Musical Theatre
From Musical to Film

It is rare to find a quality musical that is beautifully adapted from the stage onto the screen. In fact, throughout the years, American cinema has ping-ponged between deaths and revivals where musical film adaptations are involved. Flops such as ent (2005) and The Phantom of the Opera (2004) have shown the world the disappointing result of adaptation. Yet in essence, a successful adaptation is possible; this is evident in the likes of such musicals as Chicago (2002) and Mamma Mia! (2008), all three of which brought back the reason why people view musicals in the first place: for the glitz, the glamour, and the flair of character, song, and dance number. Yet with all of these adaptations, there is no denying the fact that each musical has carried over the same core elements that allow for the production of a movie of the same name.…...

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References

Chicago. Dir. Rob Marshall. Perf. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere. Miramax Films, 2002. DVD.

Edney, Kathryn. "Resurrecting the American Musical: Film Noir, Jazz, and the Rhetoric of Tradition in City of Angels." Journal of Popular Culture 40.6 (2007): 936-952. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 June 2011.

Kenrick, John. "What Is a Musical?" Musicals101.com - The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musicals. 1996. Web. 07 June 2011. .

Mamma Mia! Dir. Phyllida Lloyd. Perf. Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Dominic Cooper, Julie Walters, and Christine Baranski. Universal Studios, 2008. DVD.

" Bob Fosse reached his peak with such shows as "Chicago" and "Dancin." The 1980s saw a decline of musicals, reviving in the 1990s with shows by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Walt Disney and a revival of musical comedies (Musical101.com).
For over two centuries, musical theatre has entertained Americans nationwide in urban areas as well as smaller communities. Many professionals now worry about the death of the musical. Others call it evolving rather than dying. With music and storytelling being so much a part of the heritage of this country, it is much easier to agree with those who see a continuing evolution.

Allen, Robert C. Horrible Prettiness: Burlesque and American Culture. Chapel Hill, NC:

University of North Carolina Press, 1991.

The Daily Tribune. New York: 12 March 1847.

Henderson, Mary C. Theater in America. New York: Times Mirror, 1986.

McNamara, Brooks. The huberts of Broadway. New York: Oxford Press, 1990.

Musical101.com "The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical…...

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Snyder, Robert. In The Encyclopedia of New York City Kenneth T. Jackson (Ed.) New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995, 1226.

Sobel, Bernard. Pictorial History of Vaudeville. New York: Citadel Press, 1961.

Traub, James. The Devil's Playground: A Century of Pleasure and Profit in Times Square. New York: Random House, 2004.

Musical Theatre
Film and the Choreographed Dance Sequence

Entertainment based on film has been paramount in this country since the beginning of the motion picture in the early 20th century. The movie-going experience spread throughout the world in a few quick years, and was enhanced subsequently by technological developments. Today, movies range from action to musicals to drama and animations. One type of movie mentioned above, the musical, however involves not only talented actors and singers, but also talented dancers and choreographers to enable a musical to have all the elements necessary for a great entertainment recipe. This paper will discuss the choreographic aspect in movies how to this must be filmed by referencing previous history and work in the field.

The moving pictures were invented by Thomas Edison, and ever since, film has been utilized to capture actors, singers and dancers at work in fantastic movements. According to a short history of…...

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I have included this description above to state just how choreography and dance should be placed in films and how they should make a viewer feel when watching. Flying Down to Rio became quite a famous movie, but there were other musicals as well that became hits, including 42nd Street, Singing in the Rain, and West Side Story, who can be found on YouTube and provide a great background for how dance should be utilized in Film. Though these are old movies, they are indubitable classics that can teach important lessons. [3: Larson, B. (2010). "The 35 Best Dance Sequences in Film." Retrieved May 28, 2011, <  http://flavorwire.com/74975/the-35-best-dance-sequences-in-film >.]

Soon after the magic of the 1930's and 1940's on screen, Broadway choreographers and other talented actors aligned to make great movies throughout the 1950's and 1960's. According to Kenrick (2010), "from the 1950s onwards, most of the important Hollywood musicals were screen adaptations of Broadway shows […], Broadway choreographers were given the opportunity of recreating their stage dances for the big screen." As a result of this process, there are movie versions of some of the most popular musicals of all time, including Oklahoma, The King and I, West Side Story, and many others, including Mary Poppins, which was a great and talent-packed hit in the 1960's. However, after these decades, dance became much less important in the decreasing numbers of screen musicals. Kenrick (2010) mentions the 1978 adaptation of Grease, which was quite popular at the box office, but states that "Patricia Birch's period spoofs did not rate as anyone's idea of inventive choreography." Eventually, the importance of musical choreography was relegated to the bottom, and was often enhanced with edition instead of true dancing. According to Kenrick, "fast, inventive editing and lots of electronic razzle dazzle made the most of the sometimes limited dancing talents of the performers. As the 21st Century dawned, live action screen musicals like Loves Labour's Lost (2000) and Moulin Rouge (2001) used such MTV-inspired techniques to make their non-singing, non-dancing stars look and sound like musical pros. The results were, at best, uneven." [4: "Dance Sequences in Film." (2011). Retrieved May 28, 2011, < ] [5: Kenrick, J. (2004). "Dance in Screen Musicals." Retrieved May 28, 2011, . ] [6: Kenrick, J. (2004). "Dance in Screen Musicals." Retrieved May 28, 2011, . ]http://www.hitormissmovies.com/2011/dance-sequences-in-film/>.

As a result of the fact the some of the best figures in the movie business advocate for classical dance sequences as far superior to modern ones, choreography in today's musicals should not copy but build on such classical pieces as those mentioned above, instead of rely on special effects and talentless extras. Dance sequences involving a lot of individuals should be filmed just as those involving a few individuals. The camera must pan on those talented who move best, and not occupy itself with mediocre dance that can be re-edited. Therefore, it is perhaps a good idea for the movie industry to borrow from Broadway's talent for musicals, who can prove to be a great success.

Technology in Musicals
Musical theatre has existed in some form for centuries. Theatre is an art form that allows many emotions to be expressed through acting and music. hile talented performers are most responsible for being characters to life and performing the music contained in the production, musical theatre also relies on other factors to guarantee the success of a musical. These factors are inclusive of ambience (i.e. The way that theatre is designed), production quality and technology. The latter of these factors has become increasingly vital to theatre production since the opening of The Savoy theatre in 1881. Indeed, technology has forever changed every facet of life. hilst, musical theatre productions are still steeped in many types of traditions, there are many changes that have occurred in theatre productions as a result of technology. The purpose of this discussion is to examine the historic use of technology in theatres and…...

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Works Cited

Adalf, L. 2004. The Rise of Computerized Broadway. [Online] Available at:http://www.adlaf.net/BACKUP/papers/School/Adlaf_Computerized.pdf

Bay-Cheng, Sarah. 2007 . Theatre Squared: Theatre History in the Age of Media

Theatre Topics, vol.17, no. 1, March 2007, pp. 37-50

Mick, David G., Buhl, C. 1992. A Meaning-Based Model of Advertising Experiences. The Journal of Consumer Research vol. 19, No. 3, 317-338 > Dec., 1992

Theatre Today & Theatre for Me
Theatre, as a genre of creative expression, is still very much valid in the 21st century. It originated thousands of years ago, and still draws crowds in the 21st century around the world. Many of the classic plays of many cultures are still performed, as well as adaptations of other forms (such as films, songs, etc.) are transformed into plays that interest and captivate audiences. Of the plays we read in the course this term, I was able to find value in all of them, but I did not personally enjoy all of the plays.

Theatre today is sometimes based on historical events and figures, as well as new takes on old ideas in modern forms. Many plays are period pieces, and in many cities, such as New York City and London, there is a proliferation of one-person plays (one man show, or a one woman…...

Musicals
Since the dawn of the classical Broadway musicals like Oklahoma! And My Fair Lady, musicals have captivated audiences in America and worldwide. The power of the musical cannot be underestimated. As Chapter 13 points out, musicals have their roots far back before New York City or Broadway. China has a long tradition of opera, in which dramas are set alongside poignant musical numbers. European operatic traditions are also the forebears of the modern stage musical. Musicals can be funny, like Guys and Dolls and The Book of Mormon, or straight like West Side Story and Wicked. Rock musicals add to the canon of tradition that graces stages worldwide. Even television shows have embraced the musical fully, capturing the sense that some emotions and ideas cannot be conveyed in any other format. For example, both The Simpsons and South Park have created whole musical episodes out of animated comedy.

The future of…...

Economics
Regarding the Concentration of West End Musicals

Michael BIllington believes that the theatre boom in the West End contributes to the degradation of the quality of theatre in London. I agree with Billington's position. The ticket prices in the West End coupled with the excessive amount of repetitive productions is not good for the theatre tradition or for the consuming public. Furthermore, I believe that the audiences have the power to effect creative change in the West End.

In his 2011 article, Billington has two primary concerns. One concern is the escalating prices of theatre tickets. His secondary concern is the reduction in originality and creative ingenuity of the theatre community. Thus, not only are tickets too expensive, audiences are paying rising prices for old ideas. The revivals and older plays are not even produced with a new creative spin -- like a Shakespearean play with a contemporary or conceptual twist. Those…...

Roxie was always infatuated by fame, particularly the case of Velma Kelly, a woman on the same cellblock as herself, who is accused of double murder of her sister and lover (who were cheating on her).
he musical suggests that sexual indiscretions are a part of life, not simply something produced by the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Sexual scheming is seen as human nature. It offers a very jaded perspective of the American justice system, which can be easily manipulated by media-savvy lawyers. In one musical scene, the lawyer Bobby Flynn manipulates Roxie like a puppet, speaking her words for her during a 'press conference' ragtime dance which emphasizes that "We Both Reached for the Gun" (Roxie's defense). Although the play is set during the gangster era, it is as much a commentary upon the mid-70s, a decade in which the nation had endured the end of the failed…...

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The musical suggests that sexual indiscretions are a part of life, not simply something produced by the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Sexual scheming is seen as human nature. It offers a very jaded perspective of the American justice system, which can be easily manipulated by media-savvy lawyers. In one musical scene, the lawyer Bobby Flynn manipulates Roxie like a puppet, speaking her words for her during a 'press conference' ragtime dance which emphasizes that "We Both Reached for the Gun" (Roxie's defense). Although the play is set during the gangster era, it is as much a commentary upon the mid-70s, a decade in which the nation had endured the end of the failed Vietnam War and Watergate. The play ends with Roxie's acquittal and the rise to stardom of Velma and Roxie, based upon their beauty and murderousness. The one woman who does not have a good attorney on their cellblock meets her untimely demise, even though she is the only person who seems innocent of her accused crime.

If Chicago was a ground-breaking commercial failure (although its later revivals have been extremely successful), Grease (1971) was a nostalgic success, a backward-looking musical that portrayed a simpler, pre-sexual revolution era when a 'bad girl' like Rizzo was called names for sleeping with boys and smoking (gasp) cigarettes. Grease is nostalgic as Happy Days for a past American glory age, although it contains certain 'winking' at the audience, regarding its sexual innuendo. And the climax of the musical portrays good girl Sandy going 'bad' in black leather for her beloved object of desire, Danny. The musical takes place at Rydell High School, and the teens have no other cares in the world than doing their hair, polishing their cars, and engaging in gossip over their romantic lives.

The focus in Grease tends to be more on the music than the spoken word and the 'book' in terms of advancing the plot, as is the case in Company and Chicago. But Grease's music is lively and uncomplicated and the musical's dancing, while energetic, harkens back to an earlier era of sock hops and doo-wops. Of these three musicals, it is Chicago that strikes the modern listener as the most innovative -- its collapsing of the third wall between audience and actors, its open use of characters playing 'personas' rather than inhabiting traditionally-rounded characters, and its utter amorality makes it seem more like a musical of the 21st century than the 20th.

Gershwin/Someone to Watch
"Someone to Watch over Me" ("STWOM") was featured in a long-running musical called Oh Kay!, written by George and IA Gershwin, that made its world debut on Broadway's Imperial Theater. The date was November 8, 1926. The musical enjoyed great success, even including a Broadway revival in 1990. STWOM, the best-known song from the musical, was a hit three times the following year, starting with Oh Kay's star Gertrude Lawrence's recording, which was on the charts for eleven weeks. Gershwin himself released a version. George Olsen and His Orchestra had a hit with an uptempo version; interestingly, the Gershwin brothers originally intended the song to be an upbeat rhythm piece. George experimented with tempo one day and the brothers quickly realized it had more potential as a wistful, slower piece (McElrath.). Of course they were right. The purpose of this paper is to examine the score's refrain in…...

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References

Dvarionaite, A. (2007). Frederic Chopin -- Prelude in E-Minor (op. 28 no. 4). YouTube.

Kamien, R. (1998). Music: An Appreciation. New York: McGraw-Hill.

McElrath, K.J. (n.d.). "Someone to Watch over Me" JazzStandards.com.

Their plays were similar to the Greeks and many of them were just translated versions. Theatre was an instrument used by the administration to keep the public from devoting much time to the political affairs. Thus any mentioning on stage regarding the political situation or activities would have serious consequences for the author for writing it and the actor for agreeing to perform it. In addition it also served as a purpose to get away from everyday life and worries. It was a part of their life and civilization. As time passed by the theatre evolved but women were not allowed to take part in it for a very long time. With the establishment of churches and the influence of popes, women faced yet another problem in getting accepted as being part of the society. oman theatre was a major influence on the later European theatre and they learnt…...

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References

1) Giulia De Dominicis - Article Title: The Roman Theatres in the Age of Pius VI. Journal Title: Theatre History Studies. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 81.

2) Live Hov - Article Title: The 'Women' of the Roman Stage: As Goethe Saw Them. Journal Title: Theatre History Studies. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 61.

3) Garret Fagan - Article Title R.C. Beacham. Power into Pageantry: Spectacle Entertainments of Early Imperial Rome. Journal Title: Comparative Drama. Volume: 35. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 2001. Page Number: 465+.

4) The Columbia Encyclopedia - Encyclopedia Article Title: Drama, Western. Encyclopedia Title: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Publisher: Columbia University Press. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2004.

Dane Johnston gave a stunning performance in the title role of the play. In fitting with the modern interpretation of the classic, Johnston's rendering of Hamlet is akin to the "emo" youth subculture - just as Ophelia is meant to conform to the "gothic" subculture. At the same time, Johnston delivered Hamlet's numerous long monologues with sophistication and ease, proving to the audience that you do not have to fake a British accent in order to accurately capture the Shakespearean essence of the role.

Hamlet's best friends, Horatio (Kit Fugard) and Marcella (Vanessa Downs), were also portrayed as "scene kids," but obviously of an artistic and intelligent nature. Angela Donor's interpretation of Ophelia tended to be a bit melodramatic at some points during the play; at the same time, it can be said that such over-acting may be necessary, as it is part of Ophelia's true nature.

Overall, the technical side of…...

Stanislavsky
Constantin Stanislavsky is the father of modern acting theory. His theories which he extols in his four books, My Life in Art (1924), An Actor Prepares (1936), uilding a Character (1941), and Creating a Role (1961) have had an unparalleled effect on actors and acting instructors throughout the world. Acting theorists such as Vsevelod Meyerhold, Uta Hagen, and ertold recht have all taken his theories into account while developing their own. Indeed, entire movements in world drama have been in part inspired by the work of Stanislavsky.

ut what of his influence on Russia? During Stanislavsky's life and his career Russia went through many changes. Two major events in Russian history would determine the fate of theatre and as a result Stanislavsky. The first was the failed revolution in 1905. "The great rehearsal," Lenin called it and that's exactly what it was. The second major event was the 1917 revolution…...

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Bibliography

Staislavski, Constantin. An Actor Prepares. New York: Theatre Arts Books. 1936.

Brockett, Oscar G. The History of Theatre. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon. 1991.

Meyerhold and Stanislavsky: Art and the Politics in the Russian Theatre." Russian Theatre Website. http://rutheater.home.att.net/stana.htm

Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky." King Norton Boys. http://www.kingnortonboys.bham.sch.uk/sujects/drama/pages/stanisl.pdf

He, therefore, continued experimenting with new musical style, and his 1964 album, Another Side of Bob Dylan hinted at the things to come. The album was categorized a "folk album" only because Dylan had not yet decided to go electric and continued to use an acoustic arrangement for his songs. As for the content of his songs on Another Side, they had already veered away from the political protest of folk. The album started with the light-hearted and personal "All I Really ant to do" and ended rather significantly with "It Ain't Me" -- Dylan pointedly saying adieu to his folk audience. The album's departure from folk traditions was a prelude to a more dramatic change in Dylan's musical style that was to be unveiled in the following year.
Dylan goes Electric

The year 1965 was the start of perhaps the most concentrated, magical, and impressive two-year period of creative musical…...

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Works Cited

Hentoff, Nat. "Liner Notes for 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" Bob Dylan.com. 1964. May 12, 2005.  http://bobdylan.com/linernotes/freewheelin.html 

Shelton, Robert. "No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan." Ballantine Books: New York, 1986

Wilentz, Sean. "Liner Notes -- Live 1964 at Philharmonic Hall." December 2003. May 12, 2005.  http://bobdylan.com/linernotes/live1964.html 

From the song it's All right Ma (I'm only Bleeding) from the album "Bringing it All Back home" (1965)

It has also been very popular both with musical performers and their audiences throughout its history; artists as diverse as Elvis Presley and Luciano Pavarotti have performed on the Olympia's stage, and MTV continues to host events and concerts there on occasion.
Despite its popularity, however, the Olympia has faced some difficult times. In 1975, the theatre was scheduled for demolition, but was purchased by businessman Maurice Gusman and donated to the city along with the historic Olympia Office Building next to it. The entire complex was renamed in Gusman's honor, and earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The theatre is still not entirely safe from the clutches of time, however, and careful restoration work on the aging building is a constant and painstaking process -- but well worth the effort to preserve…...

MUSIC Music: Four-Year Master Plan for Musical Productions at SchoolDate: .To: The PrincipalFrom: .Subject: 4- Year Master Plan for Musical Productions at SchoolI am writing to inform you about the schools master plan for musical productions. Music has significance in a childs social and emotional development since, with thorough literacy, students can ignite their cognitive abilities and creativity (Dumont et al., 2017). The instincts of interacting with the world experiences are enhanced with music. It is interesting to note that musical interventions help the child feel and acquire more even when reading or watching a video (Bright Horizons, 2022).Several benefits of music for students include improvement in coordination such as eye and hand movements while playing piano, skilled memory, staying active with fresh perspectives, and revived senses that further enhance their class focus and engagement (National Association for Music Education, 2014). With better confidence, a childs academic performance is also…...

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ReferencesAmazon. (2022). Piano keyboards. (n.d.). Top 11 benefits of learning and playing flute. My New Microphone.  https://mynewmicrophone.com/top-benefits-of-learning-playing-flute/ Benedek, M., Borovnjak, B., Neubauer, A. C., & Kruse-Weber, S. (2014). Creativity and personality in classical, jazz, and folk musicians. Personality and Individual Differences, 63(100), 117–121.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.064 Blasco-Magraner, J. S., Bernabe-Valero, G., Marín-Liébana, P., & Moret-Tatay, C. (2021). Effects of the educational use of music on 3- to 12-year-old children’s emotional development: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3668.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073668 Bright Horizons. (2022, February 25). Children and music: Benefits of music in child development.  https://www.brighthorizons.com/resources/Article/music-and-children-rhythm-meets-child-development Connolly Music Company. (n.d.). The benefits of learning to play an instrument.  https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/474697/file-2318630323-pdf/PDF/Get_Smart_About_Music.pdf?hsCtaTracking=0754d67c-e6bf-4db0-bc7b-903ebf7677b8%7C47172114-ed3e-42c4-a5a2-630d7732d4fe Curran, G. & Radhakrishnan, M. (2021). The value of ethnographic research on music: An introduction. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, 22(2-3), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/14442213.2021.1913511Dumont, E., Syurina, E. V., Feron, F., & van Hooren, S. (2017). Music interventions and child development: A critical review and further directions. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1694.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01694 Durisic, M. & Bunijevac, M. (2017). Parental involvement as an important factor for successful education. CEPS Journal, 7(3), 137-153. El Nokali, N. E., Bachman, H. J., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2010). Parent involvement and children’s academic and social development in elementary school. Child Development, 81(3), 988–1005. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01447.xGoodreads. (n.d.). Turn the Tide.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58311969-turn-the-tide Hetrick, A. (2012, June 26). Chaplin, a US musical with roots in the 80s, blossoms in London June 26-July 4. Playbill.  https://playbill.com/article/chaplin-a-us-musical-with-roots-in-the-80s-blossoms-in-london-june-26-july-4-com-195045 Hope, I. (n.d.). The benefits of guitar lesson for kids. Gentle Guitar.  https://www.gentleguitar.com/benefits-guitar-lessons-kids/ Mauch, M., MacCallum, R.M., Levy, M. & Leroi, A.M. (2015). The evolution of popular music: USA 1960-2010. Royal Society Open Science, 2(5). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150081National Association for Music Education. (2014, July 21). Important benefits of music in our schools.  https://nafme.org/important-benefits-of-music-in-our-schools/ Ozdemir, G. & Ciftcibasi, M.C. (2017). Effect of pop music on students’ attitudes to music lessons. Educational Research and Reviews, 12(18), 884-890.  https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1156255.pdf Palacio-Quintin, C. (2003). The hyper-flute [Paper presentation]. Conference proceedings on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME-03): Montreal, Canada.  https://www.nime.org/proceedings/2003/nime2003_206.pdf  Siwial, D., Kapur, A. & Carnegir, D.A. (2014, September 14-20). Music technology’s influence on flute pedagogy: A survey of their intersection [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of ICMC: Athens, Greece.  https://dianasiwiak.com/docs/ICMCFluteTechSurvey_Final.pdf  Waddell, G. & Williamon, A. (2019). Technology use and attitudes in music learning. Frontiers in ICT, 6.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fict.2019.00011https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Keyboard/s?k=Piano+KeyboardArthur.

1. The Impact of Musical Theatre on Society
2. The Evolution of Musical Genres
3. The Psychology of Musical Preference
4. The Influence of Technology on the Music Industry
5. The Role of Music in Film
6. The Importance of Music Education in Schools
7. The Representation of Gender and Race in Popular Music
8. The Power of Lyrics in Music
9. The Connection Between Music and Emotions
10. The Role of Musicals in Preserving Cultural Heritage
11. The Rise of Music Streaming Platforms and Their Impact on the Music Industry
12. The Relationship Between Music and Memory
13. The Effect....

The Evolution and Impact of Musical Theatre

The historical development of musical theatre from its origins to modern Broadway and West End
The influence of different musical genres, such as operetta, vaudeville, and rock, on the evolution of musical theatre
The impact of musical theatre on popular culture, including its role in shaping societal norms and values

The Role of Music and Lyrics in Musical Theatre

The importance of music and lyrics in conveying the story, characters, and themes of a musical
The different ways in which music and lyrics can be used to create emotional impact and drive the narrative....