The Influence Of Music On Broadway

Compare and contrast the American musical theatre in the 1920s with that of the 1930s. How did each reflect and absorb its era? What forms & styles were dominant, what was the same, what was different and why? Do we see elements from these decades in shows today? Use examples from specific musicals.

There have been many debates on whether or not Broadway musicals are considered “serious” art forms. People feel that a musical can never be taken seriously if the character is always singing sporadically, which is very unusual in real life. However, musicals have been around for quite some time now, many musicals are being adapted into major motion pictures, many children are raised on the famous Disney musical cartoons and everybody( whether they’ll admit it or not) has seen at least one musical in their lifetime and are able to sing some of the songs from it. It seems that musicals have made an impact on society but yet are still not taken seriously.

“On Broadway, although some female roles are narrow, demeaning, passive, or long-suffering and convey weakness, the performer sings with incredible strength. Listening to the female singing voice is a more complicated phenomenon. Visually, the character singing is the passive object of our gaze. But aurally, she is resonant; her musical speech drowns out everything in range. A singer, more than any other musical performer, stands before us having wrested the composing voice away from the lyricist and composer who wrote the score.” Said Musicologist Carolyn Abbate (Wolf, p.31)

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.

Essay 2: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s impact on American Musical is unfathomable. Their methods are still praised to this day, and idealized when creating a musical today. Their formula for musicals was that the song was the servant of the play. They would create the music to a play first, then let the plot follow. They did not need to capture crowds like other musicals by getting a known star to be on their show.

Two great writers of American musical theatre, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, had one idea in common. They wanted to present to the American public a new and revolutionary musical that would stand out above the rest. They wanted to make an impact on the societies of the era. They wanted to be creative and do something that was considered rebellious. When they finally combined their ideas together they created an American masterpiece in musical theatre: Oklahoma!. It was the first Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration, starting the most successful creative partnership in the history of American musical theatre.

Musical theater is a very difficult profession in which to make a living. Most composers of musicals only create one good musical and are unable to create any more. Not Andrew Lloyd Webber! He is not like any of those composers. Andrew Lloyd Webber is a successful composer due to his variety of appeal to diverse audiences. Andrew Lloyd Webber is an English composer who used rock-based compositions to revitalize British and American musical theater in the late 20th century. Lloyd Webber has had many great hits during his career. He has won numerous awards for his works. Due to his talent, Andrew Lloyd Webber has been asked by many professional soloists and groups to compose music for them. These

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.

Throughout American history there has been many events that have affected the way the United States is governed. Many of these events have been documented throughout letters, movies and plays that recreate them for future generations. It is these events and time periods that allow America to grow as a nation. When the United States were merely colonies, the Revolutionary War had taken place in which the colonists had gained their freedom from England. Although only ⅓ of colonists believed in the Revolution it was still a monumental event because the United States had gained its freedom. Other events like World War 2 and 9/11 played a similar role because it had a positive impact on the American culture. Smaller protests such as The Newsboy Strike of 1899 which occured in New York City was unknown to the general population of neighboring states but had a huge impact in New York. These events further helped the government of New York to grow as a state and reinform laws that helped the working class. In both the broadway shows, “Newsies” and “Hamilton” the setting is recreated to mirror the time period in which the events being portrayed have occurred as well as show the importance of them on the American society.

American Musical Theatre has been influenced and developed over many hundreds of years stretching back to the Greek tragedy through Europe to the Integration of story, music and spectacle in the 1936 musical, Show Boat. Much of how the American Musical is developed revolves around the cyclical nature of theatre and its history across Europe. Each stage is influenced by the development that came before, and many seek to revive aspects of past performances. There is always a connection to the past as the art comes around to a new era and on to influence the American Musical. From Greek tragedies to The Globe Theatre, American Minstrel shows to Show Boat, the development of American Musical Theater, is a combination of historical performances and influences that uses spectacle and

With up to 40 very different Broadway shows playing at any one time on the Great White Way in New York City, Broadway shows must actively market themselves to ensure new or continued success. Marketing campaigns begin very early in the process (sometimes as the Broadway-bound show is still being written) and often include a full-scale advertising assault that includes Print, Environmental, Web, Radio, TV, and Direct Mail ads. These measures are necessary because, at the end of the day, the success or failure of a Broadway show will depend wholly on how many tickets are sold. Critical accolades can also help with sustaining a Broadway musical or play, but there have been many times when the Tony Awards have been given to shows that have long

Scene and costume or outfit. Highlighting the splendor of landlocked Combining the fundamental importance of the creative music and dance that has evolved to suit the content of the story, including light, sound and technique of the scene. Changing Scene And live performances of the actors are talented in singing, dancing, making Broadway Theatre is impressive in terms of

A show is only eligible for a Tony Award in the season that it opens. It doesn’t matter how long it runs after that. “Legitimate theatrical productions may be eligible for Tony Awards if they officially open on or before the cut-off date established by the Tony Awards Administration Committee” (tonyawards.com). Only Broadway shows are eligible for this award. Off Broadway shows are not eligible. “The Tony Awards Nominating Committee is a rotating group of up to 50 theatre professionals selected by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. Nominators serve for overlapping three-year terms. They are asked to see every new Broadway production and then meet each year shortly after the Tony eligibility deadline. They determine the nominations based

This essay will be looking at “Indie music” and discussing its impact with regard to the development of musical performances and production.

What makes a musical appealing? Perhaps it is the melodious songs that leave a lasting impression, or maybe its appeal lies in its dramatic acting that touches the hearts of its audience. Nonetheless in the case of Sound of Music, by Howard Lindsay and Richard Crouse, this musical spectacle proves itself by crafting a complete narrative, having an accomplished and versatile cast, and strongly relating to the audience.