hdmusicals

Musicals Musical theatre originated as a popular new drama form in America and has influentially spread throughout the world. Beginning as a form of expression for many immigrants, this art spread quickly. Musical works incorporate singing, spoken text, and dance as a means of communicating a story. However, throughout its development, the equation to success and approach to musical theatre has varied. In some, the songs and dances were necessary to the advancement of the characters and plot. Often, there is a stronger focus on songs and their lyrics or dance. As it continued to develop, the plot became less important and the focus was instead on the themes conveyed through sets and performance. This is not always the case. Musical theatre has also been an avenue to popular music within each era. Frequently, works are relevant to the period in which they were written and the issues of that time. Many often adhere to a particular audience and depend on their support. The spoken or written word of critics also plays an influential role on the life of the piece. Together, there are many factors that determine either its success or failure.

The first, often most powerful, aspect of musical theatre to be considered is the music itself. Both the score and the lyrics are critical. The lyrics are often a way of advancing the plot and developing the characters. While the aesthetic appeal is very important, it is often the actual lyrics that convey the message to the audience. In the “Lion King,” the musical composition is South African. This establishes the setting and tone for the play. It draws the audience in for a more elevating performance. “Rent” is heavily more focused on this aspect as well. This is seen as the actors stand in a line on stage, as opposed to dancing, and sing. This puts all attention what the actors are saying, not doing. With deep messages, such as those in “Rent,” this is a very effective approach. “West Side Story” involves the actors singing in dialogue. “Fantasticks” also used this dialogue in song as well as lyrics to convey the thoughts and development of the characters. This is a display of the importance of the music in advancing the drama. “Caroline, or Change” also revealed the inner emotions of the characters, which otherwise may have been done in an aside. In all cases, the musical pieces are significant components to the overall performance.

Another very important element is choreography. In some shows, it is significantly more important than the music itself. It often conveys a message or attitude that cannot be expressed by lyrics or spoken text. “In Contact” is a prime example. It focuses on the movements and dancing of the main actress to develop her New York attitude. Many scenes consist of the music less intense, but present and the focus directed on her. Because she is not singing, she is communicating how she feels through her actions. “Lion King” also relies on the choreography to convey the transformation of the actors into the animals of the African savannah. The costumes designed are detailed, yet simple, enough to allow intricate movements that reflect those of the animals. Without this very effective approach, the play would not have been nearly as successful. “Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk” incorporated popular beats and a form of dancing that is very forceful and self involved. This conveys both joy and anger. “Taboo” creates a nightclub atmosphere through the elaborate choreography and excitement. Culture is often communicated through various types of dancing, such as the Latin American dancing in “West Side Story.” It is evident that this can be a successful means of communication in musical theatre.

Often to be considered is the intended audience for the piece. If these people are not a practical group or there are not enough of them, the musical will fail. The reason “Avenue Q” was so successful was the large amount of people, often those who grew up with “Sesame Street” and are now older, who were interested in this new twist. The audience was just large enough to generate the success it did. “Wicked” was also very successful due to the wide diversity of people it reached. It was loved by “Wizard of Oz” fans, girls touched by the message, people young and old, male or female. This huge audience led to its success. However, the potential theatre customers can be greatly influenced by the word of critics. This is very true on Broadway. A bad word can lead to the death of a piece while a good word can lead to its triumph. The premature closing of “Taboo” can be traced back to the influence of New York newspaper critics as well as the negative publicity of Rosie O’Donnell. This was just enough to deter the potential audience from purchasing tickets, ultimately leading to its failure. After all, the commercial theatre relies on revenue.

In the world of Musical Theatre, it is clear that there are many elements that contribute to the success or failure of a piece. Many works often emphasize some more than others, generating different types of performances, all of which convey the drama in some form or another. Originating in America, Musical theatre has proved to be an effective approach and very popular to a wide audience of that period.

 Works Cited:

 Arnold, Stephanie. //The Creative Spirit: An Introduction to Theatre.// 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.