought many innovations to musicals, including the leitmotif.

Who is Jerome Kern?

200

This antecedent of musical theater was made popular by Gilbert and Sullivan.

What is the operetta?

200

This form of music was developed by Black musicians in New Orleans and quickly became popular throughout the U.S. in the 1920s.

What is jazz

200
Many of our misconceptions about gangs in America originated with the popularity of this musical.

What is West Side Story?

300

This song is sung by Rose after her daughter June leaves her.

What is "Everything's Coming Up Roses"

300

These two brothers were a widely celebrated composer and lyricist who wrote the American folk opera Porgy and Bess.

Who were George and Ira Gershwin

300

This antecedent of musical theater began as exclusive court entertainment in Italy.

What is opera seria?

300

This form of entertainment became popular in early 20th century American immigrant neighborhoods because many of the acts had little or no dialogue.

What is Vaudeville

300

Ethel Merman insisted on finding a composer for this musical because the lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, was not well known. 

What is Gypsy?

400

Paul Robeson made this song such a popular song of resistance that it was banned in both South Africa and Norway.

What is "Old Man River"

400

This choreographer invented the "dream ballet" for the show Oklahoma.

Who is Agnes de Mille

400

This antecedent to musical theater used satire and popular tunes to make fun of the upper class.

What is ballad opera?

400

This writer and theorist wrote, "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house."

Who is Audre Lorde

400

This musical was adapted from the 1930 play Green Grow the Lilacs.

What is Oklahoma?

500

This number in Show Boat was one of the first examples of the "quasi love song" invented by Hammerstein.

"Make Believe"

500

This choreographer of West Side Story became known for his unmatched ability to use dance to tell a story.

Who is Jerome Robbins

500

The Magic Flute was one example of this German version of comic opera. 

What is singspiel?

500

This 1967 Supreme Court decision overturned anti-miscegenation laws in Virginia and across the country.

What is Loving v. Virginia

500

This musical by Cole Porter is about madcap antics onboard a steamer ship from New York to London.

What is Anything Goes?