Musical Theater History
November 18, 2010
Sam Cawthorne, Lizzie Hollenczer, and Jessica Stone
Physical Theatre
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Over time, stages have improved for both the actors and the audience.
At the end of the 19th century, a design called the box set was regularly
used.
The box set interior has three walls and sometimes a ceiling
Also, the stage floor was beginning to level out, rather than raked back
In the 20th century, staging was simplified to put more focus on the actors.
Scene designers wanted to keep clutter off the stage and still keep the
mood and setting of the play clear.
They used abstract ways of doing this and others used more literal
methods.
Lights were placed in the auditorium to allow a natural look to the lighting
of the actors and sets.
Colored lights were formed by putting colored “gels” over the lights.
In modern-day theatre, sets sometimes move themselves (do not require as
much back-stage personnel), sets are designed to represent where the
characters are rather than what they are feeling, and sets are much more
advanced than earlier time periods.
Timeline
1700’s:
• 1st professional theatres formed in Philadelphia and Charlestown
1800’s:
• Broadway was New York’s main thoroughfare; desirable location for all
business, including theatres
• Melodramas were very popular, as well as musical romances
• French and Viennese Operetta 1850-1880
• Popular American forms of entertainment: circus acts, singers, dancers,
chorus girls, and bawdy comics
• Minstrels: American born from musical theatre beginning in the 1840’s
• Minstrels were perfected to a third form and used in most shows
• Vaudeville: a town that tried to bridge the gap dividing American audiences
because life was hard there; tours lasted 40 weeks or more; pay for
workers was bad
- Other acts in the town included: mind readers, instrumentalists, escape
artists, flash acts (anything showy), high divers, quick change people,
strong men, and living statuaries
- Shows ended because of the Great Depression
• Burlesque: rich source of music and comedy; kept Americans laughing
from the 1840’s-1960’s; though original is gone, it is legally still alive
(“Saturday Night Live”)
Timeline (continued)
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Gilbert and Sullivan: created 14 stage musicals, revolutionized theatre
1900-1910: London was the theatre capital of world; 33 legitimate Broadway
shows; Broadway boasted about musicals
1910-1919: producers focused on exporting musicals from Europe
1920’s: bustle decade; 50 new musicals in one season; $3.50 per seat
1930’s: Vaudeville dies, fear for Broadway’s survival; ticket buyers scarce
1940’s: after great depression, producers focused on fun songs to give
people escape from reality
1950’s: Broadway musicals became a major part of American pop culture;
new musicals every season
1960’s: off Broadway was born; first off Broadway musical: “The Fantasticks”
1970’s: musicals thrived with energy; rock musicals were popular such as:
“Hair”, “Godspell”, “The Me Nobody Knows”, and “Jesus Christ Superstar”
1980’s: first hit of 80’s was “42nd Street”; 80’s saw many new musicals and
off Broadway shows; shows were flashy
1990’s: less than 5% of people were attending theatre; $60 per ticket
2000’s: No one in the Broadway community was sure about musical future;
many new shows that are still running such as: Jersey Boys (2005), Tarzan
(2006), and The Color Purple (2005)
Gene Kelly
• Born: August 23,
1912
• Died: February 2,
1996
• Born and raised in
Pittsburgh, PA
• Debut- in the
chorus of “Leave it
to Me” (1938)
• Best known for his
talents as a dancer
• Some of his most
prominent
performances
include:
-“On the Town”
(1949): starred with
Frank Sinatra, Jules
Munshin, Ann Miller,
Vera-Ellen, and Betty
Garret
Gene Kelly (above) in the famous
musical “Singin’ in the Rain”
“I didn’t want to move or act like a
rich man. I wanted to dance in a
pair of jeans. I wanted to dance
like the man in the streets.”
–Gene Kelly
- “An American
in Paris”
(1951):
showed his
dancing
abilities the
most
- “Singin’ in the
Rain” (1952):
starred with
Debbie
Reynolds,
Donald
O’Conner,
and Jean
Hagen
Matthew
Broderick
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Has talents for both comedy and drama
He became established in NYC theatre
1st big screen success was in “War Games”
where he played a computer wiz caught up in
a nuclear intrigue
Involved in many Neil Simon productions,
such as “Brighton Beach Memoirs” (1982-83),
where he portrayed a character based on
Simon as a young boy
Simon provided him with many comic roles
Dramatic skills were honed by a director
named Horton Foote
His debut role for live theatre was in Foote’s
workshop production of “On Valentine’s Day”,
where he performed with his late father
James Broderick
Best known for his role as Ferris Bueller in the
teen comedy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
Ethel Merman
Born: January 16, 1909
Died: February 15, 1984
• Most successful musical comedy
performer of her generation
• Daughter of Edward Zimmermanbookkeeper and amateur pianist and
Agnes Gardner Zimmerman
• Known for loud, clear voice, and great
enunciation
• Favorite of songwriters, such as George
and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and
Irving Berlin
• Introduced their most popular songs: “I
got Rhythm”, “You’re the Top”, and
“There’s no Business Like Show
Business”
• Merman also performed in the musical
“Anything Goes” (1936)
Ethel Merman (continued)
• Starring role as Rose in Jule Styne’s
and Stephen Sondheim’s “Gypsy”
• Primary achievement was in her 13
roles on Broadway between 1930 and
1959
• Began singing as a child in public
and entertained in WWI camps
• Shortened her last name to Merman
and performed at the Palace Theatre
in NYC after graduating high school
• Performed on first legitimate stage in
Gershwin’s Musical “Girl Crazy”
(NYC- Oct. 14, 1930)
• “Girl Crazy” played 272
performances
• First appearance in feature film was
in “Follow the Leader” (December,
1930)
1. Song: “There’s No Business
Like Show Business”
2. Song: “Everything’s Coming
up Roses”
Julie Andrews
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Born: October 1, 1935
Known for impressive vocal range
and perfect pitch
Starred in “My Fair Lady” (1964),
which was her most difficult role.
Born Julia Elizabeth Wells in
Walton-on-Thames, England
Mother- pianist
Birth parents divorced when she
was young
Mom remarried to Edward
Andrews
Took her step-father’s last name
and family traveled around Europe
Parents performed for a living and
Julie, as she was often nicknamed,
began singing with her father in
air-raid shelters during WWII when
she was only 8 years old
Julie Andrews (continued)
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Her vocal chords, by then, had
already fully matured, and her
mother enrolled her in singing
lessons with Madame Stiles-Allen
At 12 years old, she was
performing at the same venues as
her mother and step-father
Debut as a singer: “Starlight Roof”
at Hippodrome Theatre in
London’s West End
Noticed by director Vida Hope,
who brought Julie to Broadway in
the U.S.
Julie played Polly Brown in Hope’s
musical “The Boy Friend”
She also starred in “The Sound of
Music” (1965) and “Mary Poppins”
(1964)
1. “Mary Poppins (1964)”
2. “The Sound of Music” (1965)
Choreographers,
Directors,
and Producers
Mel Brooks
• Born: June 28, 1926
• Brooks went from a TV writer to a series
creator to a movie producer
• He formed the company Brooks Film,
Ltd.
• He helped turn his Oscar-winning film,
“The Producers”, into a Broadway
musical
• Also directed the comedy film “History
of the World Part I”
• “High Anxiety” (1977) was his last
largely acceptable film and after that
relevance, quality, and freshness had
severely declined
Mel Brooks: “History of the World Part I”
Tommy Tune
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Born: February 28, 1939
Tune is an actor, dancer, choreographer,
and director
He majored in performing arts at the
University of Texas
His “big break” came when he was a
performer in “Seesaw”
He became the successor to people like
Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Gower
Champion, and Michael Bennet
Earned 9 Tony Awards as well as an
induction into the New York Theatre Hall of
Fame in 1991
Susan Stroman
• Born: October 17, 1954
• Choreographer
• She came onto the scene when she
received 4 Tony nominations for her
work in “Contact” and “The Music
Man”
• She helped choreograph and direct
“The Producers”, which won 12 Tony
Awards that included choreography
and directing
• Stroman had many failed attempts on
Broadway before she really began to
shine
Jerome Robbins
• Born: October 11, 1918• Died: July 29, 1998
• Robbins was a director,
choreographer, and dancer.
• He began his career with Ballet
Theatre in New York
• From 1944-1967, he devoted
his all his time and energy into
Ballet.
• He returned to Broadway for a
brief period in 1989
• Directed “West Side Story”
(1961) which starred Natalie
Wood and Richard Beymer
Harold Prince
• Born: January 30, 1928
• He is a distinguished director
and producer
• Career spans over 4 decades
• Presented his first musical “The
Pajama Game” in 1954
• He has 20 Tony Awards, which
is more than any other
choreographer, producer,
or director
Composers, lyricists, and writers
Stephen Sondheim
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Born: March 22, 1930
Studied piano for 2 years
Grew up in West Side of Manhattan
Wrote lyrics for:
- “West Side Story”
- “Gypsy” (but was fired because Ethel
Merman wanted a composer with a
track record)
- “Anyone Can Whistle” (1964)
- “A Little Night Music” (1973)
- “Sweeny Todd” (1979)
- “Merrily We Roll Along” (1981)
- “Into the Woods” (1987)
He was greatly influenced by Oscar
Hammerstein, who helped to acquire
a love of musical theatre
Won 26 Awards during his career as a
composer and lyric writer
Oscar Hammerstein II
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Born: July 12, 1895
Died: August 23, 1960
Born in New York City into a theatrical family
Grandfather, Oscar I, was a showman and
opera impressano
Father, William, was the manager of Victoria,
one of the most famous theatres of its day
Uncle, Arthur, was a well known producer
Originally went to Columbia University to
study law, but ended up taking up his theatre
career when he was 19 by joining Columbia
University players as a performer.
He wrote the music for “Oklahoma”, which
was a hit when it opened on Broadway on
March 31, 1943.
On August 23, 1960, Oscar died of stomach
cancer
The lights on Broadway were extinguished to
honor Oscar; “the man who owned
Broadway”
Richard Rodgers
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Born: June 25, 1902
Died: December 30, 1979
Demonstrated musical talent at early
age.
4 years old: began to pick out tunes
from “The Merry Window”
10 years old: wrote his first song “My
Auto Show Girl”
Went to Columbia College, and we
honored as the first freshman to write
the score for the Varsity show
had a second successful partnership
with Oscar Hammerstein
They worked together until Oscar died
in 1960.
Lorenz Hart
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Born: May 2, 1895
Died: November 22, 1943
Musical comedy lyricist
Born in NYC
Eldest of 3
Spent two years (1914-1916) at the
school of Journalism of Columbia
University.
At one of the opening nights of “Pal
Joey” (composed by both Hart and
Rodgers), Hart was found ill in a
hotel room and was rushed to New
York City hospital, where he died 3
days later of pneumonia
He was buried in Mount Zion
Cemetery in Queens
Rodgers and Hart
• Rodgers met Hart while in school and they became partners for
the next 20 years
• Rodgers and Hart had a very successful partnership that started
in 1918.
• Unlikely partners because they were very different people
• They contributed to the musical “Poor Little Ritz Girl” (1920)
• They became successful together on Broadway by 1925
• Some of their hits include:
- “My Funny Valentine”
- “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”
- “Manhattan”
- “Bewitched, Bothered,
- “Thou Swell”
and Bewildered”
- “Johnny One Note”
- “Blue Moon”
- “The Lady is a Tramp”
Andrew Lloyd Webber
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Born: March 22, 1948
Showed musical talent at an early age
Composed a short musical for his parents when he was a kid
His first musical was “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, which he
wrote in 1967 with Tim Rice (lyrics writer)
He also did “Jesus Christ Superstar” with Tim Rice.
There were several concert tours of the show and a film version too.
Composed some of the most successful musicals in the last quarter of the 20 th
century
His most famous works include:
- “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (1967)
- “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1971)
- “Evita” (1974)
- “Cats” (1981)
- “The Phantom of the Opera” (1986)
“Evita” tells the story of a girl named Eva Peron. The show received many Tony
Awards, one of which was for best actress (Patti LuPone)
The movie version of “Evita” starred Madonna and Antonio Banderas.
A new song was added to the score (“You Must Love Me”) and won its composer
an Academy Award
Designers and Theatre Circle
Boris Aronson
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Born: October 15, 1898
Died: November 16, 1980
Kenneth MacGowan referred to his work as a designer as
futuristic.
He was born in Kiev, UK in 1898
He studied art and stage design with a man named Alexander
Exter.
Boris said that it is necessary to examine the rhythm of a
dancer and then work on the scenic construction.
First major success was “The Tenth Commandment” (1926)
Reputation improved when his set models were put on display
in New York in 1927
Began working in New York by 1932
He designed sets for “Fiddler on the Roof” (1964), Follies
(1970’s), and “A little Night Music” (1970’s)
Last set design was in 1976 for “The Nutcracker”; won 8 Tony
Awards and remained sculptor and painter until death
Al Hirschfeld
• Born: June 21, 1903
• Died: January 20, 2003
• Born in St. Louis and moved to NYC
when he was 12
• Dropped out of school at 16 to earn a
living
• In 1924, he moved to Europe to work
and study
• In a visit back to NYC, he sketched a
picture of a French actress named
Sacha Guttry and showed it to his
friend, who published it in THE NEW
YORK HEROLD TRIBUNE and his
career started
• Pictured to the right are of some of his
works
THE END!
We hope you enjoyed the show. Thanks for watching.
Bibliography
Cites Used:
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"Broadway: The American Musical." Broadway: The American Musical.
Educational
Broadcasting Corporation, 2004. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. <http://www.pbs.org/
wnet/broadway/musicals/index.html>.
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"Essay: 19th Century American Theater." Digital Collections. University of
Washington Library, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.
<http://content.lib.washington.edu/19thcenturyactorsweb/essay.html>.
"design reference." Reference.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.reference.com/browse/design>.