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What key idea did Jerome Kern advocate for in musical theater?

Kern believed that musical numbers should carry the action of the play and reflect the characters’ personalities, fitting the mood and plot.

What was Oscar Hammerstein II’s approach to integrating music into musicals?

emphasized that musical numbers were integral to the action and shouldn’t be treated as separate episodes.

How did Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II influence musical theater?

They helped create Show Boat (1927), a landmark musical that integrated songs into the plot and addressed serious themes, forming the foundation of modern musical theater.

What genre did Show Boat help pioneer?

Musical theater, a blend of operetta and musical comedy with a focus on coherent storylines and integrated music.

Why was Edna Ferber initially hesitant about adapting her novel Show Boat into a musical?

She feared that the serious themes—racial injustice, failed relationships, and gambling addiction—would be trivialized.

What convinced Edna Ferber to allow the adaptation of her novel into a musical?

Jerome Kern played “Ol’ Man River” for her, and its emotional depth persuaded her of the show’s artistic integrity.

What makes Show Boat stand out from earlier musicals?

it addressed serious themes like interracial marriage and addiction, and it used musical motifs for character and narrative development

What is the significance of the song “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” in Show Boat?

It reveals Julie’s racial identity through its association with Black musical styles and serves as a unifying musical and dramatic motif.

What musical feature did Kern use to represent the river in Show Boat?

An upward leap of a perfect fourth, symbolizing the river’s power and emotional undercurrents.

How is blues influence represented in “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”?

labeled “Tempo di Blues,” though it does not follow a 12-bar blues structure.

What is the formal structure of Helen Morgan’s 1928 recording of “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”?

A five-part rondo form: A-B-A-C-A, preceded by a vocal introduction.

How did Show Boat challenge typical Broadway content of the 1920s?

It addressed complex and realistic topics instead of offering escapist, frivolous entertainment

How was dialect used in “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”?

The lyrics used African American Vernacular English spelling (“dat” instead of “that”), though Helen Morgan reverted to standard English in her studio recording.