MUSICAL THEATRE
WHAT IS A MUSICAL AND WHAT ARE THE TERMS?
• Musical Theatre-a type of entertainment containing music, songs, and usually, dance
• Production Number- a large-scale performance within a musical show, usually combining both song and
dance
• Music Director-shapes the musical tone of the show
• Choreographer-the artist who designs dances for the stage
• Principal-an actor who has one of the major roles
• Chorus-ensemble and supporting roles
• Composer-person who writes the music for a musical
• Lyricist-the person who writes the words for the music
• Book-script for the musical
HISTORY OF BROADWAY THEATRE
• 1904-1919: As theater styles and personalities from around the world and the country come to New York, the
theater district is born — and so is the American musical.
• 1920-1932: Broadway enters its most prodigious period; songwriters create a new musical mythology of
Broadway and send it across the country.
• 1933-1942: During the Great Depression, Broadway distracts audiences with escapism, while also offering
political commentary and social engagement.
• 1943-1959: Rodgers and Hammerstein pioneer a new form of narrative storytelling that brings a new age of
musical classics.
• 1960-1979: Broadway confronts the seismic changes in American culture by reinventing its own tradition.
• 1980-2004: Broadway becomes a truly global phenomenon as new innovations respond to economic
challenges.
WHAT MAKES THE MUSICAL HAPPEN
• Things to consider behind the scenes:
•
Directing team: director, music director, choreographer, producers
•
Budget: High school can range 2 to 15 thousand, Professional can range 4 to 10 million dollars
•
Performance space: proscenium stages are most often used due to space; rarely use arena or thrust
•
Cast and crew: principles, chorus, backstage crew, designers, managers, stage hands
•
Audience: your show has to appeal to your target audience
MUSICAL FYI
• The production budget for Wicked is $42 million dollars
• The production budget for Spiderman was an estimated $75 million
• The production budget for Phantom of the opera is $8 million
Show
Dates
Performances1
1. The Phantom of the Opera
1/88–present
8,575
2. Cats
10/82–9/2000
7,485
3/87–5/2003
6,680
4. A Chorus Line
7/75–4/90
6,137
5. Oh! Calcutta! (revival)
9/76–8/89
5,959
6. Beauty and the Beast
4/94–7/2007
5,461
7. Rent
4/96–9/2008
5,124
8. Chicago (revival)
11/96–present
4,892
9. The Lion King
11/97–present
4,524
3. Les Misérables
THE BEGINNING FOR THE U.S.
• The first musical was “The Black Crook”
•
It opened September 12. 1866
•
It ran 474 performances
•
It was 5 ½ hours long
STRUCTURE OF THE TYPICAL AMERICAN MUSICAL
• Overture- Orchestral introduction previewing from the show
• Act I
• Intermission (10-20 minutes)
• Entr’acte
• Act II
• Curtain Call
• Exit music
TYPES OF MUSICALS
• Book Musical
•
Traditional musical with a strong story that drives the music and characters
• Revue
•
A collection of songs, generally with some common element. May or may not have a plot
• Concept Musical
•
A musical where the message or metaphor is just as, if not more important, than the actual story
• Jukebox musical
•
Musical using only songs from an artist or group
• Rock (or Pop) Musical
•
Musical that uses rock music (or pop music) as the main style of music. If there is little spoken dialogue, it could
be called a rock opera or pop opera
BEHIND THE MUSIC
• Songs are as important as the dialogue that is spoken
• The actor must determine the subtext or underlying message of the specific song
• Wicked: For Good
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwpKB-sj7GI
BEHIND THE SCENES
• Wicked: The Road to Broadway
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi-p7anJCmM
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCXEgzBkfsA
“You have 2 kinds of shows on Broadway - revivals
and the same kind of musicals over and over again,
all spectacles. You get your tickets for The Lion Kin
a year in advance, and essentially a family comes
as if to a picnic, and they pass on to their children
the idea that that’s what the theatre is - a
spectacular musical you see once a year, a stage
version of a movie. It has nothing to do with
theatre at all. It has to do with seeing what is
familiar. We live in a recycled culture…. I don’t
think the theatre will die per se, but it’s never
going to be what it was. You can’t bring it back. It’s
gone. It’s a tourist attraction.” Stephen Sondheim
MUSICAL PROJECT
• Your group will select a culture outside of the US
• Make an informational guide/presentation to your theatre
•
Give your theatre a name
•
Use collected information to provide the best experience for your incoming audience
• Research the following: descriptions, videos, images, etc.
•
History of musical theatre: where did musical theatre start
•
Typical musical theatre experience: what can an audience expect when they attend a musical
•
Who is involved: what does the support team consist of
•
Length of a performance: how long does a show normally last
•
Content of a musical: what are their musicals about
WELCOME TO BLAH BLAH THEATRE
• Our theatre is located in Somewhere
• Our style of theatre began in the land of the dinosaurs with our production of T-Rex The Musical
• The audience is expected to dress in their finest. Leave all pet dinos at home
• Our show will last approximately 5 hours, during intermission the audience will have time to hunt for
dinner
• Our performance this evening is brought to you by support from our director, dinosaur handler, set
designer, costume designer, and the Cave Man Band
• Our musicals will make you laugh, cry, and fear for your life as we see a story of love gone awry
between our two T-Rex characters.