Intro to Musical Theatre

What is Theater?Theater as a PLACETheater as an ART

What is Theater?Theater can refer to any space where

performances take placePlays, music or dance concerts and operas are

all performed in theatersA theater can be a formal building or a

temporary platform placed inside or outsideCan also be known as an auditorium or stage

What is Theater?Theater also refers to everything connected with the

theatrical artsThe play itselfThe stageSceneryLightingMakeupCostumesMusicDancingActingActors

Kinds of ShowsBroadwayOff-BroadwayWest End

Kinds of Shows- BroadwayThe term Broadway comes from the legendary

street found in New York City: BroadwayA “Broadway show” is a play or musical

performed in one of the specially designated theaters along or very near the street

It can also refer to a traveling show that has once been in one of these theatersMany towns have a “Broadway Series” featuring

the famous plays and musicals that have been performed on Broadway

Broadway St. New York City

Broadway ShowsThe Lion KingWickedSpider-ManJersey BoysMary PoppinsChicagoHow to Succeed in

Business Without Really Trying

Sister ActPhantom of the

OperaMamma MiaBilly ElliotAnything GoesPorgy and BessGodspellThe Addams Family

Kinds of Shows- Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway refers to theaters that are

smaller than those on BroadwayThese theaters show different kinds of plays or

musicals that works better in small settings/areas

Draw smaller audiences and are about less popular topics

The longest running play in the history of New York, The Fantasticks, played Off-Broadway for 42 years!

Off Broadway ShowsStompBlue Man GroupRentAvenue QThe FantastiksYou’re A Good Man,

Charlie BrownRock of Ages

Shows that may no longer be showing on Broadway

Kinds of Shows-West EndIn London England, Broadway style shows

are called West End shows because they are performed in the West End of London

When people begin to see enough shows in one area, they begin to call the plays by that location

Depending on where you are, you might call the play a Broadway show, an Off-Broadway show or a West End show

Mary Poppins plays at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre

The Lion King plays in London’s Lyceum Theatre in the West End

Touring ShowsA show that is popular in New York or London is

often restaged around the country or around the world.

A domestic tour is a show that is loaded into trucks so that the show can be seen all over the United States

An international tour is a show that is loaded into boats or airplanes and taken all over the worldThe Lion King is performed in English, Dutch,

German, Korean, Japanese and French!

Touring ShowJersey Boys is

currently performed on Broadway and is also a Domestic Touring show.

Currently showing at the Ohio Theater in Columbus August 17th through September 4th!

Other TheatersRegional Theaters: professional theater

companies located in cities throughout the United StatesActors Theatre of ColumbusCalifornia Shakespeare TheaterChildren’s Theater CompanyCincinnati Theater in the ParkOld Globe TheatrePlayers Theatre Columbus

Other TheatersSummer Stock Theaters: plays put on in a

tourist area by professionals and students. These shows are put together in only a few weeksCarousel Theatre in Akron/Canton Ohio

Other TheatersCommunity Theaters: plays put on by

amateurs or people that are not paid. These are people that do it for the love of theater and to have fun with friends and other people who love putting on showsColumbus: Curtain Players, Center Stage

Players, Worthington Community Theatre, St. Brigid Players, Emerald City Players

Columbus Children’s Theatre?

Styles of TheatersJust like there are lots of types of shows,

there are many different kinds of theatersThe main thing that makes them different is

where the audience sits in relation to the stage

There are several options

ProsceniumThe most familiar kind, a proscenium theater

is where the action of the show takes place on a stage at the front of the room and the audience sits facing the stage

Thrust StageA thrust stage is like a proscenium, but with

an additional piece: the “thrust” is an extra section of the stage area that extends beyond the proscenium into the audience

AmphitheaterOne of the oldest styles of theaters that was

originally built outside, this theater is a half circle of seating raised up to look down on the stage

Theater-In-The-RoundAny theater where the audience is seated on

all sides of the stage is known as theater-in-the-round but it can be not only round but square, triangular or any closed shape

Oklahoma!A musical by Rogers and Hammerstein

Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein joined together to write many musicals together including Carousel, State Fair, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music

They have been awarded 34 Tony’s, 15 Acadamey Awards, 2 Pulitzer Prizes, 2 Grammy’s and 2 Emmy’s.

They are considered the most successful musical writers Broadway has ever seen.

Oklahoma!Based on a play called Green Grow the Lilacs by

Lynn RiggsCurly (good guy) and Jud (bad guy) are 2 cowboys

who compete for the love of a girl named Laurey.Eventually, Curly and Laurey fall and love and get

married.Jud picks a fight with Curly and is accidentally

killed when he falls on his own knife.Throughout the musical they are celebrating the

new state of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! LyricsEller:

They couldn't pick a better time as that in lifeAndrew:It ain't too early and it ain't too lateLaurey:Startin' as a farmer with a brand new wifeCurley:Soon'll be livin' in a brand new state

Company:Brand new state, gonna treat you great!Gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters,Pasture fer the cattle,Spinach and termayters!Flowers on the prarie where the June bugs zoom,Plen'y of air and plen'y of room,Plen'y of room to swing a rope!Plen'y of heart and plen'y of hope.

Oklahoma! Lyrics pg. 2Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain

And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweetWhen the wind comes right behind the rain.Oklahoma, Ev'ry night my honey lamb and ISit alone and talk and watch a hawkMakin' lazy circles in the sky.

We know we belong to the landAnd the land we belong to is grand!And when we say Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!We're only sayin'You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!Oklahoma O.K.(REPEAT)

Oklahoma! Lyrics pg.3Okla-homa-Okla-homa-Okla-homa

Okla-homa-Okla-homa-Okla-homa...

We know we belong to the landAnd the land we belong to is grand!And when we say Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!We're only sayin'You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!Oklahoma O.K.L - A - H - O - M - AOKLAHOMA!Yeeow!