1. Musical Theatre

2. What is Musical Theater?
Musical Theatre is a type of entertainment where people perform plays on stage with song and dance.
These plays are also known as “Musicals”
Musical theatre can also take the form of television and movies, not just stage plays.

3. Musical Theatre Origins
Musical Theatre was inspired by Opera
Opera: A dramatic work in one or more acts, with music for singers and instrumentalists.
Opera began in the late 1500’s in Italy.
All of the dialogue in an opera is sung, with the movement and intensity of the music depicting the emotion of the story.

4. Opera Originated in Italy in the late 1500’s.
Became so popular that the French and the Germans decided to create their own form of opera.
In 1656, The English produced their first opera, The Seige of Rhodes, written by Oliver Cromwell.
However, this form was not well appreciated by King George II, so it did not thrive very well. Instead, the English came up with the “Semi-opera” which is closer to what musical theatre is today.

5. Opera Example Don Giovanni: Composed and written by Mozart (Unit 1)
“Commendator” scene

6. American Musical Theatre
It took a while for “Musical Theatre” to make a name for itself in early America.
The first musical to take place in the Colonies was Flora.
It took place on February 8, 1735, in a courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina.
Flora was a ballad opera imported from England.
Watch scenes from Flora here.

7. Burlesques
While the Ballad Opera remained popular for many decades, after the Colonies became a nation, the most popular type of musical show was the Burlesque.
At that time, a Burlesque consisted of parodies of famous plays, performers or dancers, in either their dialogue or the way they acted.
Burlesques were also, for the most part, foreign importations.
Today, however, Burlesque Shows are more of an inappropriate variety show, instead of a parody of other plays.

8. American Musical Theatre
The first theatrical production that was written by Americans was titled The Black Crook.
It also introduced some of the same features of the modern American Musical, including chorus girls, ornate production numbers, elaborate costuming, large dance numbers, and so forth.
However, The Black Crook was still inspired by foreign plays.
Most were taken from operas and other performances that were being performed in America.

9. Attempting to create a truly American Musical
While the European influence was inescapable, This did not stop some from trying to create a truly original American play.
The Minstrel Show was the first attempt at doing this. It portrayed humor through the song and dance of the African-American residents.
However, it had no plot, characterizations, or settings.
The first American Musical to include a plot, characters, and a setting was The Brook in 1879, written by Nate Salesbury.
The plot was slight, centering around a group of people at a picnic, and the songs were just adaptations of familiar tunes.

10. The 1920’s
From time to time, efforts were made to break loose from the bonds of rigid formula.
The Princess Theatre Shows were a representation from the shows that were popular on Broadway at the time.
These shows concentrated on a intimate and informal entertainment, with small casts and no stars.
These musicals were also more serious and focused on sophistication, rather than the humor.

11. Broadway
In 1836, Mayor Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence opened up 42nd street in Manhattan, and invited Manhattan residents to “move uptown and enjoy the pure, clean air.”
In 1899, Oscar Hammerstein opened his 1,000 seat Victoria Theater on West 42nd Street.
With its rooftop garden, and beautiful carpets and interior, it was considered one of the most beautiful places in New York City.

12. Broadway
In 1904, Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz built an Italian Renaissance-inspired tower for The New York Times at one end of 42nd Street at Longacre Square
This new building gave the square the new name, Times Square.
Today Times Square is full of signs, lights and billboards advertising many different things, including many Broadway musicals.

13. Times Square

14. Broadway
Now, there are 40 theaters in the “Broadway” area of New York City.

15. The 1920’s
The biggest Revolution in the American Musical Theatre up to that time came in with Show Boat, by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern.
This was a completely new genre- The Musical Play, which was different than the musical comedy that people were used to.
This was finally the complete integration of song, humor, and production numbers in the same entity.
It was the first musical with a consistent storyline, authentic atmosphere, and three dimensional characters. Watch scenes here.

16. The Musical Play
The Musical Play made more forward strides with plays such as Of Thee I Sing!, Cat and the Fiddle, music in the Air, and On Your Toes.
But the Musical Play really became an American artform with the first of the Rodgers and Hammerstein masterworks, Oklahoma!

17. Rodgers and Hammerstein
After the success of Oklahoma!, Rodgers and Hammerstein became the most important contributors to the musical-play form, with plays such as:
Carousel
The King and I
South Pacific
The Examples that they set helped encourage other gifted writers, including the well known Leonard Berstein.

18. Leonard Bernstein
American composer and conductor for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
While he only wrote two broadway plays, he was a huge contributor to Broadway.
One of his most famous collaborations was in 1957 when he collaborated with Jerome Robbins, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents on the Broadway hit West Side Story.

19. West Side Story Based on William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
It is set in the Upper West Side of New York City. It is about two gangs from different ethnic backgrounds fighting with each other.
The Jets: a white gang from New York
The Sharks: a gang from Puerto Rico.
When Tony, former member of the Jets, and best friends with the gang’s leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the Sharks, Bernardo, the two must hide it so that the two gangs do not start an all-out-war with each other.

20. Music from West Side Story
Some of the most famous and well-known songs from this musical are:
Maria
America
Somewhere
Tonight
I Feel Pretty
Mambo

21. Radio City Music Hall
You can’t talk about musical theatre in NYC without talking about the most famous theatre in NYC, Radio City Music Hall.
Opened in 1932 by John D. Rockefeller, it is now one of the most famous theaters and stages in the nation.
While it does not host Broadway plays, it is host to the Tony Awards and America’s Got Talent, but also home to the world-famous Radio City Rockettes.

22. The Rockettes
Founded by Russell Markert in 1925, it is a dance group made of girls between 5’2” and 5’6 ½ ”.
They were first called the “Missouri Rockets” the group traveled to New York to perform in the Broadway show Rain or Shine, where they were discovered by showman S.L. “Roxy” Rothafel.
Rothafel wanted a troupe of his own, so he created the “Roxyettes”, but after they moved to Radio City, the name was changed to “Rockettes” (Rockefeller Center)

23. Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Today, the Rockettes perform in one of the biggest and longest running shows in the nation, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
The Rockettes are known for their sharp, crisp movements, and most of all, their amazing kicklines. They are all proficient in Tap, jazz, and ballet, and they also sing in the show.
Here is a clip of the Rockettes performing “The 12 Days of Christmas”

24. Broadway Plays

25. The Phantom of the Opera
Written by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber
Based of the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, a young soprano, Christine Daae, becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius that dwells in the labyrinth beneath the Opera Garnier.
The Phantom Of The Opera
Music Of The Night

26. Hamilton About the founding father, Alexander Hamilton.
Has not only singing, but rapping as well.
In 2016, it was nominated for 16 Tony Awards, winning 11 of them. It also won a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.
Hamilton is written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also helped write the music for Disney’s Moana.
Yorktown (World turned Upside Down)/My Shot

27. Les Miserables
Les Miserables (Les Mis) is based on a novel by Victor Hugo.
Set in early 19th Century France, Les Miserables is about a man named Jean Valjean who has served 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child.
He decided that he has had enough, so he breaks his parole and starts a new life, but is relentlessly tracked down by police inspector Javert.
Along the way, Valjean and a slew of characters are swept into the French Revolution where they make their last stand at a street barricade
One Day More Tony Performance

28. Wicked Wicked is the untold story about the Witches of Oz.
Elphaba, better known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is just a young girl trying to find where she belongs in the Land of Oz. Not only was she born with emerald green skin, but she was also gifted with a powerful ability to control magic.
When things don’t go as planned, she ends up being called the Wicked Witch, even though she was not wicked at all. We also find out where the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion come from.
Popular
Defying Gravity

29. Hairspray
Set in the 1960’s in Baltimore, Maryland, watch as a teen music television show is turned on its head when a young, overweight girl decided to take matters into her own hands, and integrate the show so that black and whites can both share the spotlight and dance together.
This musical was not only on Broadway for over 6 years, but it was also turned into a movie and was the choice for NBC’s “Live!” show for
Hairspray Live! Trailer

30. Tracy Turnblad
Tracy is your average high school student who just wants to be on the Corny Collins Show as a singer/dancer.
However, she is rejected because of her weight and the fact that her mom does laundry for a living and her dad owns a joke shop.
She is later put on the show after Corny Collins himself sees her dance.
She is also bullied because she believes that blacks and white should have equal opportunities, and is a huge supporter of integration.

31. Penny Pingleton
Penny Pingleton is the nerdy, overly- sheltered best friend of Tracy.
She is always being disciplined by her mother who is very strict. She does not like for Penny to be watching the dance shows and doesn’t really let her do anything.
Penny, however, is very loyal to Tracy and begins to become a little more rebellious as the play progresses.

32. Link Larkin
Link is the “Stud” of the entire movie. He has girls falling for him left and right, including Tracy, who falls in love with him from the moment she sees him.
Throughout the play, Link begins to realize that there is more to life than just being good looking and always getting the “prettiest” girl.

33. Amber Von Tussle
Amber is your basic popular girl who believes that the world should and does revolve around her. Her mother, Velma Von Tussle, is the producer of the Corny Collins Show, and does everything she can to make her daughter the star of it all.
Amber is often mean and cruel to anyone who she sees as not being as pretty as she, including Tracy.

34. Seaweed J. Stubbs
Son of Motormouth Maybelle, Seaweed friends Tracy and helps her come out of her shell to fight for integration of the Corny Collins Show.
He also begins to fall in love with Penny, which is another reason she begins to become more rebellious.

35. Little Inez
Little Inez is the little sister of Seaweed who dreams of one day dancing on the Corny Collins Show as well. However, she is never allowed because of her race and her age.
She doesn’t understand why they don’t allow for blacks and whites to be in the same place at the same time, so she quickly joins the fight to have the show integrated.

36. Wilbur and Edna Turnblad
Wilbur and Edna are the parents of Tracy. Wilbur is the owner of his own joke shop, while Edna Launders others clothing in her house.
In the original play, and in every adaptation since, Edna has always been played by a man. This is to add to the humor of the character.
As the play progresses, you begin to see edna become less afraid of the world and begin to embrace it.

37. Corny Collins
Corny Collins is the host and main star of The Corny Collins Show.
He is a little egotistical and full of himself, but he still has a heart for the show and would love to have the show integrated if it weren’t for his producer, Velma Von Tussle.

38. Velma Von Tussle
Velma Von Tussle is the evil mother of Amber, and the Corny Collins Show.
She believe that because she won the title of Miss Baltimore Crabs, that she is entitled to everything.
She also lies, cheats, and steals to make her daughter have the spotlight for the entire Corny Collins Show.
She hates the fact that they have “Negro Day” once a month on the show, and tries everything that she can to run it, and Tracy into the ground.

39. Motormouth Maybelle
Motormouth Maybelle is the host for the Corny Collins Show on Negro Day each month. She is also a huge Integration Activist.
She helps inspire and convence Tracy, Penny, and others to fight to integrate the show and provide equality for all those involved in the Corny Collins Show.
Her big number, I know Where I’ve Been is one of the most memorable