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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Sondheim: His Influence On Musical Theatre, Jordan Fredericks
Sondheim: His Influence On Musical Theatre, Jordan Fredericks
The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)
Since its beginning with The Black Crook in 1866, American musical theatre has undergone huge directional shifts. Conceptually, the music and story of Oklahoma! from the 1940s is almost entirely different from the music of [title of show] and Ordinary Days from the mid-2000s. When investigating this dramatic transformation of the genre, the root of the change appears strongest at the 1950s. These years were the beginning years of Stephen Sondheim’s entrance into the realm of musical theatre. Comparatively, Sondheim brought in a new approach to the genre and published shows that revolutionized musicals that had not been seen before …
Life-Like: American Society And The Early To Mid-Twentieth Century Musical, Kaleigh M. Kenney
Life-Like: American Society And The Early To Mid-Twentieth Century Musical, Kaleigh M. Kenney
The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)
While entertainment is usually seen as a distraction from people’s everyday lives, it is actually more accurate to see it as a reflection of the society and culture from which it came. This is especially true for the genre of musical theatre, which has been known to be both shaped by culture and a commentary on it. This presentation seeks to examine the interaction between the culture and mindset of America from the early to mid-twentieth century and the musicals of that time period. This can be seen especially when it comes to the subjects that the writers of these …
What Are The Hills Really Alive With?: Spectacle Versus Narrative Driven Musical Theatre, Kevin A. Hicks
What Are The Hills Really Alive With?: Spectacle Versus Narrative Driven Musical Theatre, Kevin A. Hicks
The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)
American Musical Theatre is known for its entertaining qualities, but what holds the audience’s attention to stick around for the second act? Is it the dance numbers, the fancy lighting, and the spectacular numbers or is it the story and the characters? Musical theatre always uses a combination of the two elements, but one of two tends to drive an individual musical forward and engage the audience's attention. The conflict of emphasizing spectacle or narrative can bee seen initially at Musical Theatre's conception all the way down to recent shows written by Webber and Sondheim. Spectacle can be understood as …