Broadway Theatre Research Paper

This research is an exploration into how ‘Jukebox musicals’ have influenced modern day musicals and how they are written. This style of musical could be seen as the most recent form of musical and its increasing success in the West End looks appears like it’s going to stay. In this essay I will be investigating into whether jukebox musicals have affected future original musicals, the audiences that watch them and the rising musical theatre writers that make new original west end productions possible.

You can call it what you want, start of the great depresion, The Roaring 20s. But when look at that time, I see the decade my grandpa was born. Along with some of the best music in history. Yes, it is jazz. If you hate it, that is your mistake. The 1920s was the best time for music. In the 1920s, music was effected by mainly The Great Depresion.

The Wizard of Oz and Wicked are both very successful and well-known broadway musicals. Both of these musicals are based off of the same story, but each give a slightly different meaning to it. While they are both based on a similar tale, these two broadway musicals have many characteristics that are similar and differ from each other. This paper will compare and contrast the characters, theme, and plot.

The emergence of a popular mass culture depended upon the introduction of many new forms of entertainment such as film, radio, and theater. One of the most notable forms of theater that emerged was vaudeville, which gained popularity in the late 1800’s, reaching its height in the 1910’s through the 1930’s. Vaudeville theaters’ affordability and accessibility allowed Americans of different ethnic and social backgrounds a chance to socialize in a way that was previously not allowed. Vaudeville had a major impact on popular culture and many films took much of their content from vaudeville acts. An example of a film that was influenced by vaudeville is the play turned film, Wonder Bar. The film features past traditions of vaudeville, while also exploring themes of race and sexuality.

Walter Lee Younger is a character in the play A Raisin in The Sun who changes from the beginning to the end of the play. Walter is an African American man that is stuck in a cycle of getting nothing done, but wants to get out of it with his own ambitious business ideas. After the death of his father, there is an insurance check of ten thousand dollars coming to the Younger household, and the way the money is spent is a problem throughout the play. In the play A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter changes from struggling to understand what it means to be a man to becoming a true man because at the beginning of the play he is an agressive, selfish and childish dreamer, but he begins to become a man by the end of the play. This change can be seen by examining Walter’s diction and characterization.

Personally, Phantom of the Opera was the first musical I had ever seen. I remember being in middle school and my dad suggesting that I watch it and me shaking my head because I did not even like opera. Begrudgingly, I agreed to watch it and after seeing the whole thing it shocked me. I was so surprised with how much I enjoyed seeing every second of it. That show really got me interested in the theatre world. The fact that people could actually sing like that and all of the different special effects and scene changes were happening right in front of my eyes got me hooked. I am sure that is a similar story to many other peoples. Andrew Lloyd Webber changed the way the general public responded to live theatre. He had the world hooked on the beautiful melodies as well as the intriguing story lines. I think he is the reason many people began theatre in the first place. The fact that he has consistently had at least on show running on Broadway since 1979 is an incredible feat in itself. Many composers are lucky to have just one or two shows run. We do not know what is yet to come from the brilliant Andrew Lloyd Webber, but if it is anything like his past productions, I do not think we will be

Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz based on a book by Winnie Holzman. The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz. Wicked celebrated its tenth anniversary on Broadway on 30 October 2013. It is the 9th longest-Broadway show, surpassing Beauty and the Beast. A typical performance runs for approximately two hours and thirty minutes. Wicked is famous for a long history, mighty messages and admirable songs.

It is officially credited with bridging the gap between musical theatre and pop culture. Rent is a contemporary musical revolving around a group of poor, struggling, young artists, or “Bohemians.” It is set in East Side New York City in the height of the 1990s HIV/AIDS epidemic. Despite obstacles of sickness, financial difficulties, and death, the characters locate the ability to remain optimistic and positive. Rent has proceeded to become extremely successful and iconic in modern day musical theatre.

The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, tells the story of how the standards of society influence two siblings. Tom and Laura Wingfield are two miserable people who no matter how hard they try, cannot seem to fit in. The play takes place in St. Louis, 1937, in which men and women have specific roles and expectations. Men are expected to have jobs, get married and provide for their family. Women are expected to get married, have babies and stay home to raise their children. However, in The Glass Menagerie, Tom and Laura defy these roles due to their own self image and ambition.

Michael Paulson, a well-known American journalist recently wrote a piece for the New York Times in September of 2015 called “This Broadway Season, Diversity Is Front and Center”. This piece focuses on the uprising of people from different races being introduced and playing roles in Broadway shows. Paulson asserts this positive statement by providing the reader with many examples of upcoming/present diverse Broadway shows and explaining how the audience can connect with these cultural stories. Paulson also establishes a friendly and highly proud tone when informing his readers that the lack of diversity on Broadway is overcoming; reassuring that indeed times are changing.

It seems that everything in life has its counterpart. On the same day a new mother welcomes her baby into the world, a daughter stands at her mother’s funeral wishing her into the next world. Morrie speaks of this unceasing “Tension of opposites” (40) one day on the college campus with Albom. It relates to Albom’s struggle with comparing what he wants himself to be and the man he has become since his days as Morrie’s student.

Many people have told lies and been told lies ,however the biggest lie of all is lying to oneself. Everyone has been told to share the truth because even though the truth will hurt others now, a carried out lie will hurt them a lot more in the future. It 's better to do right than to live in lies such as don 't hide all your faults they won 't just go away, you need to learn from your mistakes. In Les Miserables and The Kite Runner a man 's reputation is not as important as his family. As in giving up yourself for another and to be happy, like leaving your homeland where you are known and in charge to become a working man and make your family happy.

Since Broadway music is performed live, it is easy to tell the message of the music from the way the actors are interacting with the song. To me, Broadway music is different because it presents both the auditory and visual message of the music. People do not have to imagine the message or a story when listening to Broadway music because it’s right there in front of them. Listeners are able to see the emotion between actors and visualize it very well because of the way Broadway music is presented. The stories told in these songs are always complex and never have a dull moment, which is why I love them so much! Broadway music tells the story of life. There is no way I would be able to select a favorite song or artist because I love the genre so much that it would be impossible! Although I don’t have a clear favorite, there are some Broadway songs that stick out in my mind because they represent parts of my

Musicals of the 1960s through 1980s differ from that of the musical Crazy for You, by George and Ira Gershwin in style and subject matter. According to IBDB.com, Crazy for You premiered on Broadway in 1992 and ran for four years (“Crazy for You.” IBDB.com). Although it came out in the 1990s, long after the Gershwin brothers died, the lyrics and music were still done by them because the soundtrack of the musical consisted of old Gershwin songs from earlier musicals by them and were then mix-matched to create a coherent story, therefore all of the music in the show was written in the early 1900s and has the classic Broadway, swing to it. There is a feeling of relaxation in the music, unlike that of contemporary music. Modern music gives off a

Musical theatre combines music, dance and theatre to tell a story. It is not just a play with music because the songs and the music also tell a story. Music and singing are the main features and together with drama they combine into a musical theatre. It appeals to many people because it has such variety. The words are sung and in some musicals there are no spoken words at all.