Guys and Dolls Powerpoint
O
RIGINS
Factors leading to the birth of Musical Theatre:
The large amounts of immigrants making up the U.S. in late
19th & early 20th centuries and their respective music & dance traditions.
The Minstrel shows, musical revues, and vaudeville paved the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFYmz0Mq9xI
WHERE WAS THIS
HAPPENING?
N
EW
Y
ORK CITY
B ROADWAY WAS THE HEART OF MUSIC
THEATRE
Showboat (1927) established American Musical
Theatre and it has been evolving ever since.
Oklahoma, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Jesus
Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, Rent, The Lion
King, Wicked, Book of Mormon….and the list goes on and on.
TYPES OF MUSICALS
OPERA – La Traviata
COMIC OPERA- HMS Pinafore
MUSICAL COMEDY- Guys and Dolls
MUSICAL REVUE- Smokey Joe’s Cafe
ROCK OPERA- Jesus Christ Superstar
MUSICAL PLAY- Fiddler on the Roof
WHO’S WHO IN MUSICALS?
COMPOSER
The person who writes the score
(the music).
LYRICIST
The person who writes the lyrics.
FRANK LOESSER
1910-1969
He wrote Guys and Dolls,
How to Succeed in
Business without Really Trying,
Baby It’s Cold Outside
WHO’S WHO IN MUSICALS
Choreographer
The person who designs the dances for the stage
Choreographers can develop their own distinct styles: What musical are these pictures from?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcrZIK3gqbU
WHO’S WHO IN MUSICALS
Director
In charge of the artistic vision of the whole production.
Tadeusz Bradecki on Guys and Dolls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHOO_j54vCc
In New York City, you’ll meet wise guys and chorus gals, gamblers and actresses, cops and bobby-soxers. Pious Sarah Brown, a sergeant at the Save-A-Soul mission, wants to save their souls while Nathan Detroit needs $1000 to save the city’s oldest floating craps game. Enter highroller Sky Masterson who takes Nathan’s crazy bet – to woo the virtuous Sarah! Guys and Dolls has been called the “greatest of all American musicals.”
SONGS THAT LIVE ON…
Some songs from musicals have been adopted by musicians and reinterpreted. They are introduced to new listeners because of this and sometimes take on a life of their own.
“Hello, Dolly”
“I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”
“Send in the Clowns”
“Popular”
“If I Were a Rich Man”
IF I WERE A BELL
If I Were A Bell is sung by Sgt. Sarah Brown after a night in Havana.
1992 Guys and Dolls Revival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC_cdx7QXq4
How would you describe this song?
BROADWAY VERSION
Very clear diction
Emphasis on the story
Vibrato
Sarah sings with character
Interplay with the other actor in the scene
Full orchestra accompaniment
M
ILES
D
AVIS
Q
UINTET
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36wafFjFdYs
What do you hear?
What instrument has the melody?
Instruments:
Miles Davis -trumpet
John Coltrane -tenor saxophone
Red Garland -piano
Paul Chambers -bass
Philly Joe Jones –drums
No lyrics
More improvisation
Melody clear at begin and end of piece
E
LLA
F
ITZGERALD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqVYFztmxds
How does this version differ from the original?
E
LLA
…
Different tone of voice
Takes more liberties with the melody, especially in the second verse
Diction is clear but her phrasing is interestingnot as concerned with telling the story to advance plot
Featured instruments
S
ARAH
V
AUGHAN
S
ARAH AND
J
OE
Slightly more laid back feel
Playful, personalizes song
Duet
Character in voice- slides, pronunciation of text, vibrato
Changes to rhythm
