Twentieth Century Theatre: 1945 to 1990 The American Musical Theatre

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Twentieth Century Theatre 1945 to 1990The
American Musical Theatre
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Book Musical

• Americas only contribution to world theatre
• Runs between 2 ½ and 3 hours
• 2 Acts First act longer
• 10 to 12 songs Combination of small and big
  production numbers
• Episodic plot structure
• Usually based on another work often a play

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Musical Structure

• Book The dialogue between the songs
• Music Written by the Composer
• Lyrics Written by the Lyricist
• Book developed before music or lyrics
• Music composed to the skill of the original
  Broadway cast

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American Musical

• The Black Crook (1866) Considered first
  American Musical
• George M Cohan (1878-1942) First American
  Superstar wrote 5 musicals Wrote, directed
  and stared in each
• Of Thee I Sing (1931) First musical to win the
  Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• Oklahoma! (1943) Rodgers and Hammersteins first
  show