Prince Sondheim And The Concept Musical Analysis

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 rest of the century. As you watch these videos notice how musicals come to represent

The interconnectedness of these character arcs generates an extremely complex plotline, and for this reason, it makes sense that the conventional Broadway musical writing sequence would perhaps not have been the most effective way to create this story, and this was not an issue the writers and production teams had faced before in the realm of musical theatre. Instead of, tone and theme were fully dictated by the score rather than the text, following the trials and tribulations of several main and supporting characters who come together in a unified narrative. Had the script portion of the libretto been created first, the depth and wit of Loesser’s music and lyrics might have

There are many well-known lyricists and composers, but none of them have left a mark on the theatre world like Rodgers and Hammerstein. The duo produced eleven musicals during their partnership and made an extensive change in musical comedy. They set a new standard that are still followed to this day in musical history.

Both Kander and Ebb always complemented each other’s raging romanticism and witty cynical work while they worked in the same room which maintained a perfect balance in their music. Their unique style of musical hasalways been appreciated in music industry. In 2000, they were honored with Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement by the York Theater Company of New York City.

This event, featuring songs from Stephen Bray, was part of a new three-day-long workshop series showcasing songs from the Broadway musical ”The Color Purple.”

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.

Following World War Two, the two legitimate world powers were the United States and the Soviet Union. With the Soviet Union under a communistic government and the United States being a nation founded in Capitalism, tensions between the two nations rose, resulting in the Cold War. Against the wishes of the United States, small countries in East Asia began to turn communist. Fear that one country turning would have a chain reaction turning many more, the United States turned to a policy of ‘containment’. This policy was tested in the Korean War and would be again tested in the Vietnam War. Starting as a War with the communist North Vietnam against South Vietnam and the French,

When your interest is as broad as theatre it’s almost impossible for your identity to not be represented. However, like many of my peers, I’ve struggled to find my identity and have floated between different adjectives for the past seven years. Luckily for me my love for Broadway guided me to a perfect show that let me know it’s okay to be confused about who I am.

When Bernstein realized the lack of recognition he was receiving, he had his own name removed so that Sondheim’s name would ring as the lyricist for West Side Story - for Bernstein admits to having done less work on the lyrics than Sondheim. West Side Story is a well-known and important play in the theatre world at present, but in the beginning, it did not sit very well with people outside the general theatre-loving district. Until years later and a reduction in prices, the musical received mediocre reviews and did not reach many audiences. Now, West Side Story is viewed as an influential and important play and it has reached many audiences over the years since its production. Its relatable plot line and realistic characters have made West Side Story almost as timeless as Shakespeare’s Romeo and

Reading these alien terms through its application in musical theater gave me a better understanding and at the same time shattered my susceptive way in enjoying a musical. From the stage direction, lyrics, books, and even costume design, I have started to read musicals differently in reference to the class material. I admit that I miss enjoying musical gullibly, but again, I found great joy in critically reading these musicals through a different performative

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

Before being able to completely appreciate musical films, one must be aware of their remarkable history and how they came into existence. According to an article written by Cara Schreffler:

Today’s audiences can almost find it abhorrent. They are socially aware and informed of current affairs. Musical theatre has advanced technically, intellectually, is universally popular and overflowing with cultural relativism. From 1960 onwards, Broadway came to rely more on its directors, librettists and lyricists. The emphasis of importance being on the directors. Tom O’Horgan, Gower Champion, and most of all, Bob Fosse gave the period some of its sustained achievements. These musicals are one of the most collaborative of art forms. Actors no longer had chunks of dialogue interspersed with musical interludes. The musical became seamless, with characters singing when their emotions became too overbearing for speech. The songs encouraged the musical to move forward and not stand still whilst the ‘star’ sang their showstopper! Stephen Sondheim advocated the “conceptual musical”. He subordinated every aspect of the work to his personal vision. As a result increasing intellectualised musicals confronted audiences that had frequented the theatre as a means of escape. When a writer is responsible for the book and the lyrics - as, for example, Oscar Hammerstein and Alan Jay Lerner, were - that writer may be more able to regularly address the same concerns than a composer-lyricist can. Nonetheless, Sondheim has managed to create a body of work that is clearly of a piece, despite the fact that many of the shows