Exam Flashcards
Significance of “Show Boat”
- focuses on race, class, and controversy of interracial marriage
Significance of “Oklahoma”
Won Pulitzer Prize for Drama & broke record for show with the longest run
Significance of Gypsy
Based on autobiography of a stripper
Significance of Of Thee I Sing
1st musical to win Pulitzer Prize for drama
Significance of A Chorus Line
Won 9 Tony Awards
One of the most influential American artists in musical theatre
Stephen Sondheim
The first American musical (bonus points for creator)
Little Johnny Jones by George Cohan
What are song pluggers? Name one
People who played music on a piano to interest customers into buying the sheet music.
Irving Berlin
What Shakespeare play was West Side Story based on?
Romeo & Juliet
Name a stage play that was adapted into film
West Side Story
West Side Story was this artist’s first major Broadway work.
Leonard Bernstein
The European composer than brought us Cats, Phantom, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?
Andrew Lloyd Webber
The contemporary musical introduced a new artist who combined the talents of stage movements and dance. What was that artists title?
Choreographer
3 shows of the 1960s and 70s stand out as good examples of successful musicals with strong dramatic subjects (Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, and Chicago). Select 1 and explain what it’s about
Cabaret- nazi encroachment and control in Germany
Name one characteristic of musical comedy
Unchallenging theme
Name one of the shows by Stephen Sondheim and tell the significance of the musica
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Significant because it was his 1st solo show
Give the name of a musical produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein
Oklahoma
Give a significant characteristic of the following type of musicals: book, concept, megamusical, rock, jukebox
Book Musical - based on some kind of literary source with a clear beginning, middle, and end
Concept Musical - A Chorus Line
Megamusical - The Phantom of the Opera
Rock Musical - Hair
Jukebox Musical - Mamma Mia (pop songs)
Name and explain the 4 elements/artists that are involved in the making of a musical
Book - playwright
Music - composer
Lyrics - lyrist
Dance - choreographer
Define Pantomime and Ballet
Pantomime - gestures done in silence; no monologue
Ballet - classical dance
What did Gilbert and Sullivan write?
Operas (comedy operas)
- these were a witty way of addressing politics and social issues of the time without heavily offending people
Name one prominent figure(s) of musical comedies of the 20s and 30s and tell their contribution
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
- contributed dance
Movicals
Trend for stage plays that started as films
