Survey of Musical Theatre Exam 1 + Quiz Questions TCU Humphrey

Lin Manuel Miranda and George C. Cohan share qualities. What makes these two musical theatre icons similar?

Both made/make their living as a compose, lyricist, librettist, and star

The director is responsible for the following EXCEPT

coordinating all the musical elements with the musical team

Ali Stroker helped to make the revival of Oklahoma very impactful just by her participation in the production. She won the Best Featured Actress Tony Award for her performance of Ado Annie making her the 1st ______ to win a Tony Award.

a person with a visible disability

A standard is a song that stands the test of time. These songs are still popular because they have been recorded by contemporary artist. T/F

true

Hamilton is the only show that has incorporated rap music that has been on a Broadway stage. T/F

false

A conditional love ballad will always happen in Act 1 bc:

the characters sing abt being in love, even if they have just met/are not yet in a relationship

This form of entertainment introduced musical fanfares, slapstick, and physical comedy and stock characters we still see onstage today. It was also very harmful to black ppl as it used harmful stereotypes for comedy.

minstrel shows

Revues were popular in the early 1900’s specifically in NYC. What made revues different from other forms of entertainment at the time was:

it included elaborate sets and costumes

The story of Kinky Boots is based on a real life event that inspired a 1999 documentary. This unlikely friendship and the later success of the Broadway show indicated what shift in climate?

acceptance of transgender ppl and drag culture

Was Guys and Dolls a Pulitzer Prize winning musical? Why/why not?

no, it was pulled away due to Abe Burrows involvement with the HUAC

What do Nellie from South Pacific Maria from the Sound of Music and Peter from Peter Pan all have in common?

all were played by Mary Martin

La Cage aux Folles is the 1st time that we see gay characters in a show on the Broadway stage. T/F

false

All operettas have the following qualities EXCEPT which:

an “I Am” song

Fun Home was the 1st mainstream musical abt a young lesbian, but it also holds another important 1st. What is it?

it was the 1st time a female writing team won a Tony Award

Which Schmigadoon character plays into the musical theatre trope of ambiguous ages of musical theatre women?

Betsy (played by Dove Cameron)

The state of Georgia petitioned to have South Pacific banned from performing anywhere in the state. What was their reasoning?

the song “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” attacked racist beliefs

Which statement supports the importance of Shuffle Along?

it brought an energetic syncopation to Broadway through the inclusion of jazz music

In modern musicals, tap has become a crutch used to identify a character as a misfit/as being gay. It has lost the sincerity it had in early Broadway and early movie musicals. T/F

true

Which of the following songs would be the best fit for a secondary character that is introducing themselves/situation they are in?

I Am Song

Funny Girl has had some controversy recently, due to casting. Base on the real person Fannie Brice and the woman that made the show famous, Barbra Streisand, what is the most important aspect of the main character in Funny Girl?

her Jewish heritage

In the 2009 revival of West Side Story, a change was made to help lead to more authenticity in the production. Lin Manuel Miranda helped with what significant change?

weaving Spanish lyrics and dialogue into libretto

In 1957, audiences embraced West Side Story as a truly seminal work of musical theatre. T/F

false

The character on the screen in front of you sings a classic female love ballad in Episode 3 abt how in love she is w/ her husband. Who is this character’s partner?

Mayor Menlove

One of the most coveted roles in musical theatre is Rose who is the stage mother of a real-life woman who was a Burlesque superstar. Who’s memoir is the musical based on?

Gypsy Rose Lee

Which of the following is NOT a component of a jukebox musical?

a romantic adventure in an exotic location

Which of the following is an example of a bio jukebox musical?

Jersey Boys

Pythio is a non-binary character in the jukebox musical based on the musical based on the music of the Go-Go’s. What is the name of that musical?

Head Over Heels

“Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music is a very special song in the musical theatre canon, but why?

it was the last song from lyricist Oscar Hammerstein before his death

Ariana Grande gives 90% of the profits of “Seven Rings” to the Rodgers and Hammerstein estates. What is the best reason for this generosity?

“Seven Rings” is based on “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music

In today’s lecture, we focused on the intense love song b/t two ppl from very different backgrounds. It is also an example of the schoolmarm trope. What show does the song come from?

The King and I

Correlate the following: Carol Channing is to Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! as __________ is to the King of Siam in The King and I

Yul Bryner

A love ballad is sung in a musical typically in the 2nd act bc the main characters are admitting to actually being in love w/ one another. T/F

true

Which of the characters in Schmigadoon wins the election as seen in today’s episode?

Mayor Menlove

If I wanted to write a dirty list song, which musical theatre composer would I contact?

Cole Porter

Who was the choreographer who firmly established dance as a part of the integrated musical w/ Oklahoma?

Agnes De Mille

John M. Chu is getting a knack for musical movies! First he tackled In the Heights and next he is taking on a show that critics called “preachy” and “mediocre”, even though it proven to the 2nd highest grossing show on Broadway. What movie musical has he tackled recently?

Wicked

This entire musical was televised on MTV and spawned a reality TV show in search of a new star.

Legally Blonde

There are so many references in Schmigadoon to The Music Man. Which of the following is NOT associated with The Music Man?

“Va-Gi-Na” = “Do, Re, Mi”

Six the Musical is a jukebox musical abt the rise and career of the K-Pop band BTS. T/F

false

The popularity of the dream ballets in shows after Oklahoma were significant in pushing tap out of the limelight for decades. T/F

true

Pulitzer Prize

• oldest award

• Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award

• named for Mary Antoinette Perry

• aired every June on CBS

“Willing suspension of DIS-BELIEF”

willingness to suspend critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment

librettist

writes the story - called “the book”, the Libretto/Script

composer

writes the music

director

• casts the actors

• collaborates w/ the entire team - librettist, lyricist, composer, choreographer, and designers

• responsible for the “vision”/”concept” of a production - the physical and emotional style of the show

choreographer

tells the story thru dance

Set/Scenic Designer

designs environment/world of the play, including props

sound designer

designs SFX and microphone usage

lighting designer

designs lights

costume designer

maintains color “palette” of shows

music director

coordinates all musical elements w/ musical team

how many Bdwy theatres?

41

lead producer

• has money

• overall head - has “final say”

today’s bdwy investors

corporations

bdwy roots #2 - American Minstrel Show (1st distinctly American theatrical form)

insidious racism as entertainment

Jim Crow

stock character in all minstrel shows

Vaudeville

• “The Heart of American entertainment” - THE training ground for early Bdwy stars

• America’s Got Talent = modern Vaudeville

• family entertainment - no “blue” material - keep it clean

Burlesque

• transgressive comedy and songs

• vulgar, rude humor

• immodestly dressed to underdressed women

Tableau Vivant

a living picture

George M Cohan

• OG song and dance man

• director, star, librettist, composer, and lyricist

Tin Pan alley

where early musical theatre composers would write songs for publishing houses

Jerome Kern

• “Father’” of American Musical Theatre”

• most musicals forgotten - EXCEPT Show Boat

Show Boat

• 1st musical play - a serious mature drama w/ song - a true “book” musical

• 1st integrated musical - music, lyrics, and dance tell and further the story and define characters

• 1st racially integrated musical

1930’s “Standards”

songs that remain popular for decades and recorded by contemporary artists generation after generation

Brigadoon vs. Schmigadoon

• both explore themes of love, destiny, and the clash b/t magical and real world

• both involve magical town that appears and disappears and the idea that true love breaks the spell

• alludes to the concept of using classic golden age musicals as the basis for parody

Classic “Golden Age” Musicals

• Golden Age refers to a period on Bdwy from 1942-1964

• Schmigadoon references musicals that came out during the Golden Age

Opening number

• usually a big production

• used for exposition

• sometimes introduces characters that we will follow thru the show

Oklahoma!

• 1943 - changed the musical forever!

• Hammerstein firmly established “Integrated” musical he had started w/ Show Boat

Ali Stroker

• played Ado Annie in Oklahoma

• 1st person w/ disability to win Tony Award

• won Best Featured Actress Tony Award

conditional love ballad

• love song in Act 1

• can now sing abt love even if not yet in relationship, or if the characters just met

Carousel (1945)

• another dark theme - unlikely for a musical

• themes of domestic violence and abuse

“Leprechaun Song” - Finian’s Rainbow

• pushed boundaries

• directly addressed bigotry and discrimination of black ppl

• 1st integrated dance ensemble on Bdwy

• challenged capitalist ideals

“Corn Puddin”

reference to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Lin Manuel Miranda

composer, lyricist, librettist, and star

In the Heights (2009)

• Lin Manuel Miranda’s 1st hit

• establishes hip-hop, rap, soul, salsa, and merengue

• started as a college project - his sophomore year at Wesleyan in CT (1999)

• filmed in NYC primarily in Washington Heights

Washington Heights

Dominican/Nuyorican community in Upper Manhattan

Bring It On (2012)

cast made up of half musical theatre performers and half competitive cheerleaders

Hamilton (2015)

• Lin Manuel Miranda - creator, star, composer, lyricist

• only main character played by white actor - King George

• not the 1st show w/ rap - just most famous

• shows not 100% rap/hip-hop

color-blind casting vs. color-conscious casting

• color-blind casting - disregards actors’ racial/ethnic background, focusing solely on talent and suitability for the role

• color-conscious casting - looks at the racial/ethnic identities of actors to ensure more accurate representation and diversity in casting decisions

“Somewhere Love Is Waiting for You”

• operetta

• European import that was all the rage in 1870s and 1880s

• satire - poked fun at political and social events of 19th century England

• always had an exotic location and a romantic adventure

H.M.S. Pinafore (or the Lass that Loved a Sailor) - 1878

story mixed w/ music designed for story, but music didn’t forward story much

patter songs

made up of fast melodic lines w/ quick lyrics reminiscent of rap music

South Pacific (1949)

• R&H show

• 2nd show to win Pulitzer Prize

• major theme: folly of racial prejudice

• “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”

• controversial

• troubles in the South

• state of Georgia petitioned to have the show NOT perform in the state

Mary Martin

• originated roles like Nellie in South Pacific, Maria in Sound of Music, and Peter in Peter Pan

Guys and Dolls (1950)

• “musical fable of Bdwy”

• won Pulitzer…BUT PULITZER PULLED!!! → bc of run-in w/ HUAC

MT trope 1

ambiguous age of musical theatre women

La Cage Aux Folles (1983)

• NOT Bdwy’s 1st musical w/ gay characters

• WAS Bdwy’s 1st musical w/ gay romance

Kinky Boots (2012)

• movie based on 1999 documentary

• shift in climate of acceptance for transgender ppl and cross dressing

Fun Home (2015)

• Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron - 1st female writing team - Tony Award for Best OG score

• 1st mainstream musical abt young lesbian

• based on graphic novel of daughter/father relationship

BCEFA (Bdwy Cares Equity Fights AIDS)

• provides essential services for show business ppl and healthcare organization across country…

• w/ HIV and other critical illnesses

“I Want” Songs

• character is unsatisfied in their life and wants more

• is abt desire and motivations

• usually 2nd/3rd song in musical

“I Am” Songs

• explains character/situation

• establishes personality role in plot/motivation

reprise

• when a song is done again, but slightly different

• emphasizes change/development in character/plot

• usually same melodic ling

• think of it as a reminder

Golden age musicals typically?

have a song sung to another woman by the female love interest abt how in love they are

Post 1960s

• women could be protagonists w/o including love story

• these love songs aren’t as popular in modern musicals as female roles expand

West Side Story (1957)

• audiences walked out

• director/choreographer: Jerome Robbins (Jerome Rabionowitz)

• 2009 Bdwy Revival wove Spanish lyrics and dialogue into libretto

• 2021 film directed by Stephen Spielberg

Ariana Debose

1st Afro-Latina and openly queer woman of color to win Oscar

Gypsy (1959)

• based on memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee

• emphasis on Gypsy’s mother, Rose - a driven stage mother

• one of Bdwy’s most coveted and greatest stage roles

• biggest - “Eleven O’Clock number” Rose’s Turn

Eleven O’Clock Number

• main character has revelation

• or undergoes major emotional moment that brings musical to climax

Funny Girl (1964)

• biography of Fannie Brice - Jewish comedienne

• will make Barbra Streisand a star

• highest grossing film of 1968

• ex. of female Jewishness devoid of stereotypes on film