sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ethel Merman, Jule Styne, Oscar Hammerstein II, Sheldon Harnick

History Of

Terms

 Book Musical – is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story traces the fortunes of the main characters through a series of adventures with a beginning, middle and end

– the text or words of an opera or similar extended musical composition.

 Librettist – the writer of the Libretto

 Lyricist – The Person Who Wrote the Words To The Songs

 Composer – The Person Who Wrote The Instrumental Music

 Score - orchestrated music for (a movie, play, television show)

 Book - The Person Who Wrote The Script/ Dialogue For The Show Terms

 Opera – a drama set entirely to music and all text is sung

 Operetta - contains scenes with spoken dialogue that alternate with songs telling a romantic story. It features solos, duets, trios and choral numbers.

 Musical Comedy – a form of musical entertainment from the 1920s that features a light comic story interspersed with popular music with a silly or far fetched story.

– musical entertainment in which sketches and vignettes alternate with musical numbers. Scene and songs are stand and do not have a single story line.

 The American “Book” Musical - musical numbers alternate with spoken scenes; solos, duets alternate with choral numbers; singing alternates with dance numbers; comic songs and scenes alternate with serious songs and scenes/story progresses from one character to another to tell an exciting seamless story with a beginning, middle and end. = Variety Show

 Began in the 1880s  Cheap and popular Family Entertainment  included all genders and races.  If you were “odd” that was fine: beauty was not a requirement.  Focus was on Frivolity, Enthusiasm , Absurdity  Acts could not take longer than 10 minutes  Costume was instantly recognizable  Training ground for Broadway Musicals  Individual performer was the focus

Vaudeville Acts Included

• Female impersonators • Hobo Acts ( – We’re a Couple of • Shadowists Swells) • Bird Imitators • Comedy Cartoonists • Hand Cuff Chain and Trunk Acts • Ethiopian Entertainers • Chapeaugraphy • Feats of Strength • Lightening Calculators • Electrical Acts • Equilibrists • Knockabout acts • Clay Modelers • Iron Jaw acts • Fancy Diver and Swimmers • Cornetists • Living Picture Models • Gun spinners • Statuary Posing • Paper Tearing • Trick Pianists • Whistlers • Rolling Globe Acts • Billiardists • Tabloid Plays • Hypnotists • Novelty Ladder Acts • Contortionists • Parody Singers • Magicians • Yodelers • Ukulele Players • Mind Reading • Acrobats • Knife Throwing • Knife Throwers • Regurgitators • Eccentric Acts • Dancing Dogs • Unicycle • Jugglers

• Children Acts

Vaudeville

Vaudeville ended because of the performers The handful of Performers who made the transfer inability to adapt to film and radio.  Gene Kelly  Danny Kay  Fred Astair   Buster Keaton  George Burns  W.C. Fields  Al Jolson   The Marx Brothers  ()  Jack Benny  Jimmy Cagney  Charlie Chaplan  Bert Williams (first black performer to be accepted by all races)  (originally Zimmerman) became a brassy Broadway belter  The Andrew Sisters  Abott and Costello

Minstrel Show

 Began with Northern white performers who observed Blacks entertaining themselves and imitated them  Put on black paint and parodied the blacks  Eventually, Black Americans started their own companies but continued to be expected to portray black stereo types set up by the white performers  White companies continued to use black stereo types but couldn’t compete with their authenticity or talent  Lasted until the 1960s

Burlesque

 A revue-style show with sexual overtones.  For the majority of the 19th C burlesque included dramatic sketches and songs that satirized other theatrical forms

 Near the end of the 19th C it was synonymous with vulgar sketches and “girlie shows” (strip tease) Ziegfeld

 Florenz Ziegfeld – legendary producer and first impresario of the American Musical  This is a variety show with several different acts.  Grandiose sets and costumes, comedy and spectacle  Amalgamation of ethnic communities and comedy routines – the entertainment melting pot  Glorifying the American girl and her beauty

 Zigfield Follies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJpsZvpu6FY  : Burlesque - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFRSawe33sA

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. Ziegfeld Follies of 1918-20s

 Started to use Big Named Stars!!!!   Fanny Bryce  Will Rodgers-who became a leader around the country with his humor & information.  Vaudville http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA6wYvVnq4g  Bob hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjXQ- MRmROQ&feature=related  A good example of several acts - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SfO30jvReU  Vaudville video part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZo4imTt4Og  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsVQ9e8nWx0&feature=relate d

George M. Cohan 1878 - 1942

 Grew up in a Vaudeville performance family  Was an innovator who wrote the book, music and lyrics for his own shows in which he also performed.  In his musical shows, he gave his songs an American flavour and made his dialogue more realistic than the musicals of the time. His shows moved toward the “Book Musical”  Focused on American subjects and made his songs relate to the story.  Wrote the Song “Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy” George M Cohan

 The only individual with a statue on Broadway  ALWAYS ended with, “My father thanks you, my mother thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I-thank you.”

Irving Berlin

 Born: Israel Isidore Baline  Immigrated with his family from Russia.  Lived in abject poverty  Started to sing at age 13 for a living  Wrote: “White Christmas”, “Blue Skies”, “Puttin on the Ritz”, “God Bless America”, “ Get Your Gun (1946)”  His name was mis-spelled on a poster and he became and he decided it was a good name for an American Song writer and he kept it. The Princess Theater Shows

’s next shows were in the Princess Theater.  These were very fun, young, and enjoyable.  Principle characters were in their late teens & early 20s, set around a college.  Pay tribute to the commedia dell’arte  2 young couples with a fontesca The Princess Musicals – 1915- 1919

 Named for the Princess Theatre  Jerome Kern composed 16 Broadway scores between 1915 and 1919.  His musicals used modern, humourous, intimate , intimate stories that were more cohesive than previous shows.  Other composers and lyricists were adapting European Operetta to American purposes.  Oscar Hammerstein II (1895 – Aug 23rd 1960. The lights were extinguished on Sept 1st 1960 at pm on Broadway in memory of his death) combined the best of operetta and native musical comedy to create the book and lyrics for “Showboat” and Jerome Kern composed the musical score.

1920 -1930 Guys Famous for Writing “STANDARDS”

Composers Irving Berlin (1888 – 1989) “Alexander’s Rag Time Band”, “Easter ” (wrote his own lyrics) (1893 – 1964) “”, “Night And Day” (wrote his own lyrics) Jerome Kern (1885 – 1945) “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, “Who?” (1898 1937) “Fascinating Ryhthm”, “Someone To Watch Over Me”, “Embraceable You” Richard Rogers (1902 – 1979) – “My Romance”, “Falling in Love with Love”

Lyricists (1896 – 1983) wrote lyrics for his brother George (1895 – 1943)

Collaborations Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II – Oklahoma, , Richard Rogers and Lorenze Hart – and Babes in Arms Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II - Showboat Frederick Lowe and – , Camelot, Brigadoon and – ,

1950s and – Gypsy (1918 – 1990) and Stephen Sondheim (1930 - ) –

1970s and – , Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, and Tim Rice – , The Lion King

More Collaborations

1950s Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim – Gypsy Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) and Stephen Sondheim (1930 - ) – West Side Story

1970s Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, Cats Elton John and Tim Rice – Aida, The Lion King,

SHOWBOAT

 Showboat premiered on December 27, 1927.  One of a dozen shows to premiere that night.  One of TWO to remain running the following evening. SHOWBOAT’S IMPORTANCE

 Music By Jerome Kern  Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II  Produced by Florenz Ziegfeld  Based on the novel by

SHOWBOAT’s Firsts

 First musical where the music moved the plot of the play forward.  First musical to have depth to the book;  Socially Relevant;  Addresses the issue of racism in the plot; which was not allowed before that time;  Inter-Racial Couple in a primary role; black woman and a white man as well as black workers on the levees of the Mississippi River  African-Americans in major roles. SHOWBOAT’s Firsts

 First musical where the music moved the plot of the play forward.  First musical to have depth to the book;  Socially Relevant;  Addresses the issue of racism in the plot; which was not allowed before that time;  Inter-Racial Couple in a primary role; black woman and a white man as well as black workers on the levees of the Mississippi River  African-Americans in major roles. SHOWBOAT’s Firsts 2

 First musical to be a DRAMA; up until that time they were musical- comedies.  First EPIC musical; it is multi-generational with three generations of one family dealing with love.

 First musical to inspire more than 1 movie.  First musical to be performed by opera companies.  Eliminated the line of chorus girls Songs from SHOWBOAT

 Ol’ Man River  Bill  Can’t Help Loving That/Dat Man  Why Do I Love You  Make Believe  After The Ball-which was a contemporary song that was included into the show to give the production a modern feel. George & Ira Gershwin

 Brothers dedicated to musical theatre  Of Thee I Sing (1931) Political and cultural satire  first musical to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize

Porgy & Bess

 1935-All African-American Opera/Musical Theatre  Gershwin called it a “folk opera”  Music by George Gershwin  Lyrics by Ira Gershwin & DuBose Heyward  Book by DuBose Heyward based on his novel, Porgy.  Incredibly important in breaking down stereotypes. Porgy & Bess

 Famous Songs…  “I Love You Porgy”, “I’ve Got Plenty of Nuttin’”  “Summertime”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”  “Bess You Is My Woman Now” OKLAHOMA!

 Music by  Lyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein  Based on the novel Green Grows the Lilacs, about the founding of Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA!

 1943-First musical to use DANCE to move the plot forward.  “Dream” Ballet moves the show forward.  Choreographer – Agnes de Mille

OKLAHOMA!

 It is considered the first fully integrated musical. The entire show fuses story, music, lyrics, and dances together with tone, mood and intention.

 Oklahoma: Dream Dance with : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64&fea ture=related  Original Choreography for the Dream Ballet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxzMqbJtlX0&feature =fvsr

Rodgers & Hammerstein Musicals

 Oklahoma was the first of a long line of successes for this collaborative pair

 1945  1946 (MOVIE)  1949 South Pacific- deals with World War II & Racism  1951 The King & I  1958  1959 The Sound of Music Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady

 1956-Very Important the words are meant to be SPOKEN, not sung  could not sing  This led later to Rap Music, early rap artists recount hearing this album when they were kids.  ’ First Show! WEST SIDE STORY

 Music by Leonard Bernstein  Concept by  Book by Arthur Laurents  Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

 A modern day Romeo & Juliet  Directed & Choreographed by Jerome Robbins Importance of West Side Story

 Socially relevant-dealing with real issues of racism, immigration, teenagers, gangs  Very daring for theatre  Parents called for the closing of the show and the theaters  Now Others can take risks of the show  First show with Stephen Sondheim who writes the lyrics  West Side Story, opening scene : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8R9 GiLImSw  WWS, Mambo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kokbJv SEMUY&feature=related  Meets Grease – at the dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- Lf9gftFhKY&feature=related

Stephen Sondheim Shows

 1959- Gypsy!: music by Jule Styne, book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Sondheim  1963- A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum-music & lyrics  1970- (concept musical about relationships)  1971- Follies - (concept musical about the former starts of Ziegfeld Follies)  1973- Sondheim Shows (2)  1975- Pacific Overtures  1979-  1984- Sunday In The Park With George  1987-  1990- Assassins  1994-  1996- Getting Away With Murder (play)  2001- Bounce

Fiddler on the Roof: The End of an Era

 Opened 1964  Music by (1928 - )  Lyrics by (1924 - )  Book by (1912 - )  Choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Three Shows of Importance 60s & 70s

1. (1964) – music by Jerry Bock, lyrics – Sheldon Harnick, book – Joseph Stein, choreographed – Jerome Robbins

2. Hair (1967) written by Galt MacDermot and Gerome Ragni. Had no real story line and was the first in a series of very cultural & social musicals… “pop”

And……

3. - 1975  Music by Marvin Hammlisch  Lyrics by  Directed by Michael Bennett (1943 – 1987)  3rd Longest Running Show in Broadway history

 Symbolized the ascendancy of choreographer/directors like  Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett 1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

 Starting in the 19thC with  Two British men who were friends  They wrote formal “Mini” operas  All Following a similar theme

Theme of a G and S show:  Young Lovers Meet & are forbidden to marry  Someone complicates their relationship  Several Comic Characters  Must have a “Patter” Song

1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

 The Pirates of Penzance - Poor Wandering One (linda ronstadt- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAFRRYyrx7o  Modern Major General: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64&feature=related

 The Mikado - Three little Maids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWkIZUPmDY&feature=fvwrel

 HMS Pinafore 1970s The British “Musical” Invasion

 1971 Jesus Christ Superstar  Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber  Lyrics by Tim Rice  Started as a concept album & grew into a major performance and cultural aspect  Very avant-garde & minimalistic  “Rock” Opera- all sung  1979- Evita!  1980 – Cats  1986 – Les Miserable  1987 Phantom of the Opera  1989 – Miss Saigon They were Spectacle Shows

 BIG….BIG…BIG!!!!!  Very Technical  Very Expensive Sets & Lighting  Large Casts  Special Effects Heavy  Inspired from the British  Cats in 1982 is the 2nd-longest running show Other Shows by Andrew Lloyd Webber

 1987- Starlight Express  1988- The Phantom of the Opera (Longest running show on Broadway)  1990- Aspects of Love  1992- Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (revivial)  1994- Sunset Boulevard  1998- Whistle Down The Wind  2005- The Woman In White Other Spectacle Shows

 Les Miserables- 1987  British Invasion Solidified  Epic; Based on the classic novel  Miss Saigon- 1990  Vietnam story  Big shows still in effect, but drop in sales  Revivals rule the 90s, until 1996…

RENT

 Modern Day Opera based on La Boheme  Brought back cutting edge realism into the theater  Very Minimalistic- low key  The story & characters moved the show, not the special effects  Allowed others to TAKE RISKS! 1996-98

 1996-Bring In Da’ Noise, Bring In Da’ Funk- brought tap back to its roots  1996/7- Chicago (revival)- small & minimalistic  1997- -big & grand, but with small elements

1998

 1998- & The Lion King-powerful and cutting-edge

 1998- Cabaret! (revisal)- Change in the classic show; the future? 1999

 The Who’s Tommy-1969; just an album…Becomes a Broadway show in 1991…HOWEVER- it is the 1st Rock Opera  The Focus of 1999 Is A Combination Of Updating The Past…A form of REVISAL  You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown  Fosse (Tony Award Winner)  Kiss Me Kate  Annie Get Your Gun  The Music Man

The NEW Century

 The Musicals Of 2000 Are Finding New Life In Putting Together Past & Present  Contact- dance show…TONY  The Suessical (flop) 2001-A New Era (?)

• • Record # or • Movie 1st • The Full Monty • Also a movie • • Another Satire • Sweet Smell of Success-2002 2001-2002

Movies & Rock RULE

 Thoroughly Modern Millie (TONY)  …destined To Be A Classic(tony)  Mamma Mia (Abba)  MOVIN’ Out (Billy Joel) POST 9/11-TODAY

Comedies

 Putnam County 

“Pop-sicals”  Imagine  Jersey Boys POST 9/11- TODAY

Movies  SPAM-A-LOT  HIGH FIDELITY

Revivals  Little Shop Of Horrors  The Pajama Game

Revisals  Sweeney Todd & Company