Musicals
Originally a distraction from the horrors of war during the 1940s and 1950s, the American Musical grew in popularity throughout the 20th century. The musical combines acting, dancing, and singing to form cohesive pictures that are still treasured today. The musical requires a collaborative effort between all elements of the film, whether musical or not. The lyrics, music, and dance have to collate with the plot, effects, and characterization to make a movie worth watching. Stars of the American Musical must be able to act, sing, and often dance, in order to get a part in a movie. Musicals must always appeal to a range of people, from a 5-year-old to an 85-year-old, to guarantee viewers. The musical always has catchy upbeat songs or slow ballads that the listener can sing along to, which provides more mass appeal. Some of the more common themes in musical theater include nostalgia, the Cinderella story, realism, and adaptations of literature. The nostalgia theme is seen in Oklahoma!, Carousel, and Showboat. The Cinderella story is represented by The King and I, The Sound of Music, and My Fair Lady. Realism can be seen in Annie Get Your Gun, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Newsies, which were all
Cohan, George and Ira Gershwin, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and Andrew Lloyd Weber. These actors and actresses starred in films such as Annie Get Your Gun, Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singin' in the Rain, and Meet Me In St. We live in a world filled with the proverbial "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll", and the laid-back, easygoing style of the early musicals apparently holds no place in today's society. Musical Theatre has proven to be a very versatile musical genre. The setting helps to enhance the plot of the musical by providing a realistic backdrop for the action to take place against. The rite of passage is another common code in the American Musical. Some musicals that are based on literature include The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll & Hyde, and West Side Story. The 20th Century American Musical started as an escape from an era of war and hardships. These can include opening and closing musical numbers or dances. Many musicals include a journey of some sort, whether physical or mental/emotional. Subplots are often found in the musical, which is a secondary story somehow connected to the main story, which sparks the viewers' interest. It can deal with fantasy and fairy tales or everyday happenings. Though some films are trying to bring the musical back, such as Chicago and Moulin Rouge, it is now simply a marketing agent to make more money, and is no longer the timeless art form that made you forget about your worries, and just enjoy life at the moment. The genre's immense popularity and uncanny knack at reaching an audience of both the young and the old helped it to earn its place in history as one of the most successful genres in film, although its popularity is now dwindling.
Common topics in this essay:
American Musical,
Musical Theatre,
Moulin Rouge,
St Louis,
Pacific Camelot,
american musical,
Brown Newsies,
Musical Originally,
20th century,
Jane Powell,
century american,
Lloyd Weber,
20th century american,
Christ Superstar,
century american musical,
annie gun,
musical include,
jesus christ superstar,
mass appeal,
cinderella story,
jesus christ,
christ superstar,
stars 20th century,
stars 20th,
american musical include,
|
Acceptance Essays
