SET 1 — BASICS + HISTORY

theater quiz 2

What pre-1800 performance genres had musical theatre elements?

Greek theatre
Shakespeare
Miracle plays
Opera

What are the 5 “parent” genres of musical theatre?

Operetta

Tin Pan Alley / American Popular Music

Yiddish Theatre

Revues

Vaudeville

What was The Black Crook?

1866
Early musical combining play + music + dance + spectacle.

Why does The Black Crook matter?

It helped unify story, music, and dance into one theatrical performance.

What years were the Silver Age?

1920–1940

What was the main goal of Silver Age musical comedy?

Show off the stars + get laughs.

What are the characteristics of Silver Age musical comedy?

Comedy

Simple plots/characters

Short scenes

Stars are important

Songs/dances = mainly entertainment

What are the 5 major Silver Age writers/teams?

Gershwin
Kern & Hammerstein
Rodgers & Hart
Irving Berlin
Cole Porter

Name major stars of the Silver Age.

Ethel Merman
Fred Astaire