Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre

Where did it originate?

• Ancient Greek theater

• The first musical theater performance in America took place in 1735

Early Musicals

• theater began about 2,500 years ago

• Greeks staged comedies & tragedies

• During the 12th &13th centuries, churches used musical theater to set their services to religious chants

Actors

• Typically roles were only played by men

• Only a small percentage of boys castrated to preserve their voices had successful careers on the operatic stage; but because of their marked appearance and the ban on their marrying, there was little room for them in society outside a musical context.

Multiple Choice

True or False

Shows originated from Ancient Greek Theatre?

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

True or False

Women were allowed to perform

• True

• False

Modern Day Musical

What it is

• typically has 12-15 songs placed when a character needs to express something

• Music is at the forefront of a musical

• is a staged production that tells a story through singing and dancing mixed with costumes and sets

What it is not

• Not a play - play may have music in between scenes or in the background but is not used to tell the story

• Not an Opera - an Opera has no spoken word throughout the show

Multiple Select

What is a musical? (Check all that applies)

• Music is at the forefront of a musical

• is a staged production that tells a story throughout singing and dancing mixed with costumes and sets

• Music is played to distract the audience from set changes.

• typically 12-15 songs used when a character needs to express something

Multiple Select

What is NOT a musical (check all that apply)

• music in between scenes or in the background

• music that portrays an emotion or feeling of a character

• has no spoken word throughout the show

Types of Songs

• Overture

• Opening Number

• Character Song

• Production Number or Closing Number

Multiple Select

What type of songs can you find in a musical? (check all that apply)

• Aria

• Character Song

• Overture

• Production Number

Overture

The orchestral piece at the beginning giving a brief introduction to songs throughout the show.

Opening Number

Where the story is set

Who the characters are

What the basic tone of the show is (funny, serious, sad, etc...)

Character Song

"I am" talks about who they are

"I want" talks about their dreams

Production Number or Closing Number

All actors are on stage for a large dance or song

It can be celebrating a happy ending or mourning a sad ending

Multiple Choice

What is an example of a character song?

• Fireworks

• "Gaston" from Beauty and the Beast

Multiple Choice

What is this song an example of?

• Overture

• Character Song

• Production or Closing Number

Multiple Choice

What is this song an example of?

• Overture

• Character Song

• Production or Closing Song

• Opening Song

Multiple Choice

What is this song an example of?

• Overture

• Opening Number

• Closing Number

• Character Song

Multiple Choice

What is this song an example of?

• Opening Number

• Overture

• Character Song

• Closing/Production Number

Who is involved?

• Composer

• Lyricist

• Librettist

Composer

a person who writes the music for the musical

Lyricist

The person who write the words to the songs in a musical

Librettist

The person who writes the book or dialogue to tell the story of the musical

Who helps put on a musical performance?

MANY people are involved in bringing a musical to life on stage

Director

the person who makes decisions about how a performance will be staged

Choreographer

the person who creates and teachers the dances in a musical

Actors

the people who perform the musical through acting, singing, and dancing

Conductor or Music Director

the person who conducts the musicians and singers throughout the performance

Orchestra Musicians

the musicians who accompany the singers on stage. These musicians perform in the "pit," or offstage. A pit orchestra could contain rock instruments, pianos, drum sets, winds, and strings. There are many musicals with all different kinds of accompaniment

Multiple Choice

A musical and play are the same thing

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A musical uses singing and dancing to help drive the plot or storyline.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What does a choreographer do?

• Writes the music for a musical

• creates the lyrics for a musical

• create the dances for a musical

• performs in the pit orchestra

Multiple Choice

A composer write the ____________ for a musical.

• staging

• music

• book

• choreography

Multiple Choice

What does an orchestra musician do?

• Writes the music for a musical

• creates the lyrics for a musical

• create the dances for a musical

• performs in the pit orchestra