Musical TheatreChapter 15

What You Will Learn

Identify milestones in the development of the Broadway musical

Name composers of classic Broadway musicals

Analyze and evaluate a Broadway musical

Vocabulary

Operettas Broadway musical Vaudeville Dialogue Repertoire Monologue Motive

Musician Profiles

Audra McDonald

Alain Boublil

Claude-Michel Schonberg

An Introduction to Musical theatre

During the 1800’s the evolution of opera split Germany – lengthy heroic operas Paris and Vienna – lighter more sentimental comic opera Operettas:

stage plays with songs and dance interspersed with spoken lines

The birth of the Broadway musical: Operettas came to America and became the Broadway Musical:

A dramatic stage form that combines the arts of acting and singing

Uniquely American Forerunners include operettas, minstrel shows, and vaudeville:

An early stage variety show that included songs, dances, and comedy skits

George M. Cohan

One of the first composers of Broadway musical His first hit show was Little Johnny Jones (1904) “Give My Regards to Broadway,” a song from that

show became a classic It contained the first ever reference to Broadway as a

synonym for musical theater

The Classic Broadway Musical In the 1920’s the musical continued to develop

Emphasis on music but there was more emphasis on the story

Richer plot lines More attention to dialogue:

The spoken lines of a play or musical

George Gershwin – Lady Be Good Jerome Kern – Show Boat Cole Porter – Anything Goes

Before World War II musicals reflected optimism – good will win over evil

After World War II the musical further developed My Fair Lady – Lerner and Loewe The Sound of Music – Rodgers and Hammerstein West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim

These musicals added many songs to the repertoire: An inventory of compositions mastered and performed by a

musician

During the latter part of the 20th century musicals began addressing darker more serious themes John Kander and Fred Ebb = Chicago and Cabaret

From Broadway to Hollywood West Side Story (1961)

10 Oscars, including Best Picture

My Fair Lady (1964) Eight Oscars, including Best Picture

The Sound of Music (1965) Five Oscars, including Best Picture

Cabaret (1972) eight Oscars

Chicago (2002) six Oscars, including Best Picture

An International Trend In the 1970’s British and French teams

began contributing to musical theater Andrew Lloyd Webber – British

Cats, Evita (with Tim Rice), The Phantom of the Opera

Elton John – British The Lion King and Aida, with Tim Rice

Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil – French

Les Miserables and Miss Saigon

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Elton John

Tim Rice

AssignmentActivity 1, p. 345

Investigate a Musical Select one of the musicals mentioned in this section, or choose another that you are

interested in. Using reliable online and library resources, research the story and music of the show. Then complete the following:

What is the musical about? Write a brief summary of the setting, characters, and basic plot. (10 points)

How would you characterize the music? Select one song from the musical and analyze how the song conveys something in the plot or a character’s emotions. What mood does the song portray? What message does the song convey? (10 points)

Musical theater Today

Broadway musicals are still popular today Both old and new can be seen Audra McDonald (b. 1970)

Born in Berlin, Germany Attended Julliard Won a 1994 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a

Musical for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel Also won Tonys for Master Class(1996), Ragtime(1998), and

A Raisin in the Sun (2004) Youngest actor to ever win three Tonys

Les Miserables

One of the most popular musicals Opened in London in 1985 Based on a novel by Victor Hugo written in 1862

Social commentary on the quality of life in France Universal themes of human struggle, endurance, and redemption made it

one of the best-selling books in history Several 19th century, including Puccini, considered making it into an

opera

In 1980 Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg adapted the work into musical theatre

Activity 2 p. 347“Prologue” CD 10:6

How would you describe the dialogue between Javert and Valjean in the “Prologue”

Describe the differences in the quality of the voices based on the attitudes that the characters communicate through the music.

How does the composer use dynamics to intensify the drama?

Lyrics on p. 348

Activity 3, p. 349“What Have I Done?” CD 10:7

Monologue: A dramatic speech or song delivered by one character

in a play

Make a list of the conflicts he is singing about. How does the melody affect your thoughts about

Valjean? Do you think what he has done is forgivable? Why

or why not?

Activity 4 p. 350“I Dreamed a Dream” CD 10:8

Which of the following best describes the melodic form of the song? AAAA/ AABA/ ABBA/ AABC

AABC

There are 3 distinct groupings of text that tell the story. Is the melody the same, different, or modified in each of the 3 texts?

How does the song’s organization support the emotional content? The intro sets up Fantine’s story. The A sections describe he hopeful

dreams. The darker B section foreshadows her downfall. The repeat of the A sections emphasizes her tragedy of her story.

Think of a single word that describes the pathos depicted in the song.

Activity 5, p. 352“One Day More” video

Determine how the addition of music enhanced the dram and messages being presented The accompaniment is tailored to each character’s

expression yet builds toward the climax of the song in a unifying dramatic way

Why do you think the composer and lyricist chose to use this format to end the story in Act I? It reviews the characters’ place in the story as well as their

emotional and character traits. It also sets up the action of Act II. The song is a dramatic and exciting way to end Act I.

Activity 6, p. 356“On My Own” CD 10:9

Lyrics p. 353 Which letter diagram best designates the melodic

form of the song? AAAA/ AABB/ AABC/ AABA

AABA

Activity 7, p. 357“Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” CD 10:10

Motive A short musical idea that is easily remembered and

helps unify a composition

Review - terms Broadway musical

A dramatic stage from that combines the arts of acting and singing

Dialogue The spoken lines of a play or musical show

Monologue A dramatic speech or song delivered by one character in a aplay

Motive A short musical idea that is easily remembered and helps unify a composition

Operettas Stage play with songs and dance interspersed with spoken lines

Repertoire An inventory of compositions mastered and performed by a musician

Vaudeville An early stage form that combines the arts of acting and singing/

Les MiserablesWho they were/what they sang

Sings “I Dreamed a Dream”

Central character in Les Miserables

Sings “On My Own”

Cosette’s mother

Sings “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”

A police inspector

Sings “What Have I Done?”

Feels unrequited love for Marius

Character Fantine

Jean Valjean

Eponine

Fantine

Marius

Javert

Jean Valjean

Eponine

Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Weber Jesus Christ Superstar The Phantom of the Opera Cats Evita

One of the first composers of Broadway musicals George M. Cohan

Broadway singer and actor Audra McDonald won recognition in a revival of which Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Carousel

One composer who emerged during the 1920’s as a composer of Broadway musicals George Gershwin

The British composer who collaborated with Tim Rice to create The Lion King Elton John

French composers Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil wrote… Les Miserables

West Side Story (1961) 10 Oscars, including Best Picture

My Fair Lady (1964) 8 Oscars, including Best Picture

The Sound of Music (1965) 5 Oscars, including Best Picture

Cabaret (1972) 8 Oscars

Chicago (2002) 6 Oscars, including Best Picture

What characteristics have made Les Miserables a popular and successful musical?

Universal themes of human struggle Endurance Redemption Drama of the plot Emotional expression of the music

What were some of the entertainment forms that contributed to the development of the Broadway musical? How did the Broadway musical change over the years? Predecessors of the Broadway musical

Comic operas Operettas Minstrel shows Vaudeville

1920’s musicals Emphasis on music Richer plotlines Carefully scripted dialogue

After WWII Composer lyricist teams created classic musicals like My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and

West Side Story These musicals popularized show tunes Musicals were mainly optimistic During the latter part of the 20th century musicals began addressing more serious themes