A History of the A History of the MusicalMusical

Intro clip featuringIntro clip featuring

Julie Andrews/Carol BurnettJulie Andrews/Carol Burnett

musical (noun):musical (noun):

a stage, television or film a stage, television or film production utilizing popular-style production utilizing popular-style songs - dialogue optional - to songs - dialogue optional - to either tell a story (book either tell a story (book musicals) or showcase the musicals) or showcase the talents of the writers and/or talents of the writers and/or performers (revues)performers (revues)

Book musicalsBook musicals have gone by have gone by many names: many names:

Comic operas Comic operas -- a sung dramatic work of -- a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature with some of the a light or comic nature with some of the text spoken, usually with a happy ending text spoken, usually with a happy ending also also Opera bouffe Opera bouffe or or Opera buffaOpera buffa (Italian) (Italian)

Operettas -- Operettas -- Light-hearted musical Light-hearted musical entertainment containing dance, spoken entertainment containing dance, spoken dialogue, practical jokes, and mistaken dialogue, practical jokes, and mistaken identities. Operettas were especially identities. Operettas were especially popular in the late 19th century.popular in the late 19th century.

Book musicals Book musicals (cont.)(cont.)

Burlesque -- Burlesque -- a humorous theatrical a humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody and entertainment involving parody and sometimes grotesque exaggeration. In sometimes grotesque exaggeration. In 20th century America, the form became 20th century America, the form became associated with a variety show in which associated with a variety show in which striptease is the chief attractionstriptease is the chief attraction

Burletta -- Burletta -- (Italian, meaning little joke), (Italian, meaning little joke), also sometimes burla or burlettina, is a also sometimes burla or burlettina, is a musical term generally denoting a brief musical term generally denoting a brief comic Italian (or, later, English) opera. comic Italian (or, later, English) opera.

Book musicals Book musicals (cont.)(cont.) Extravaganza Extravaganza

– a literary or musical work (often musical a literary or musical work (often musical theatre) characterized by freedom of style and theatre) characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of structure and usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parodyburlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody

– sometimes also has elements of cabaret, sometimes also has elements of cabaret, circus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mimecircus, revue, variety, vaudeville and mime

Musical comedyMusical comedy– chief form of popular musical theatre in the chief form of popular musical theatre in the

English- speaking worldEnglish- speaking world– developed from comic opera and burlesque in developed from comic opera and burlesque in

London in the late 19th century and reached its London in the late 19th century and reached its most durable form in the 1920s and 30s, most durable form in the 1920s and 30s, particularly in the USA. particularly in the USA.

RevuesRevues

VaudevilleVaudeville– theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the

United States and Canada United States and Canada – early 1880s until the early 1930searly 1880s until the early 1930s– made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts

grouped together on a common billgrouped together on a common bill Music Halls Music Halls

– British theatrical entertainment British theatrical entertainment – popular between 1850 and 1960. popular between 1850 and 1960. – variety entertainment involving a mixture of variety entertainment involving a mixture of

popular song, comedy and specialty acts.popular song, comedy and specialty acts.

Revues Revues (cont.)(cont.)

Minstrel Shows Minstrel Shows – American entertainment consisting of American entertainment consisting of

comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music,music,

– performed by white people in blackface performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface.people in blackface.

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

EuropeEurope– traveling minstrels and roving troupes of traveling minstrels and roving troupes of

performers that offered popular songs performers that offered popular songs and slapstick comedy and slapstick comedy

12th and 13th centuries12th and 13th centuries– religious dramas, such as religious dramas, such as The Play of The Play of

HerodHerod and and The Play of DanielThe Play of Daniel – Intended as liturgical teaching tools set to Intended as liturgical teaching tools set to

church chants, these plays developed into church chants, these plays developed into an autonomous form of musical theatre.an autonomous form of musical theatre.

RenaissanceRenaissance Commedia dell'arteCommedia dell'arte, an , an

Italian tradition where Italian tradition where raucous clown characters raucous clown characters improvised their way improvised their way through familiar stories. through familiar stories.

Clowns included Clowns included Harlequin, Pulcinella and Harlequin, Pulcinella and Scaramouche (personas Scaramouche (personas that became basic that became basic elements in Western elements in Western stage comedy for stage comedy for centuries to come). centuries to come).

1700s1700s Two forms of musical Two forms of musical

theater were common theater were common in Britain, France and in Britain, France and Germany Germany

•Ballad operasBallad operas like John Gay's like John Gay's The The Beggars Opera (1728) that borrowed that borrowed popular songs of the day and rewrote popular songs of the day and rewrote the lyricsthe lyrics•Comic operasComic operas, with original scores , with original scores and mostly romantic plot lines, like and mostly romantic plot lines, like Michael Balfe's Michael Balfe's The Bohemian GirlThe Bohemian Girl (1845). (1845).   

American MusicalAmerican Musical

FloraFlora – The first musical production in the Colonies The first musical production in the Colonies – February 8, 1735February 8, 1735– A ballad opera imported from England. A ballad opera imported from England.

Burlesque Burlesque – Became popular after the Colonies had become Became popular after the Colonies had become

a nation (1776)a nation (1776)– Included parodies of famous plays, performers Included parodies of famous plays, performers

or dancers--in song, dance, pantomime and or dancers--in song, dance, pantomime and dialogue. dialogue.

The Black The Black CrookCrook

Prototype of modern Prototype of modern “book musical” – was “book musical” – was an extravaganzaan extravaganza

Produced in New York Produced in New York in 1866 (toured, total in 1866 (toured, total of 474 performances)of 474 performances)

The most successful The most successful theatrical production theatrical production in America up to that in America up to that timetime

Written by AmericansWritten by Americans

Included elements Included elements identifying American identifying American musical comedy: chorus musical comedy: chorus girls, ornate production girls, ornate production numbers, elaborate numbers, elaborate costuming, songs costuming, songs provocative with sexual provocative with sexual innuendos, large dance innuendos, large dance numbers etc.numbers etc.

1865-19001865-1900

American stage was flooded with American stage was flooded with foreign operettas (i.e. Gilbert & foreign operettas (i.e. Gilbert & Sullivan)Sullivan)

American composers and librettists American composers and librettists imitated this style imitated this style

The first successful American-written The first successful American-written operetta--Willard Spencer's operetta--Willard Spencer's The Little The Little TycoonTycoon in 1886 in 1886

Gilbert and Gilbert and SullivanSullivan

Partnership of Partnership of librettist W. S. librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–Gilbert (1836–1911) and 1911) and composer Arthur composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–Sullivan (1842–1900). 1900).

Collaborated on Collaborated on fourteen comic fourteen comic operas between operas between 1871 and 18961871 and 1896

H.M.S. H.M.S. Pinafore Pinafore (1878)(1878)

The Pirates The Pirates of Penzance of Penzance (1879)(1879)

The Mikado The Mikado (1885)(1885)Chipmunks