History of Musical Theatre MidTerm
James Bland
African American musician. Referred to as "The World's Greatest Minstrel Man" Toured US and Europe doing minstrelsy. Performed for Queen Victoria
Rodgers and Hammerstein
1943-1959 Partnership, Oklahoma, King and I, Show Boat Rodgers is Music and Hammerstein is Lyrics and Libretto
Ethel Waters
American blues, jazz and gospel singer and actress. She frequently performed jazz, big band, and pop music, on the Broadway stage and in concerts, but she began her career in the 1920s singing blues.
Cole Porter
American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, was able to cover up being gay by his wealth. Studied at Yale, wrote their fight song. Served in the French foreign legion. Married Linda Lee Thomas, even though he was a homosexual. They had a great marriage and stayed together their entire lives. Wrote some risque material like "Let's Misbehave." Anything Goes, 1934. His music tended to have latin rhythms, arching ballads, and long, complicated structure.
Fanny Brice
American illustrated song model, comedian, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series The Baby Snooks Show. ]Follies dancer, singer known for her songs "My Man" and "Second Hand Rose" 1910-1911, 1921 Brice, Ray Bolger and Harriet Hoctor were the only original Ziegfeld performers to portray themselves in The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Oscar Hammerstein II
American librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. collaborated with numerous composers, such as Jerome Kern, with whom he wrote Show Boat, Vincent Youmans, Rudolf Friml,Richard A. Whiting and Sigmund Romberg; but he is best known for his collaborations with Richard Rodgers, which include Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Died in 1960
Jerome Kern
American musical theater composer. Wrote over 700 songs (including "Ol' Man River). Built on earlier MT tradition. Created dozens of musicals. Show Boat!!! Was supposed to do Annie Get your gun, but he died. "Jerome Kern was a songwriter, never wrote a lyric in his life" -Steve Nelson
Victor Herbert
Best known for composing many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway from the 1890s to World War I. After World War I, with the change of popular musical tastes, Herbert began to compose musicals and contributed music to other composers' shows. While some of these were well-received, he never again achieved the level of success that he had enjoyed with his most popular operettas.
George M. Cohan
Classic Irish showbiz guy, Performed with his family as a kid, Lin Manuel Miranda type (Writer, singer, actor), Came out of vaudeville, Created the notion that reflects what the Irish immigrant experience and attitude was, Sold show business. Very aware of each act, He cared about the bows and audience, "Little Johnny Jones", Writer, composer, and star Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Sigmund Romberg
Composer who was best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly The Student Prince (1924), The Desert Song (1926) and The New Moon (1928).
Florenz Ziegfeld
Created the follies that played from 1907-1931. He focused on the beauty and sexuality of females. Created polished commercial product for new Americans. Born in Chicago. Ran off to join the circus when he was younger. Anna Held, was Ziegfeld's muse and common-law wife. The Black Crook, 1866.
Fred Astaire
Dancer, singer, actor-- made over 31 movie musicals, MT icon. As a dancer, he is best remembered for his sense of rhythm, his legendary perfectionism, and as the dancing partner and on-screen romantic interest Ginger Rogers. "Father" of dance on film- had the dance and song blend together.
George and Ira Gershwin
George White's Scandals (Racy review, Way to get the music out in the broadest audience), Went from musical reviews and musical comedies (1920s) to satirical shows (1930s), George Gershwin died in 1937
Kurt Weill
German composer. Collaborated with Brecht. Decade 1942
Rodgers and Hart
Hart was one of the most talented lyricist, Had an ear for how to make vernacular text to work on stage, Hammerstein introduces them, Hart was gay, raised Jewish, He became a raging alcoholic, Hard to work with, Started working with Balanchine. They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart's death in 1943.
E.Y. Harburg
He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," "April in Paris," and "It's Only a Paper Moon," as well as all of the songs in The Wizard of Oz, including "Over the Rainbow."[1] He was known for the social commentary of his lyrics, as well as his liberal sensibilities. He championed racial and gender equality and union politics. He also was an ardent critic of religion
Al Jolson
In the 1930s, Jolson was America's most famous and highest-paid entertainer.[6] Between 1911 and 1928, Jolson had nine sell-out Winter Garden shows in a row, more than 80 hit records, and 16 national and international tours. Although he is best remembered today as the star of the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer (1927), he later starred in a series of successful musical films throughout the 1930s. Jolson also enjoyed performing in blackface makeup, a theatrical convention since the mid-19th century. With his unique and dynamic style of singing black music, such as jazz and blues, he was later credited with single-handedly introducing African-American music to white audiences. As early as 1911, he became known for fighting against black discrimination on Broadway.
Ethel Merman
Known primarily for her voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage. Known for her loud belt
Irving Berlin
MT legend Composer/ lyricist. Over the years he was known for writing music and lyrics in the American vernacular: uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American," whom he saw as the "real soul of the country." Wrote songs during WWs
The Cradle Will Rock
Window into how did musical theatre in the 30s find ??? The Cradle Will Rock is a 1937 musical by Marc Blitzstein. Originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project. The musical is a Brechtian allegory of corruption and corporate greed and includes a panoply of societal figures. Controversial.
Shuffle Along
Written by Noble Sissle Eubie Blake and _____ . First opened on May 23rd 1921. First show written and performed by black artists. Introduced a romantic quality for black performers
The Federal Theatre Projec
a New Deal program to fund theatre and other live artistic performances and entertainment programs in the United States during the Great Depression. It was one of five Federal Project Number One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administration.
Agnes de Mille
choreographer of Oklahoma! And the infamous Dream Ballet. Was one of the most prominent figures in the evolution of narrative dance. Revolutionized musical theatre by creating choreography which not only conveyed the emotional dimensions of the characters but enhanced the plot. Her choreography, as a reflection of her awareness of acting, reflected the angst and turmoil of the characters instead of simply focusing on a dancer's physical technique
Gilbert and Sullivan
collaborated on Comic operas, "Pirates of Penzance" --> Introduced innovations in content (comedic material) and (songs that were "talky" that furthered the story) that directly influenced the development of musical theatre through the 20th century Gilbert wrote the words Sullivan wrote the music
Tin Pan Alley
is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century (around 1885) and early 20th century (some say in ended with the great depression, others say it stayed until the 1950's with the rise of rock and roll). originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan
"The Crash"
the stock market crash of 1929 1933-34 Broadway was failing People were fleeing to Hollywood
Bert Williams
One of the pre-eminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920.
Burlesque
Origins: Began as a raunchier version of Vaudeville. Popularized in the 1860's Basic Features (Show Title): Sex & Comedy, Strip Tease, Variety the American style--increasing focus on female nudity. Years: started in the 1860's. The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcoholic liquor, and the enforcement of Prohibition was a serious blow. Influence on his. MT: (Lydia Thompson) English performers that came over with 19th century mae west Living embodiment of what burlesque was Racy review type entertainment that was still considered art
Minstrel Shows
Origins: Came out of slavery- at first white people putting on blackface to "impersonate" and mock black people First true american theater Basic features (show title): "Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in make-up or blackface for the purpose of playing the role of black people." 3 act structure Act I- Sang songs and cracked jokes Act II-Variety Acts Act III- Slapstick routine Stock Characters, ex: Jim Crow Cakewalk - them making fun of the masters but white people didn't take it like that Years of prime: 1840s- died out before turn of the 20th century, faded through the 1870's and 80's Influence on history of MT: The first art form that combined singing, dancing, and storytelling.. The comedic slapstick humor bled into Vaudeville entertainment-> which then became officially MT
Operetta
Origins: Middle-class audiences wanted entertainment that was refined like the Metropolitan Opera House of the Brooklyn Academy of Music but accessible like the Bowery. Basically a middle ground form of entertainment. Took the cues from Gilbert and Sullivan as well as French composer Offenbach. Basic Features(show title): Student Prince, No speaking/Sung through, Gilbert & Sullivan, romantic based form. Designed to take people away to an exotic locale that is not American, Usually European or mythical utopia setting, Operetta stock characters, always had a happy ending, tenor and soprano took center stage, supporting cast included comedians and a large male chorus Years: G&S 1870s and 1880s, Resurfaced in the mid 1920s Influence on history of MT: The music was a result of classical training, Americans lose interest in traditional operettas, so Victor Herbert adapted and created music for shows more in the "American vein." Composers later on created songs that had a feel and sound connected to operetta, but added popular American idioms and bold style that would rely less upon strings and more upon brass, reeds, and drums. American operetta writers helped make the Broadway musical stage a place where American composers could create and develop their own voices
Revues
Origins: The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932. Basic Features (Show title) : the revue art form brings together music, dance and sketches to create a compelling show. In contrast to these, however, revue does not have an overarching storyline. Rather, a general theme serves as the motto for a loosely-related series of acts that alternate between solo performances and dance ensembles. Years: Revues enjoyed great success on Broadway from the World War I years until the Great Depression. 1916 to 1932 Influence on his. MT:
Vaudeville
Origins: developed from many sources, including the concert saloon, minstrelsy, freak shows, dime museums, and literary American burlesque characterized by traveling companies touring through cities and towns Basic Features (Show title): A typical performance is made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill. Types of acts have included popular and classical musicians, singers, dancers, comedians, trained animals, magicians, female and male impersonators, acrobats, illustrated songs, jugglers, one-act plays or scenes from plays, athletes, lecturing celebrities, minstrels, and movies. Years: early 1880s until the early 1930s Influence on his. MT: in the early 1880s, impresario Tony Pastor, a circus ringmaster turned theatre manager, capitalized on middle class sensibilities and spending power when he began to feature "polite" variety programs in several of his New York City theatres. Signs posted back stage about keeping it clean and family oriented The usual date given for the "birth" of vaudeville is October 24, 1881 at New York's Fourteenth Street Theater, when Pastor famously staged the first bill of self-proclaimed "clean" vaudeville in New York City. Hoping to draw a potential audience from female and family-based shopping traffic uptown, Pastor barred the sale of liquor in his theatres, eliminated bawdy material from his shows, and offered gifts of coal and hams to attendees. Pastor's experiment proved successful, and other managers soon followed suit.
Stephen Foster
wrote many of the most popular songs of the minstrel era. Foster wrote over 200 songs; among his best-known are "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "Old Folks at Home", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair", "Old Black Joe", and "Beautiful Dreamer".
