MUSICAL THEATRE

TYPES OF MUSICAL THEATERE OPERA OPERETTA BALLET VAUDEVILLE MINSTREL SHOWS MUSICAL REVUE BOOK MUSICAL CONCEPT MUSICAL

OPERA GRAND OPERA: originates in Italian Renaissance (1200-1600), usually tragic, sung-through, high spectacle COMIC OPERA: Opera Comique; sung-through, lighter in tone Music-driven, elitist

OPERETTA 1800’s, Not entirely sung-through Light in tone Romantic; happy ending, often ends in marriage Exotic locales Music-driven

BALLET Origins in Court Masques of the 17th Century (1600’s) Tells story through music and dance, no words Movement-driven, elitist

ORIGINS OF MODERN MUSICAL THEATRE

THE BLACK CROOK-1866 Second-rate Melodrama NY Producer hires stranded 100-member French ballet company Bare-limbed “spirits” and “demons” are highly popular; introduces concept of “chorus line” Runs for 16 months, tours for 40 years Use of dance to help tell story in popular entertainment

William GILBERT and Sir Arthur SULLIVAN Wrote comic, satiric operettas Story and Words important HMS PINAFORE- 1878 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE- 1879 THE MIKADO- 1885 Popular in England and America

VAUDEVILLE Variety show popular later 1800’s through 1930’s Includes singers, dancers, musicians, animal acts, jugglers, comedians Training ground for future musical theatre stars, composers, choreographers

MINSTREL SHOWS Popular from 1850’s to 1950’s; introduces African-based melodies and rhythms to popular American culture Introduces syncopation, gives birth to ragtime, jazz, blues Originally presented by white performers in “blackface”, black troupes organize in 1870’s; segregated theatres prevented Blacks from performing in “White” theatres.

BERT WILLIAMS First African-American “star” Began in minstrel shows, went on to vaudeville in early 1900’s; became well-known, popular performer

GEORGE M. COHAN 1878-1942 Performer, writer, composer, producer, director Performed in vaudeville with his family Played in orchestra at age 8 Published first song at age 16 Family’s business manager, commanding $1000 per week

GEORGE M. COHAN 1901-wrote and directed first musical, The Governor’s Son, age 22 1904- “Give My Regards to Broadway”, “Yankee Doodle Boy”

GEORGE M. COHAN Developed strong, American stories about “everyday” people, immigrants Patriotic, celebrated American spirit; flag-waving; red, white, and blue Songs supported story, characters James Cagney movie portrays Cohan’s life George M.!- musical about Cohan’s life

FLORENZ ZIEGFELD 1867-1931:Producer/Director Best known for producing the Follies series from 1907 to 1927, as well as plays and musicals Lived and spent grandly, known for spectacle Made many composers, lyricists, performers famous: Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Fanny Brice, Barbara Stanwyck, Billie Burke (his wife), Anna Held, Fred Astaire, Will Rogers, Eddie Cantor, Bob Hope, Marion Davies

ZIEGFELD FOLLIES Spectacle/ Extravaganza, huge, opulent, fantastic Introduced concept of “showgirl”, living scenery

The ZIEGFELD “Showgirl” Hired most beautiful women Costumed lavishly , often revealingly, and always with great style and taste Motto: “Glorifying the American Girl”

BERT WILLIAMS Hired by Florenz Ziegfeld for his Follies in 1912, first African-American to “headline” in a major “White” production Continued to star in the Follies until his death in 1922

SHOWBOAT-1927 Produced by F. Ziegfeld Jerome Kern, composer Oscar Hammerstein, lyricist Serious storyline All American, life on riverboat Combined operetta with native American music Integration of Black and White performers

SHOWBOAT 1ST musical to show interracial love story Deals with unlikely themes of racism, alcoholism, spousal abuse/neglect, gambling addiction Integrates songs into story, dance is organic to action Eliminates line of chorus girls

1930’s: Experimentation The Depression begins the demise of the big stage extravaganzas, puts more emphasis on innovation Franklin Delano Roosevelt creates the Federal Theatre Project in 1935 to aid unemployment among theatre artists Development of African-American artists and material

1931: OF THEE I SING Direction and Book by George Kaufman, music by GEORGE GERSHWIN, lyrics by IRA GERSHWIN Political Satire First musical to win Pulitzer Prize

1935: PORGY AND BESS music by GEORGE GERSHWIN, lyrics by IRA GERSHWIN Folk opera, uses indigenous musical style: “Summertime”, “Bess, You Is My Woman Now”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So” African-Americans as central, sympathetic, realistic characters

1940’s-early 60’s: GOLDEN AGE OF “BOOK” MUSICAL “Book” musicals and their presentation develop in maturity Competing with Television Prolific period of American creativity in the genre Wide range and depth of material

1943: OKLAHOMA! Simple love story, not ground-breaking, but caught growing sense of nationalism created by war Music by RICHARD ROGERS, lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II Choreographed by AGNES de MILLE, used ballet and modern and indigenous dance to tell story; “dream ballet”

Agnes de Mille 1905-1993 Combined different forms of dance to help create individual characters, advance the plot Dance was not just for “dance’ sake”; assigned dancers dramatic features, motivation, emotional content Other shows: BRIGADOON, PAINT YOUR WAGON, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES

“Dream Ballet” OKLAHOMA!’s “dream ballet”, about 17 minutes long, allowed dance to play an intrinsic part in the psychology of the characters, story Created a trend: 12 of the next 21 musicals on Broadway included a dream ballet

Richard Rogers 1902-1979 Oscar Hammerstein II 1895-1960 Prolific team, wrote many of the most famous musicals of the 40’s and 50’s Both had established strong careers with other partners Interested in serious themes, social issues Some of their most famous works:

CAROUSEL - 1945 Set at the turn of the 19th Century in a traveling carnival near a small New England town, deals with life and love on “two sides of the train track” “If I Loved You” “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

SOUTH PACIFIC - 1949 Set during WWII on a south sea island, deals with racism and effects of war on relationships Wins Pulitzer Prize and 7 Tony Awards “Some Enchanted Evening” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair” “Bali Hai”

THE KING AND I - 1951 Set in Siam in 1864, examines clash of eastern and western cultures “Something Wonderful” “I Whistle A Happy Tune” “Hello, Young Lovers” “Shall We Dance?”

THE SOUND OF MUSIC - 1959 Set in Austria on the eve of the Nazi invasion, tackles theme of clashing political ideologies Last show together before Hammerstein dies in 1960 “Do-Re-Mi” “Edelwiess” “Climb Every Mountain” “The Sound of Music”

OTHER SHOWS OF THE PERIOD 1946-ANNIE GET YOUR GUN 1948-KISS ME, KATE 1950- GUYS AND DOLLS MY FAIR LADY GYPSY DAMN YANKEES CAMELOT CAN-CAN

WEST SIDE STORY-1957 Conceived, directed, and choreographed by JEROME ROBBINS; first “triple-threat” Music and lyrics by LEONARD BERNSTEIN “Romeo and Juliet” told in terms of NY street gangs Integrates dance seamlessly into action

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - 1964 Widely considered to mark the end of the “golden era” of book musicals Story of a Jewish Russian milkman in the small village of Anatevka who wishes to marry off his daughters in the traditional ways; examines themes of tradition vs. modern thought “If I Were A Rich Man” “Far From The Home I Love” “Sunrise, Sunset” “La Chaim!”

1960’s HAIR introduces the “CONCEPT” MUSICAL, no real story line, current themes in youth culture, nudity Other “concept” musicals: COMPANY (1970), FOLLIES (1971), A CHORUS LINE (1975)

A CHORUS LINE - 1975 Longest running musical in the world when it closed in 1990 after 6,137 performances; only CATS has surpassed it Directed and choreographed by MICHAEL BENNETT, music and lyrics by MARVIN HAMLISCH, tells personal stories of dancers at a Broadway audition Wins Pulitzer prize for drama and 9 Tony Awards

BOB FOSSE – 1927-1987 Major director/choreographer in 60’s/70’s, started as a stage and film dancer Hallmarks are use of hats and “turned-in” toes, angled limbs Directed his own life story as a musical film: “All That Jazz”

SHOWS DIRECTED and/or CHOREOGRAPHED BY BOB FOSSE PAJAMA GAME SWEET CHARITY DAMN YANKEES PIPPIN CABARET CHICAGO DANCIN’ FOSSE: a compilation of his work from many shows

1970’s/80’s: Emergence of British Musicals ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, most prolific of the British composers, dominates Broadway for over 20 years With lyricist TIM RICE: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1971), EVITA (1979), JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (1982)

OTHER WEBBER SHOWS 1982-CATS 1984- STARLIGHT EXPRESS 1987- PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 1990- ASPECTS OF LOVE 1993- SUNSET BLVD.

1980’S/90’S: RETURN OF THE SPECTACLE 1985- LA CAGE AUX FOLLES 1987- LES MISERABLES 1989- GRAND HOTEL 1991- WILL ROGERS FOLLIES 1991- MISS SAIGON 1992- CRAZY FOR YOU

SPECTACLE MUSICALS 1999 - THE LION KING 2001 - 42ND STREET (revival) 2002 - HAIRSPRAY 2003 – WICKED 2003 - GYPSY (revival)

MUSICALS FROM ANIMATION 1994- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 1999- THE LION KING 2008 – SHREK THE MUSICAL

BROADWAY TICKET PRICES 1880: $1.50 1920: $7.70 1930: $3.85 (Depression) 1970: $30.00 1984: $45.00 and up 1990: $65.00 and up 1991: MISS SAIGON charges first $100 B’way ticket Current prices: $55-$100, best seats $80 and up