History of the Theatre in the United States and Acting Methods

Vocabulary and key concepts from U.S. theatre history, including influential actors, the development of musical theatre, and the acting methods of Stanislavski and others.

Popular styles of theatre in the 19th and 20th century

• Melodrama

• Vaudeville

• Burlesque

Julius brutus booth sr.

A famous actor imported from england who was part of a prominent American acting family.

Edwin Forrest

An American actor involved in the Astor Place Riots whose rivalry with Charles Macready was fueled by American nationalism.

Charles William Macready

A British actor whose presence at the Astor Place Riots sparked conflict due to his rivalry with Edwin Forrest.

The Astor Place Riots

A major conflict involving a performance of Hamlet, caused by nationalistic tensions between American and British actor fans.

William Henry Brown

The founder of the African American Company, an early touring company.

Ira ldridge

The most celebrated african american actor at the time, who primarily performed in Europe.

Robert alan cole

A highly important composer known for works like Shoe fly regiment and The red moon.

Vaudebile

A popular theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the U.S. that remained unaffected by WW1.

‘If’

Stanislavski's starting point for an actor's imagination, which works with given circumstances to create inner simulation.

The Magic If

A technique used by actors to seek inner justification for everything done on stage.

Through line

Also known as a character's primary objective, determined by understanding motivations in each scene.

Public Solitude

A concept associated with Stanislavski’s method regarding an actor's state on stage.

On Stage “Communicagion” Or Communion

An on-stage communication technique involving active listening and working with other characters in character.

Different styles of Musical Theatre

• Musical reviews

• Book Musicals

• Concept Musical

• Mega Musicals

• Juke-Box Musicals

Book Musicals

Productions that tell a coherent story through a mix of songs and spoken dialogue, including comedies and Operattas.

Concept musicals

Book musicals built around a central event, place, or problem, allowing focus on multiple characters and plots simultaneously.

Mega Musicals

Theatrical productions featuring little to no dialogue, pop music styles, and bombastic spectacles where stars are often unnecessary.

Juke-Box Musicals

A musical style where the story is shaped around existing pop tunes from one or several artists.

The Beggars Opera

A work by John Gay and the first known musical theatre production in the West.

The Black Crook

The first musical theatre production to appear on Broadway.

Oklahoma

A landmark musical that changed the role of composers and lyricists into dramatists by using a coherent and powerful story.

Stephen Sonheim

The most famous lyricist and composer of the second half of the 20th Century, known for works like Sweeny todd and Into the woods.

Meisner technique

An acting method designed to get performers out of their heads and into their instincts.