History of the Musical test 2

Guys and Dolls

1950 musical by Frank Loesser. Known for character-driven songs. Includes 'A Person Can Develop a Cold.' Choreography by Michael Kidd.

The Most Happy Fella

Loesser's most operatic and romantic show. He wrote book, music, and lyrics. Songs include 'Standing on the Corner' and 'Happy to Make Your Acquaintance.'

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Loesser musical (1961). Corporate satire. Songs: 'The Company Way,' 'Brotherhood of Man.' Film directed by Bob Fosse.

Pleasures and Palaces

Loesser's final project before his death; directed by Bob Fosse. Never made it to Broadway.

Michael Kidd

Athletic choreographer and director. Known for Guys and Dolls (crapshooters ballet), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Band Wagon.

E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg

Lyricist. Wrote 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?' Co-wrote The Wizard of Oz lyrics. Worked with Lane on Finian's Rainbow.

Harold Arlen

Composer. Wrote songs for Cotton Club, Hollywood, and Broadway. Co-wrote The Wizard of Oz. Songs: 'Stormy Weather,' 'Get Happy,' 'One for My Baby.'

Burton Lane

Composer. Co-wrote Finian's Rainbow with Harburg. Discovered Judy Garland. Wrote On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

Marvin Hamlisch

composer and conductor known mostly for A Chorus Line

Edward Kleban

Lyricist known for a chorus line and having a show written about his life (A Class Act)

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken

duo known for disney revivals like beauty and the beast, little mermaid, and aladdin

Kurt Weill

German-American composer blending classical + popular styles. Married to Lotte Lenya. Wrote The Threepenny Opera, Lady in the Dark, One Touch of Venus, Lost in the Stars.

The Threepenny Opera

1928 Berlin premiere; flopped on Broadway (1940s) but became a huge Off-Broadway hit in the 1950s revival.

Leonard Bernstein

Composer/conductor. Wrote On the Town, Wonderful Town, Candide, West Side Story. Known for theatrical conducting style.

On the Town

Bernstein musical with Comden & Green (lyrics) and Jerome Robbins (choreo). Songs: 'Some Other Time,' 'A Lonely Town.'

Wonderful Town

Bernstein + Comden & Green; directed by George Abbott. Song: '100 Easy Ways.'

Candide

Bernstein's operetta-style musical. Known for 'Make Our Garden Grow.'

Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Lyricist-librettist team. Wrote for On the Town, Wonderful Town, Singin' in the Rain (film), Bells Are Ringing.

Jerome Robbins

Iconic choreographer/director. Known for storytelling through dance. Worked on On the Town, The King and I, Peter Pan, West Side Story, Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof.

West Side Story

Robbins' most famous work. First musical to open with dance alone. Ballet + jazz + Latin styles. Songs: 'Cool,' 'There's a Place for Us.'

Arthur Laurents

Playwright/librettist. Wrote the books for West Side Story and Gypsy. Also wrote Anyone Can Whistle.

Arthur Freed

Legendary MGM producer behind the 'Golden Age' of Hollywood musicals. Produced The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, Singin' in the Rain, Band Wagon.

Gene Kelly

Major film dance star. Athletic, masculine style. Starred in Singin' in the Rain; directed On the Town and Hello, Dolly!.

Judy Garland

MGM superstar; The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis. Known for 'The Trolley Song.'

Donald O'Connor

Film dancer/comic actor. Known for 'Make 'Em Laugh' from Singin' in the Rain.

Jule Styne

Composer. Wrote Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bells Are Ringing, Gypsy, Funny Girl.

Lee Adams and Charles Strouse

Adams (lyrics) Strouse (composer) known for Bye Bye Birdie, All American, Golden Boy, and Applause

Gypsy

Music by Styne, lyrics by Sondheim, book by Laurents, directed/choreographed by Robbins. Starred Ethel Merman.

Funny Girl

Styne + Bob Merrill; starred Barbra Streisand.

Jack Cole

Father of Jazz Dance. Influenced Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse.

Bob Fosse

Iconic choreographer/director. Works include Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Cabaret (film), All That Jazz.

Gower Champion

Director/choreographer known for Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, 42nd Street.

Jerry Herman

Composer of upbeat Broadway scores: Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage aux Folles.

Harold Prince

legendary producer and director known for cabaret, company, sweeny todd, evita, phantom

David Merrick

Famous producer ('the Abominable Showman'). Produced Gypsy, Hello, Dolly!, I Do! I Do!, 42nd Street.

The Fantasticks

Longest-running musical ever Off-Broadway. Minimal set. Starred Jerry Orbach. Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

Sheldon Harnick & Jerry Bock

Created Fiorello! (Pulitzer Prize), She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof.

Fiddler on the Roof

Directed/choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Songs: 'If I Were a Rich Man.'

Stephen Sondheim

Composer-lyricist known for complex, intelligent musicals.

Concept Musical

A musical organized around an idea rather than a traditional plot. First major success: Cabaret.

Zero Mostel

Star of Forum, Fiddler on the Roof, The Producers.

Jack Gilford

Comic actor; appeared in Cabaret, Once Upon a Mattress; blacklisted in the 1950s.

Angela Lansbury

Stage and film actress. Starred in Mame, Sweeney Todd, Anyone Can Whistle, Beauty and the Beast.

John Kander & Fred Ebb

Songwriting duo. Wrote Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Flora the Red Menace.

Michael Bennett

Dancer/choreographer/director. Known for: Promises, Promises, Company, Follies, A Chorus Line.

Hair

First successful rock musical. 'Age of Aquarius.'

Godspell

Popular Off-Broadway; music by Stephen Schwartz.

The Wiz

All-Black adaptation of The Wizard of Oz; opened doors for Black performers.

Grease

Camp, 1950s nostalgia.

Little Shop of Horrors

Off-Broadway hit. Songs: 'Skid Row,' 'Somewhere That's Green.'

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Composer of 'megamusicals' known for spectacle. Cats, Phantom, Evita, Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard.

Megamusical

Spectacle-driven shows with huge budgets, elaborate sets, mass marketing, long Broadway runs.

Tim Rice

Lyricist for Webber (Joseph, JCS, Evita). Also wrote Chess and Disney lyrics (Lion King, Aida).

Les Misérables

Epic pop opera. Songs like 'Bring Him Home.'

Miss Saigon

Adaptation of Madame Butterfly. Helicopter staging is famous.

Rent

Jonathan Larson rock musical; huge cultural impact. 'Take Me or Leave Me.'

Jason Robert Brown

Known for Songs for a New World, The Last Five Years, Parade, Bridges of Madison County.

Avenue Q

'Sesame Street for adults.' Songs: 'It Sucks to Be Me,' 'There's a Fine, Fine Line.'

Next to Normal

Rock-infused musical about mental illness. Pulitzer winner.

William Finn

Wrote Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Disney on Broadway

Increased spectacle/expense; includes Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Aladdin, etc.

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hip-hop musical/history mashup. Mixed styles.

'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?'

1932 song from Americana lyrics by Yip Harburg and Jay Gorney. Powerful anthem in the Great Depression.

The Wizard of Oz

1939 film.

Finian's Rainbow

1947 Broadway musical.

Singin' in the Rain

1952 film.

The Band Wagon

1953 film.

Bye Bye Birdie

1960 Broadway musical.

Hello, Dolly!

1964 Broadway musical.

I Do! I Do!

1966 Broadway musical. Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

1962 Broadway musical.

Company

1970 Broadway musical.

Follies

1971 Broadway musical.

Sweeney Todd

1979 Broadway musical.

Sunday in the Park with George

1984 Broadway musical.

Cabaret

1966 Broadway musical.

A Chorus Line

1975 Broadway musical.

A Class Act

2001 Broadway musical; musical about lyricist Edward Kleban.

Beauty and the Beast

1994 Broadway musical.

Evita

1978 London premiere; Broadway in 1979.

Phantom of the Opera

1986 London premiere; Broadway in 1988.

Cats

1981 London premiere; Broadway in 1982.