Effects Of Sondheim's Nonconformity On Musical Theatre

During this period, musicals (which were labeled “musical comedies” at the time) were in the form of acceptable of guilty pleasures - the appeal of women and their sexuality, silly characters that made fools of themselves, or the goofy country girl dancing through the chores of the day. Ziegfeld’s Follies, Marx brother shows, and Al Jolson playing his character in blackface are great examples of these shows that focused on showing off the stars and gave little care to the

When thinking of musical theatre, the most common idea is “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy eventually gets the girl in the end.” This situation is most commonly referred to as, “The original story” The main reasons for this stereotype are the musicals produced and shown in the 1950’s- 70’s. When looking at the story line of more than

At the end of World War I, an excited America was poised for a cultural renaissance; patriotism was on the rise, the strong concept of Manifest Destiny had passed its peak of influence, and, most importantly, there had not been a clear shift in culture for decades. The Jazz Age of the 1920s was about to dawn, bringing with it youthful, risqué morals and a carefree look on life. From these ideals, a new, strongly American form of entertainment would emerge: musical theatre. Most commonly found in New York City on Broadway even to this day, musical theatre became an escape from reality and an entry into the imagination. The grand and splashy components that make up what is considered a classic Broadway musical can ultimately be traced back to Cole Porter. Porter’s writing, albeit at times controversial or raunchy, was able to harness the frantically beating heart of the Jazz Age and turn it into treasured shows. Using his unique melodies, romantic or idealistic lyrics, and his pioneering of writing about the human experience, Cole Porter shaped American music and theatre from the 1920s through the 1940s.

the training ground and inspiration for the birth of the American musical. As the primary

For many young theatre lovers, Stephen Sondheim is their introduction the the musical theatre world. Whether it be from Into the Woods to West Side Story, Sondheim has been a great inspiration to those wanting to be introduced to the musical theatre world. People praise Sondheim on his ability to create compelling characters and expanded worlds that the characters live in. What Sonheim is credited for most, however, is his creation of the plotless musical. He created a bunch of characters and then proceeded to round out their stories into one song. He took seven one act plays and created one musical. Company was created in the 1970s and reflected the values of the time while being able to still reflect the values of today.

Jukebox musicals began in film and later shifted to theatre. They had begun to make theatre more popular with the public, which had begun to gravitate towards film and music. By combining the two, they gain some of the same as well as a whole new audience. I will discuss how this came to be by speaking of the shift that occurred.

In the 19th and 20th century, realism in theatre was a common occurrence. Realism is presenting a person, thing, or event in its true colors (“Realism”). Even throughout the Great Depression, Broadway and theaters managed to stay afloat. Its popularity began to surge, and there were 200 to 275 new shows coming out per year (Early 20th Century Theatre). Most of these shows were strictly for entertainment. Themes were often romantic, about happy endings and true love. However, some productions began to turn away from the stereotypes of shows during this time. In the 1920s and ’30s, shows became more extravagant and helped influence some of the most iconic American productions (Theatre of the 20th Century and Beyond). As a result, shows like

“White. A blank page or canvas. His favorite. So many possibilities.” Sunday in the Park with George, a musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, is a very curious musical indeed. The first and second act are separated by a century, the protagonist manages to control the entirety of the show, from the way the story flows, the style, even down to the arrangement of the set pieces. The show transcends a traditional musical in the way it tackles a very specific issue, that of the artist’s struggle to connect to the rest of the world. It has been argued that this show is completed in its first act, but that is actually not the case. Those that argue that the show is complete after the first

The musical film has always held a special place for me. From my time as a drama student in high school, my eyes have been opened to the amazing world of the musical and especially the musical film. The musical film is a film genre in which the characters sing songs that are integrated into the overall story. Since musicals first began in theaters, musical films usually contain similar elements. These elements often simulate that there is a live audience watching. In a sense, the film viewers become the audience members, at a theater production, as the actor performs directly to them. Due to the popularity of musicals in the theater, the style was quickly brought over into film. In 1927, the musical film genre began

Theatre has been a prevalent form of entertainment for centuries. As time has progressed, the meaning behind theater has shifted to adapt with society appropriately. Different genres of theater have been emerging all throughout history and continue to emerge even today. There are so many different genres of theatre that any individual can relate to it. One can easily recall the major genres of theatre: drama, comedy, musicals. However, it is the sub-divisions within these major genres that evoke unique performances and experiences.

A musical film is a genre of movie where songs sung by characters are added into the storyline, occasionally complemented by choreography. The musical numbers in these films do not always develop the plot and characters, but they do give the films a more exciting quality. The primary difference between musical theatre and film musicals is the use of extravagant scenery that would be extraordinarily unreasonable for a stage performance. While making movies, the individuals involved have the luxury of being able to shoot multiple takes and have the time to move backgrounds around or change their entire location. Stage performances, on the other hand, must have scenery that can be easily and efficiently moved on and offstage when it is needed. In order to be able to thoroughly comprehend this relatively recent- in the grand scheme of things- form of entertainment, one should understand the history behind these musical films, be aware of some of the “big names” that are well-known, and recognize major titles that revolutionized musical film forever (Scaruffi, P., 2005).

has been recognized as a new kind of musical play that denied its Broadway audiences many of their most treasured traditions, says David Ewen in American Musical Theatre. There was no opening chorus line, no chorus until midway through the first act, in fact. There was rather a serious ballet and other serious overtones, including a killing in act two. The story, which was so simple, seemed to engage the audience in more than mere evening diversion. (248) These changes, far from disappointing to viewers, were upheld by a success that had never been seen in the history of musical theatre.

Here is the history behind musical theater. The art of telling stories either through or with songs and music dates back far in time. We know that ancient Greeks included music and dance in their stages of comedy and tragedies as early as the 5th century B.C. We know that Aeschylus and Sophocles composed their own music during that time while Athenian playwrights may have interpolated existing songs. Roman actors attached metal chips called "sabilla" to their stage footwear; which became the first tap shoes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, during the Middle Age, there was also a tradition of religious dramas, such as The Play of Herod and The Play of Daniel. Intended as liturgical teaching tools set to church chants, these plays developed into an autonomous form of musical theatre. By the 1700s, musical theater has made an huge impact on France, Great Britain, and Germany.

The Beggar’s Opera broke many boundaries during its time including running for sixty-two performances. This was a huge step for musical theater. Not only was the show a huge success but also the show caused many spin offs such as, The Threepenny Opera. Not only was The Beggar’s Opera the first show written to satisfy all the categories of creating a musical, but it exceeded it’s requirements and went on to change theater all

The Vaudeville Era was an incredibly influential time for American musical theatre. It’s existence gave rise to several performers from classic vaudeville acts to Ziegfeld Follies performers, and burlesque dancers. From (and contributing to) it’s death sprang popular new mediums of performance and entertainment (Revue, Radio, Talkies, and Burlesque). There is little surprise that nostalgia for vaudeville began closely after its “death” and continues to influence many forms of American entertainment today.