Revolution

Nothing will ever be the same. These musicals changed theatre. This article talks about 10 musicals that changed theatre. The first one is Showboat with music by Jerome Kern and the book and words by Oscar Hammerstein II and opened in 1927. Showboat confronted issues such as racism, interracial marriage (which was illegal at the time), and captured the lives of second class citizens. It was also one of the first musical to have music that advanced the plot as well as a continuous storyline. The second is Pal Joey with music by Richard Rodgers, book by John O’Hara and lyrics by Lorenz Hart and opened in 1940. Is about a bad man who is untroubled by the pain he causes others. It has what is considered by many to be great music and also is about the darker parts of human nature.

The third one is Oklahoma with music by Richard Rodgers, and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and opened in 1943. It was the first show that was a collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was also one of first shows to connect the plot with singing, dancing as well as the addition of a well remembered dream sequence. It took everything good about Showboat and made it better. The fourth is West Side Story with music by Leonard Bernstein, book by Arthur Laurents and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and opened in 1957. It took what people liked about Oklahoma and put it into a modern setting that appealed to the audience. The show  combined the real world with fantasy as well as ballet. 

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The fifth is Hair with music by Galt MacDermot and Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and opened in 1968. The show had many small scenes put together each of which was as good as the last, It also started the rock musical genre and supported the anti war movement. The sixth is Company with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth and opened in 1970. Company allowed theatre to move into terior realism. It is about a group of people and how the 1960s affected them. It has to do the changes of society and allowed people to see lifelike situations.

The seventh is Jesus Christ Superstar with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice and opened 1971. This show was considered to have created rock opera. Other shows such as Les Miserables had the opera and hair had the rock, but this was something new that has continued to current times. The eight is Rent with music, words, and book by Jonathan Larson and opened in 1996. Rent is a show that changed many things. It allowed many young people to start enjoying theatre. It has influenced many young people’s voices and pushed the limits with it edgey qualities.

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The ninth is the Lion King with music by Elton John, Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi and lyrics by Tim Rice and opened in 1997. The Lion King was originally an animated cartoon. It was one of the first broadway musicals that was considered to be family friendly. It also brought back the popularity of Times Square. The final is The Producers with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and opened in 2001. It’s won eight Tony awards since it came out and has pushed the limits with its fourth wall breaking theatre.   

I have heard of showboat, but I had never thought about its significance in changing theatre. I enjoy the music of pal joey but have never seen it. I don’t really under how it changed theatre, but it has its merits. I don’t really like Oklahoma, but I see how it changed things in broadway and it important to consider. West Side story is a show that I like personally and I understand how it has changed things with its ballet and other dance sequences. I have never heard of hair before, but I like rock musicals and it makes sense that hair started. I have seen scenes and songs from Company that I have enjoyed and it makes sense that it would have changed things. Jesus Christ Superstar is one of my favorite musicals. It is one of the first rock operas and I like rock operas. Rent is my other favorite musical. It is a limit pusher and I like how it has influenced theatre. The Lion King is one of my favorite musicals and I like how it is a family musical that revitalized Times square. The produceers is also a limit pucher and is very funny. It made modern comedy what it is today.  

In the future I plan to research people who have changed theatre.  

http://theater.about.com/od/behindthescenes/tp/10musicalschanged.htm This source is reliable, because the author had a lot to say about a lot of things, all of which already knew.