MUSICALS
Musicals stemmed from Operas, Operettas, and Musical Reviews.
At the turn of the century musical reviews were popular such as the Ziegfeld Follies and George White Scandals . The Vaudeville circuit was dying, but produced comics, dancers and singers that went on to be musical theatre performers.
Look For the Silver Lining – Ray Bolger
Shows such as Sally were musicals produced where the music did not forward the action of the play or characters.
Show Boat (December 27, 1927) is considered to be the first musical to integrate the music with the story. It is the first milestone in Musical Theater history. • Music by Jerome Kern • Lyrics & Book by Oscar Hammerstein II • Produced by Ziegfeld • 575 Performances
That same year a musical became the first full feature talkie to hit the movie screen. The Jazz Singer with Al Jolson premiered on October 6, 1927.
Oklahoma (March 31, 1943) is considered the first musical to incorporate dance to further the plot along through the invention of the “dream ballet” by Agnes De Mille. • Music by Richard Rogers • Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II • Actors: Alfred Drake, Celeste Holm, Howard da Silva • 2,248 Performances
Choreographers & Dancers:
Famous Choreographers:
George Balanchine • Graduated from the Soviet State School – Trained in Ballet • Diaghilev Company – defected from Russia • American Ballet Company • Choreographed On Your Toes Babes In Arms I Married an Angel Boys From Syracuse Where’s Charley
Agnes de Mille • Univ. of CA at Los Angeles • Influenced by Ballet • Was fired a number of times before Oklahoma • Choreographed Oklahoma One Touch of Venus Carousel Rodeo Paint Your Wagon
Jerome Robbins • American Theater Ballet • Was a Dance Director • Worked a lot with Leonard Bernstein • Choreographed Fancy Free became On the Town The King and I The Pajama Game Peter Pan Gypsy West Side Story
Bob Fosse • Chicago Academy of Dance, Frederick Weaver’s School of Dance & American Theater Wing • Worked with and married Gwen Verdon • Dance Director • Hermes Pan gave him his first job on Kiss Me Kate • Choreographed Pajama Game Damn Yankees Sweet Charity Pippin Chicago
Jack Cole • Influenced by exotic dances • Diaghilev Company – defected from Russia • American Ballet Company • Choreographed Kismet Les Girls Man of La Mancha Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Michael Kidd • College of the City of New York, School of the American Ballet • Dance Director • Initial training in Modern Dance. • Choreographed Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Guys and Dolls Can-Can Li’l Abner Finian’s Rainbow
Michael Bennett • Dance Director • Choreographed Chorus Line Follies Dream Girls Seasaw Company
Tommy Tune • Dance Director • Choreographed The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas Night Grand Hotel Will Rogers Follies
Famous Dancers:
• Fred Astaire – worked with Hermes Pan (They looked a lot alike – Hermes would teach Ginger Rogers the dances) – Influenced by black rhythm dancers • Gene Kelly (An American in Paris , Singing In the Rain , The Pirate ) • Gwen Verdon (Damn Yankees , Chicago ) • Marge & Gower (Champion Show Boat , Jumbo ) • Cyd Charisse (Brigadoon , Silk Stockings ) • Vera Ellen (White Christmas , On the Town ) • Anne Miller (Kiss Me Kate , On the Town ) • Charlotte Greenwood – Boxed her ears with her legs • Nicholas Brothers • Leslie Caron (An American in Paris , Gigi ) • Ruby Keeler • Eleanor Powell
Musical Theater Composers & Lyricists:
Richard Rogers – Composer (1902-1979) Lorenz Hart – Lyricist • A Connecticut Yankee • On Your Toes • Babes In Arms • I Married An Angel • Boys From Syracuse • Pal Joey
Richard Rogers- Composer Oscar Hammerstein II – Lyricist • South Pacific • Oklahoma • Carousel • King and I • Sound of Music • Flower Drum Song
Jerome Kern (1885-1945) • Sally • Show Boat • Roberta
Irving Berlin (1888-1989) • Annie Get Your Gun (Book by Herbert & Dorothy Fields) • Call Me Madam • As Thousands Cheer
George Gershwin – Composer (1898-1937) Ira Gershwin – Lyricist • Funny Face • Porgy & Bess • Girl Crazy
Cole Porter (1891-1964) • Anything Goes • Kiss Me Kate • Can-Can • Silk Stockings
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) • West Side Story • Candide • Wonderful Town • On the Town
Frank Loesser (Guys & Dolls) Lerner & Loewe (My Fair Lady) Kander & Ebb (Cabaret) Meredith Willson (Music Man ) Cy Coleman (City of Angels ) Jerry Herman (Hello Dolly )
Stephen Sondheim • Company • Into the Woods • Sweeney Todd
Andrew Lloyd Webber • Phantom of the Opera • Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Famous Musical Theater Performers:
Mary Martin Listen to One Touch of Venus “Speak Low”
Ethel Merman Listen to Anything Goes “I Get A Kick Out of You”
John Raitt Listen to Pajama Game – “Hey There”
Howard Keel & Doris Day Watch Pajama Game “I Can Do Without You”
Alfred Drake “Were Thine That Special Face” from Kiss Me Kate
Debbie Reynolds & Donald O’Connor Watch a clip of Singing In the Rain
Kathryn Grayson Watch “I Hate Men” Kiss Me Kate
Catherine Zeta-Jones Watch a scene from Chicago