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Jessica Gordon

29 March 2010

Honors Thesis

Everything was Beautiful at the : The Evolution of

During the mid-1860s, a ballet troupe from Paris was brought to the Academy of Music in lower . Before the company’s first performance, however, the theatre in which they were to dance was destroyed in a fire. Nearby, producer William Wheatley was preparing to begin performances of The Black Crook, a melodrama with music by Charles M. Barras. Seeing an opportunity, Wheatley conceived the idea to combine his play and the displaced dance company, mixing drama and spectacle on one stage. On September 12, 1866, The Black Crook opened at Niblo’s Gardens and was an immediate sensation. Wheatley had unknowingly created a new American art form that would become a tradition for years to come. Since the first performance of The Black Crook, dance has played an important role in musical theatre. From the in Oklahoma to the “Dance at the Gym” in to modern shows such as Movin’ Out, dance has helped tell stories and engage audiences throughout musical theatre history. Dance has not always been as integrated in musicals as it tends to be today. I plan to examine the moments in history during which the role of dance on the stage changed and how those changes affected the manner in which dance is used on stage today.

Additionally, I will discuss the important choreographers who have helped develop the musical theatre dance styles and traditions.

As previously mentioned, theatrical dance in America began with the integration of European classical ballet and American melodrama. Theatre dance has come a long way from its earliest roots. To understand the complete evolution that dance has taken, it is important to Gordon 2 explore the early genres of musical theatre and how dance was included on stage during the early

1900s. The first American shows that incorporated dance were often more about the spectacle than story telling. Perhaps the best example of this idea is the famous Ziegfeld of the early twentieth century. As described by the authors of Broadway The American Musical:

“Ziegfeld poached the funniest comics, the most beautiful girls, the best composers and

sketch writers from the worlds of vaudeville, burlesque, minstrel shows, and Tin Pan

Alley. Rather than follow a conventional story, his reviews combined various acts,

songs, and dance numbers, alternating in a non-narrative structure that would provide

audiences with one laugh, gasp, and thrill after another.” (Maslon, pg.20)

The was more about glamorous costumes and elaborate sets than conveying a story. Producer Florenz Zeigfeld brought names and popular attractions to his reviews to excite his audiences. His contribution to musical theatre dance, however, can still be seen onstage today. The Ziegfeld Follies is best known for the chorus girls. Zeigfeld perfected an idea that had begun in 1866 with the dance spectacle The Black Crook- the use of attractive women with long legs, scantily clad, to sell tickets. Today, this classic showgirl image can be seen in such shows as , Spamalot, and Jersey Boys. Zeigfeld also brought the review to the forefront of the American theatre scene, and the genre became very popular during the early 1900s. The Zeigfeld Follies inspired such shows as The Passing Show, George White’s

Scandals, and The Music Box , but dance was still used to add to the spectacle of the show.

Shortly after the final Zeigfeld Follies in 1931, dance was to take on a new role on the American stage.

With the reviews of the early 1900s, Vaudeville, and Burlesque, theatre dance saw a change from ballet to mainly tap and ballroom. In 1943, however, Broadway would return to its Gordon 3 balletic roots with the arrival of Oklahoma!. The classic would change the way dance was used in musical theatre for years to come. Oklahoma! introduced the idea of narrative dance to the Broadway stage. Choreographed by the legendary ,

Oklahoma! was “the fullest expression to date of a movement toward the greater integration of a musical’s component parts: dialogue, song, and dance” (Maslon, pg. 202). De Mille broke the tradition of casting glamorous leggy showgirls for the ensemble of a musical, and instead cast strong dancers from her ballet corps. Dance was to become an integral part of the musical, granting the audience new insight to the characters and story. The greatest innovation in

Oklahoma! came at the end of the first act with the famous dream ballet. De Mille took a risk in contradicting Oscar Hammerstein, who initially wanted a circus ballet at the end of the act. De

Mille told Hammerstein:

“…this is the kind of dream that young girls who are worried have. She’s frantic because

she doesn’t know which boy to go to the box social with. And so, if she had a dream, it

would be a dream of terror, a childish dream, a haunted dream. Also, you haven’t any

sex in the first act. He said, haven’t I? I said, goodness, no. All nice girls are fascinated

by [the darker side of sexuality]. Mr. Hammerstein, if you don’t know that, you don’t

know about your own daughters.” (Maslon, 203)

De Millie’s came from the heart and psyche of the characters. The dream ballet, which became known as “Laurey Makes Up her Mind,” would forever change the Broadway musical. While there had been dream in musicals prior to Oklahoma!, such as the ballet in Pal Joey, the dream ballet in Oklahoma! was the first to reveal new information to the audience. This dream ballet disclosed both something the audience did not know about the characters, as well as something the characters did not even know about themselves. De Mille Gordon 4 had discovered a new way to tell a story through dance on the musical theatre stage. Oklahoma! found a way to use dance as a fully formed narrative language, in a similar manner as the words and lyrics. Dance was no longer mere spectacle, but a method to inform the audience. De

Mille’s influence has been seen in nearly all shows since Oklahoma! including The King and I,

Carousel, and the next show to redefine how dance could be used onstage: West Side Story. As choreographer explains: “Today, those of us who want to use dance and story as one, we all stand on the shoulders of Agnes de Mille” (Maslon, pg. 205). Agnes de Mille set the stage for future choreographers and challenged artists to integrate dance, singing, and acting into a seamless story on the Broadway stage.

The role of dance was to change again in 1957 with the controversial West Side Story.

Directed and choreographed by (co-choreographed by ), West

Side Story redefined what could and could not be presented onstage. The show is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and tackles such subjects as gang violence, rape, and racism.

Jerome Robbins was not only to create a new standard for musical theatre, but a new breed of

Broadway performer as well. With West Side Story came the birth of the “triple threat” performer. Much of the cast was expected to act, sing, and dance throughout the piece. Today, this is expected of all performers, however, in 1957 this was unusual. Jerome Robbins also brought about the idea of individual integrity for each of the chorus members. There were no unnamed characters in the show, and the ensemble members were expected to define their characters in detail. The individual work came through onstage, especially in the opening

“Prologue.” , the then unknown young lyricist, said of the “Prologue:”

“It’s an entire history, a prelude to the events. It’s a true prologue- a Shakespearean

prologue. You know who these gangs are, you know their rivals, that’s all you need to Gordon 5

know. It’s all done in a style that says, ‘You’re going to see an evening of a kind of

choreographed movement that’s neither ballet or traditional musical comedy dance, but

you’re going to see action in movement.’ It was in a zone of choreographed movement

that had never been done before. That was what was new about Jerry’s work in West

Side Story” (Maslon, pg. 265).

Each performer brought a different physicality and personality to his or her role. This created an entirely new level of theatre in which the ensemble truly came to life. Since West Side Story, the ability to sing, dance, and act has been expected of performers and more emphasis has been put on the ensemble’s ability to further the plot. When it opened on September 26, 1957, it received generally positive reviews. The public, however, was unsure of the piece; they had never seen death and violence onstage in a Broadway musical. Nearly one hundred people walked out of the theatre each night after intermission. It was not until the film adaptation was released in

1961 that West Side Story became a global sensation. West Side Story was also influenced by

Oklahoma!. At the beginning of the second act, there is a dream ballet in which the lead characters, Tony and Maria, share their deepest desires with the audience and each other. There would never again be a show as perfect as West Side Story- the music and choreography would never mesh as well as they did at the Winter in 1957, but West Side Story would set the bar for how closely a creative team should work in order to create a strong musical theatre piece. Jerome Robbins explains:

“Why do we always have to do rather cheapish stories in musical comedies? Why can’t

we do something where we use the best part of ourselves? Why do I have to go over to

the ?...Why did Lenny [Bernstein] have to write a symphony? Why did

Arthur [Laurents] have to write [a serious play]? I said why can’t we put those all Gordon 6

together into a work that we like and try our best to put our best features that we’re

capable of into a work?...so we did” (Maslon, pg. 262)

The collaboration of brilliant creators would be considered historical and revolutionary for years to come. It changed the way stories were told onstage as well as what was expected of

Broadway performers. Jerome Robbins would continue choreographing classic works for the

Broadway stage such as in 1959 and in 1964, but none of his productions had as large of an impact on the future of musical theatre as West Side Story.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, City and Broadway saw a decreasing number of tourists due to the declining atmosphere around the theatre district. had turned into an adult entertainment mecca and fewer families were visiting the “Great White

Way.” The musicals of the 70s, however, would help revive and the theatre community. One such show was the 1975 hit, , which would run for a record shattering 6,137 performances. The show began its journey in 1974 when two Broadway chorus dancers named Tony Stevens and Michon Peacock set up discussion sessions with a group of

Broadway “gypsies” to explore their dance careers and the future of musical theatre. The two dancers asked Michael Bennett, Tony Award winning choreographer, to run the sessions.

Bennett had long wanted to create a show about the life of a dancer; but until this point had not had the method to make this dream a reality. Eighteen dancers gathered for an all night session that was recorded by Bennett, discussing their past experiences in the business. Unsure of the next step, Bennett turned to producer Joseph Papp, who helped transform the recordings into a workshop production at the Public Theatre’s Newman Theatre. With a score by Marvin

Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, A Chorus Line showed the audience something many of them had never before seen: an audition. Michael Bennett had not changed the way dance was Gordon 7 used in musical theatre, but had brought dance to a more relatable level for the audience. As choreographer and dancer explains:

“At the first performance, Michael said his worry was that it was so inside that nobody

would get it except dancers. And I said, well, everybody’s gonna get it because

everybody’s tried to get a job, compete for a job, or be interviewed for job- that’s what’s

under it all and that’s universal. And the fact that it’s dancers instead of plumbers just

makes it more theatrical” (Maslon, pg. 340).

In the opening number of A Chorus Line, the characters are shown literally dancing for their lives. The audience can sense the characters’ desperation while they audition for a job. Many of the characters need the job in order to survive. They sing: “I really need this job. Please god I need this job. I have to get this job.” As Tune stated, nearly everyone can relate to needing a job and working hard to find one. Michael Bennett had brought the plight of a dancer to a level that the audience could understand. It was in this that A Chorus Line changed the way Broadway dance was seen by the public. A Chorus Line opened on Broadway in July 1975 and became the

Broadway’s longest running show in September 1983, continuing to run for seven years beyond that. The show won every theatrical award offered, including a Pulitzer Prize and Tony

Awards. At a time when New York City needed a new start, A Chorus Line was the perfect show. As the star of the production, Donna McKechnie explained: “…this show is a king of prayer for starting over again.” A Chorus Line helped revitalize Broadway and the American musical, and brought dance to the public in a completely new manner.

Since A Chorus Line, musical theatre dance has continued to evolve, treating audiences to new theatrical experiences. Today, it seems as though choreographers can do anything on a

Broadway stage. Recently there have been several shows that have pushed the limits of what Gordon 8 dance can do in the American musical theatre. In 1995, The Public Theatre helmed a new musical called Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. In this production, director George C.

Wolfe and dancer- choreographer teamed up to tell the frustrating experiences of

African Americans through musical theatre. Using the history of tap dancing as the narrative line of the production, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk quickly transferred from the off-

Broadway Public Theatre to Broadway. The show brought urban, hip-hop sounds to the

Broadway stage, and was used in a manner that had never before been seen. Even more recently, used Latin influences and hip-hop dance to tell the story of a

Hispanic neighborhood in Washington Heights. Audiences quickly took to this new style in

2008, and the show continues to sell out nightly today. Writer and star- Lin-Manuel Miranda tells his story through rap while the members of his community set the scene with hip-hop inspired dance movements choreographed by . These changes on

Broadway mirror changes in popular culture, as hip hop and rap music become more popular and television networks such as MTV and VH1 influence the youth of America. Between Bring in

‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk and In the Heights, Broadway saw little Latin and on its stages, but it seems as though In the Heights broke down a barrier as the use of hip hop in musical theatre becomes more common.

Another recent development in musical theatre dance is the birth of the “dansical,” or dance musical. This new breed of Broadway production features a story told entirely through dance with little to no spoken dialogue. Perhaps the first time musical theatre saw this type of show was in 1982 when opened at the Winter Garden. The show, written by Andrew Lloyd

Weber, became the longest running Broadway musical and can be considered the precursor to the dansical. The recent dance musical craze, however, began on Broadway in 2000 with Gordon 9

Contact. The show played at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre for over two years and won the 2000

Tony Award for Best New Musical. was a three act show that told three separate stories about relationships solely through dance. Although Susan Stroman’s production was called a “dance play,” Contact brought a new type of show to the Broadway stage. Today, this new style of musical is more popular than ever. Two years after Contact won the Tony Award,

Twyla Tharp brought a new dansical to New York City: Movin’ Out. Perhaps the most popular dance musical to date, Movin’ Out brought ’s music to the Broadway stage. In the New

York Times review for Movin’ Out, critic Ben Brantley wrote:

“Even at a time when the Broadway musical keeps stretching into new categories to find

new audiences, ''Movin' Out'' fits no pigeonhole. Its closest parallel from recent memory

is ''Contact,'' Susan Stroman's effervescent, self-described ''dance play.'' And in using the

work of a pop composer like Mr. Joel, ''Movin' Out'' brings to mind the jukebox musical

smashes ''Mamma Mia!'' (with the songs of Abba) and ''We Will Rock You'' (Queen).”

Movin’ Out continued the new trend that Susan Stroman had begun in 2000, but the new genre of musical theatre would continue growing past these two shows. After the success of Movin’ Out,

Twyla Tharp attempted to apply the same concept to different music. In 2006 she brought the music of to the Broadway stage in the short lived The Times They Are A-Changin'.

Even more recently, Twyla Tharp brought popular tunes to Broadway with her new musical , which opened at the on March 26, 2010. Of this new musical, Christopher Isherwood, critic for , writes:

“As the brooding or bouncing voice of Sinatra embraces the dancers in a cool caress —

who needs dialogue when the Chairman is on the job? — their arcing legs become both

emblems of attraction and defensive weapons. The jutting of a hip can signal seduction, Gordon 10

rejection or irritation. A classic ballet pose — the arabesque — is imbued with defiance

or delight. Dance is both formal and sensual, tightly structured and wildly abandoned,

translating the evolving rhythms of human courtship into eye-popping movement.”

Twyla Tharp continues to prove that musical theatre stories can be told through movement as well as lyrics and music. Several other choreographers have attempted to bring dansicals to the stage, for example Maurice Hines’ 2006 musical Hot Feet, but no one has seen the success that

Twyla Tharp did with Movin’ Out.

From the unlikely combination of a stranded Parisian ballet company and a melodrama to the Hip-hop infused dance movements of In the Heights, Broadway has seen a wide spectrum of dance styles throughout its history. The shows previously mentioned were turning points for dance on the musical theatre stage. They pushed the limits of what choreographers could give their performers and opened the door for future innovations on the Broadway stage. Musical theatre dance styles are likely to continue evolving and choreographers will continue exploring new methods of bringing dance to the public. Perhaps the dansical will continue to grow in popularity and success, or maybe a new choreographer will revolutionize Broadway dance styles as they are seen today. It is clear, however, that future choreographers have several pioneer choreographers to thank for where musical theatre stands today. Without Agnes de Mille’s choreography for Oklahoma!, narrative dance may never have burst on to the Broadway scene.

Jerome Robbins created a completely integrated masterpiece that raised the bar for future choreographers to challenge their dancers to explore characters and motivation. Michael

Bennett’s work on A Chorus Line brought dance to the public on a new, relatable level. Today’s musical theatre choreographers continue to redefine dance with new genres and new structures for the stage. Without the work of these accomplished choreographers, Broadway dance may Gordon 11 never have evolved past the melodrama and that began the tradition of the

American musical nearly one hundred and fifty years ago. It is clear that musical theatre is not a static art form, and that the use and integration of dance on the Broadway stage will continue to evolve over time as inventive choreographers push the limits of what can and cannot be performed onstage.

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Works Cited

Brantley, Ben. "In a Top 40 State Of Mind." Rev. of Movin' Out. New York Times 25 Oct. 2002.

Web. 30 Mar. 2010.

treview.html?res=9e02e1da153cf936a15753c1a9649c8b63>.

Everett, William A., and Paul R. Laird. The Cambridge Companion to the Musical. New York:

Cambridge UP, 2008. Print.

Gänzl, Kurt. Musicals: the Complete Illustrated Story of the World's Most Popular Live

Entertainment. London: Carlton, 2004. Print.

Isherwood, Charles. "Up and Down, Over and Out, That’s Sinatra (and Tharp)." Rev. of Come

Fly Away. New York Times 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.

.

Kislan, Richard. The Musical: a Look at the American Musical Theater. New York: Applause,

1995. Print.

Maslon, Laurence, and Michael Kantor. Broadway: the American Musical. New York: Bulfinch,

2004. Print.

Miller, Scott. Strike up the Band: a New History of Musical Theatre. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 2007. Print.

Sennett, Ted. : the Musicals of Broadway. New York: Metro, 1998. Print.

Stevens, Gary, and Alan George. The Longest Line: Broadway's Most Singular Sensation, A

Chorus Line. New York: Applause, 1995. Print.