VOCABULARY
Who’s Who in Musicals?
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Conductor
Composer
Lyricist
Choreographer
Principles
Soubrette
Chorus
Conductor
The person
who directs
the orchestra
Composer
The person
who writes the
MUSIC
lyricist
The person who
writes the
WORDS to the
music
LYRICS
The words to a song
That’s
right…there’s
no pictures…
because its all
WORDS!!!!
Book/libretto
The entire script of the
musical
Choreographer
The person
who designs
the dances for
the stage
SO…that means that Choreography is….
CHOREOGRAPHY
The dances that
are designed
for a song in a
production
principles
The named lead
characters in a
musical
soubrette
• Secondary
female lead,
usually a comic
role
chorus
The singers
other than the
principles
Types of Musicals
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Opera
Operetta
Comic Opera
Musical Revue
Musical Comedy
Concept Musical
Musical Play
Spoof
Opera
Totally music –
even
conversations
are SUNG!
Examples
La Traviata
Sydney Opera House
Operetta
A lighter music
and actors
speak lines
rather than just
singing
Examples
Babes in Toyland
The Merry Widow
Comic Opera
A Offshoot of
straight opera, it
combines music
and humor
Examples
The Pirates of Penzance
The Mikado
H.M.S. Pinafore
Musical Revue
Consists of a
loosely connected
series of lavish
production
numbers
Examples
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Musical Comedy
Combines
music and
humor
Examples
Guys and Dolls
Annie Get Your Gun
Anything Goes
Concept Musical
A play that is
built around a
particular idea
Examples
Cats
A Chorus Line
Starlight Express
Musical Play
Acting and
choreography are
equally integral,
increased emphasis
on real people in real
situations
Examples
Oklahoma!
Fiddler on the Roof
Spoof
A farcical play
that pokes fun
at certain
subjects or eras
(time periods)
Examples
Once Upon A Mattress
Little Mary Sunshine
Parts of (some) Musicals
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Overture
Crossover
Lead in Line
Change Music
Production Number
Underscore
Vamp
Recitative
Overture
• Music played at
the start of a
show, a medley
of the show’s
songs
Crossover
• A short scene
played in front of
the curtain while
scenery is being
changed
Lead in Line
• The line or lines
of dialogue
immediately
preceding a
song, usually
underscored
Change music
• The music
played
between
scenes
Production Number
• A large-scale
musical number
involving many
performers
Underscore
• Music played
that
accompanies
dialogue
Vamp
• To repeat
measures of
music until a
singer is ready
Recitative
• A singing style that is
closer to speaking
than to singing
Misc. Other Stuff
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Backlighting
Follow Spot
Combos
Reversibles
Backlighting
• Throws light on
the performer
from above and
slightly upstage
Follow Spot
• A light that throws
light on the
performer even
when they move
Combos
• A small group of
instrumentalists
Reversibles
• Garments that
are made
doublefaced so
they can be worn
either side out