1. Musical Theatre
Chapter 15

2. What You Will Learn
Identify milestones in the development of the Broadway musical
Name composers of classic Broadway musicals
Analyze and evaluate a Broadway musical

3. Vocabulary Operettas Broadway musical Vaudeville Dialogue Repertoire
Monologue
Motive

4. Musician Profiles
Alain Boublil
Audra McDonald
Claude-Michel Schonberg

5. An Introduction to Musical theatre
During the 1800’s the evolution of opera split
Germany – lengthy heroic operas
Paris and Vienna – lighter more sentimental comic opera
Operettas:
stage plays with songs and dance interspersed with spoken lines
The birth of the Broadway musical:
Operettas came to America and became the Broadway Musical:
A dramatic stage form that combines the arts of acting and singing
Uniquely American
Forerunners include operettas, minstrel shows, and vaudeville:
An early stage variety show that included songs, dances, and comedy skits

6. George M. Cohan One of the first composers of Broadway musical
His first hit show was Little Johnny Jones (1904)
“Give My Regards to Broadway,” a song from that show became a classic
It contained the first ever reference to Broadway as a synonym for musical theater

7. The Classic Broadway Musical
In the 1920’s the musical continued to develop
Emphasis on music but there was more emphasis on the story
Richer plot lines
More attention to dialogue:
The spoken lines of a play or musical
George Gershwin – Lady Be Good
Jerome Kern – Show Boat
Cole Porter – Anything Goes

8. After World War II the musical further developed
Before World War II musicals reflected optimism – good will win over evil
After World War II the musical further developed
My Fair Lady – Lerner and Loewe
The Sound of Music – Rodgers and Hammerstein
West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim

9. These musicals added many songs to the repertoire:
An inventory of compositions mastered and performed by a musician
During the latter part of the 20th century musicals began addressing darker more serious themes
John Kander and Fred Ebb = Chicago and Cabaret

10. From Broadway to Hollywood
West Side Story (1961)
10 Oscars, including Best Picture
My Fair Lady (1964)
Eight Oscars, including Best Picture
The Sound of Music (1965)
Five Oscars, including Best Picture
Cabaret (1972)
eight Oscars
Chicago (2002)
six Oscars, including Best Picture

11. An International Trend
Andrew Lloyd Webber
In the 1970’s British and French teams began contributing to musical theater
Andrew Lloyd Webber – British
Cats, Evita (with Tim Rice), The Phantom of the Opera
Elton John – British
The Lion King and Aida, with Tim Rice
Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil – French
Les Miserables and Miss Saigon
Tim Rice
Elton John

12. Assignment Activity 1, p. 345 Investigate a Musical
Select one of the musicals mentioned in this section, or choose another that you are interested in. Using reliable online and library resources, research the story and music of the show. Then complete the following:
What is the musical about? Write a brief summary of the setting, characters, and basic plot. (10 points)
How would you characterize the music? Select one song from the musical and analyze how the song conveys something in the plot or a character’s emotions. What mood does the song portray? What message does the song convey? (10 points)

13. Musical theater Today Broadway musicals are still popular today
Both old and new can be seen
Audra McDonald (b. 1970)
Born in Berlin, Germany
Attended Julliard
Won a 1994 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel
Also won Tonys for Master Class(1996), Ragtime(1998), and A Raisin in the Sun (2004)
Youngest actor to ever win three Tonys

14. Les Miserables One of the most popular musicals
Opened in London in 1985
Based on a novel by Victor Hugo written in 1862
Social commentary on the quality of life in France
Universal themes of human struggle, endurance, and redemption made it one of the best-selling books in history
Several 19th century, including Puccini, considered making it into an opera
In 1980 Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg adapted the work into musical theatre

15. Activity 2 p. 347 “Prologue” CD 10:6
How would you describe the dialogue between Javert and Valjean in the “Prologue”
Describe the differences in the quality of the voices based on the attitudes that the characters communicate through the music.
How does the composer use dynamics to intensify the drama?
Lyrics on p. 348

16. Activity 3, p. 349 “What Have I Done?” CD 10:7
Monologue:
A dramatic speech or song delivered by one character in a play
Make a list of the conflicts he is singing about.
How does the melody affect your thoughts about Valjean?
Do you think what he has done is forgivable? Why or why not?

17. Activity 4 p. 350 “I Dreamed a Dream” CD 10:8
Which of the following best describes the melodic form of the song?
AAAA/ AABA/ ABBA/ AABC
AABC
There are 3 distinct groupings of text that tell the story. Is the melody the same, different, or modified in each of the 3 texts?
How does the song’s organization support the emotional content?
The intro sets up Fantine’s story. The A sections describe he hopeful dreams. The darker B section foreshadows her downfall. The repeat of the A sections emphasizes her tragedy of her story.
Think of a single word that describes the pathos depicted in the song.

18. Activity 5, p. 352 “One Day More” video
Determine how the addition of music enhanced the dram and messages being presented
The accompaniment is tailored to each character’s expression yet builds toward the climax of the song in a unifying dramatic way
Why do you think the composer and lyricist chose to use this format to end the story in Act I?
It reviews the characters’ place in the story as well as their emotional and character traits. It also sets up the action of Act II. The song is a dramatic and exciting way to end Act I.

19. Activity 6, p. 356 “On My Own” CD 10:9
Lyrics p. 353
Which letter diagram best designates the melodic form of the song?
AAAA/ AABB/ AABC/ AABA
AABA

20. Activity 7, p. 357 “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” CD 10:10
Motive
A short musical idea that is easily remembered and helps unify a composition

21. Review - terms Broadway musical Dialogue Monologue Motive Operettas
A dramatic stage from that combines the arts of acting and singing
Dialogue
The spoken lines of a play or musical show
Monologue
A dramatic speech or song delivered by one character in a aplay
Motive
A short musical idea that is easily remembered and helps unify a composition
Operettas
Stage play with songs and dance interspersed with spoken lines
Repertoire
An inventory of compositions mastered and performed by a musician
Vaudeville
An early stage form that combines the arts of acting and singing/

22. Les Miserables Who they were/what they sang Character
Sings “I Dreamed a Dream”
Central character in Les Miserables
Sings “On My Own”
Cosette’s mother
Sings “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”
A police inspector
Sings “What Have I Done?”
Feels unrequited love for Marius
Fantine
Jean Valjean
Eponine
Marius
Javert

23. Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Weber
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Phantom of the Opera
Cats
Evita
One of the first composers of Broadway musicals
George M. Cohan
One composer who emerged during the 1920’s as a composer of Broadway musicals
George Gershwin
Broadway singer and actor Audra McDonald won recognition in a revival of which Rodgers and Hammerstein classic
Carousel

24. French composers Claude- Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil wrote…
The British composer who collaborated with Tim Rice to create The Lion King
Elton John
French composers Claude- Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil wrote…
Les Miserables
West Side Story (1961)
10 Oscars, including Best Picture
My Fair Lady (1964)
8 Oscars, including Best Picture
The Sound of Music (1965)
5 Oscars, including Best Picture
Cabaret (1972)
8 Oscars
Chicago (2002)
6 Oscars, including Best Picture

25. What characteristics have made Les Miserables a popular and successful musical?
Universal themes of human struggle
Endurance
Redemption
Drama of the plot
Emotional expression of the music

26. What were some of the entertainment forms that contributed to the development of the Broadway musical? How did the Broadway musical change over the years?
Predecessors of the Broadway musical
Comic operas
Operettas
Minstrel shows
Vaudeville
1920’s musicals
Emphasis on music
Richer plotlines
Carefully scripted dialogue
After WWII
Composer lyricist teams created classic musicals like My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and West Side Story
These musicals popularized show tunes
Musicals were mainly optimistic
During the latter part of the 20th century musicals began addressing more serious themes