American Musical Theater

Question 1

Precursors; Opera, operetta, minstrelsy

Answer 1

Opera: Musical theater, but singing instead of lyrics, dramatic
Operetta: Light opera, singing and spoken dialogue, light and happy
Minstrelsy: Blackface and all that shit

Question 2

Precursors; Marketing Early Opera Stars; Jenny Lind

Answer 2

Jenny Lind; “Swedish Nightengale”, One of most popular 19th century singers, had extremely popular tour of US in 1850 (cause PT Barnum); sang in soprano opera roles across Europe

Question 3

Musical Comedy; Characteristics

Answer 3

Presentational (for audience)

Contemporary (for that time) settings and music (set in now)

Question 4

Musical Comedy; Characteristics

Answer 4

Presentational (for audience)
Contemporary (for that time) settings and music (set in now)
Light Subject Matter (distraction from real life; not serious)
Plot over character
Comedic Leads
Star Driven (Ethel Merman, Kevin Hart, etc.) plot built around them

Question 5

George M Cohan; Little Johnny Jones

Answer 5

vaudevillian, added a US tone to theater (resourceful, smart, witty); Little Johnny Jones Cohan’s first full-length musical

Question 6

Musical Play; Characteristics

Answer 6

Representational (More about characters; 4th wall exists and can be broken)
Exotic settings/Evocative Music (Set in past (distance and culture wise))
Serious Subject Matter (drama)
Character over plot (what driver them? they decide plot)
Romantic lead chracters (not love, powerful emotinos; comedians side chracters now; not as important)
Book Driven; adaptations (novels, stage plays)

Question 7

Concept Musical; Characteristics

Answer 7

Fragmented Musical
Stylicized Theatrically (Acknowledges theatre process)
Varied settings/pastiche music (Diff type of music in same musical)
Metaphoric subject matter (contemporary society)
Idea over plot (non-linear)
Ensemble (no star; each character featured)
Director driven

Question 8

Mega Musical; Characteristics

Answer 8

Exotic settings/evocative sung-through music (little dialogue cause audience might not know English)
Varied subject matter (Romantic) (tend to be serious)
Spectacle over plot (competing w/ films and their fx; think PtoO chandelier)
Romantic lead characters (larger than life; Phantom, Isabella from Cats)
Design Driven (set design, spectacle, costumes, producers unimportant