Textual Studies

Chapter | 1

Jessica Crawley

What are the four essential criteria that Kenrick believes that communities must meet for
musical theatre to thrive?
1. A population large and prosperous enough to support an active theatrical culture.
2. A thriving artists community that nurtures successive generations of creative and performing
talent.
3. A shared sense of optimism in regards to the community and its future.
4. Freedom from extensive government censorship and/or political oppression.
What is a musical? Do you agree with Kenricks definition?
Musical (noun): a stage, television, or film production utilizing popular style songs to either tell a
story or to showcase the talents of writers and/or performers, with dialogue optional. I do agree
with this definition, it covers most areas except perhaps the addition of exploring the senses of the
audience.
What are the key elements of a musical?
Music and Lyrics The songs
Book/Libretto The connective story expressed in script or dialogue
Choreography The dance
Staging All Stage movement
Physical production The sets, costumes and technical aspects
What kind of theatre does Kenrick describe as lyric theatre?
The work of the likes of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Aristophanes who were notably composers and
lyricists as well as playwrights. Therefore as much as it is never admitted the first noted form of
drama was in fact musicals, they can be known as lyric theatre.
Name and describe the three distinct types of greek drama.
Tragedy: as the title suggest, this form of drama had a sombre tone. Never referring to current events,
dramatists altered the characters of legends in their telling of greek myths to get a point across.
Violence was never shown on stage, instead describe as though the violence happened backstage.
Comedy: much like me know it today, comedy was much lighter in tone and ended in a happy
resolution. Here, characters were allowed to interact with the audience and use recent happenings as
part of the performance (even if the piece was not set in the present). In 487 BCE, comedy became a
part of drama competitions.
Satyr Plays: again achieving their own competitions in the 3rd century BCE, satyr in this term was not
as we know it today. Instead it focuses on a half man- half beast character whos state of perpetual
sexual arousal reflected the raw human behaviour.
Define the following: Mystery play, Folk play and Morality play.
Mystery plays were dramatizations of biblical stories.
Folk plays involved popular myths, such as the legend of robin hood.
Morality plays were allegories depicting the seven deadly sins.
What do you think makes a musical great?
I think a great musical has to excel in either, the musical score, the movement or a great plot. I am
less bothered about more technological matters although I understand people tend to expect a
spectical in modern theatre. I am yet to see a musical that has all of the above, but I dont think any
show will ever be perfect as depending on which area a writer/director/producer focuses on, will give
a different atmosphere to a show.

Textual Studies

Chapter | 2

Jessica Crawley

Who wrote The Beggars Opera? When and where was it first performed?
John Gay (music arranged by Johnann Christoph Pepusch) first performed at the Lincolns Inn
Fields Theatre on January 29th 1728, running for 62 consecutive performances.
What is the genre of The Beggars Opera?
It is a ballad opera written in 3 acts.
Describe the characteristics of this type of English stage entertainment:
They use existing popular balads and operatic arias, usually in such a way that the original title or
lyrics add further meaning.
From what anthology did John Gay take many of the folk songs?
Of the sixty-nine songs, fourty-one used melodies taken from tavern ballads and the rest from
existing operas and other sources.
What does the piece satirize?
The politics and culture of the time.
And finally, whats the big deal anyway? Why do we care about it and still perform it?
It inspired other well known practitioners such as Brechts Three Penny Opera. It set a president for
English speaking musicals. All writers to follow look back on Gay as a forefather of musical theatre.
Who created operetta, and who subsequently developed it and popularized the form?
Herv (Florimonde Ronger) reated operetta however Offenbach developed it and made it popular.
Describe the characteristics of his operettas:
Words and music are of equal value with comic plots.
Name two other operetta composers and a work by each:
Giselle Pierre de Catherine
Franz von Supp - The Mariner's Return
List at least two differences between operas and operettas, and operettas and musicals:
Opera is a lengthy dramatic work set to music; Operetta is shorter and often of a lighter tone with
some dialogue; Musicals tend to have a lot more dialogue with song and dance, the songs are of high
importance.
Have you ever been in an opera or operetta? How was the exercise different than being in a
musical?
I havent been in an opera or operetta, though I have sung songs such as glitter and be gay which
comes from the opera Candide. For this song I had to create a much larger and dynamic character
with use of exaggeration to match with the larger than life style that is opera singing.

Textual Studies

Chapter | 3

Jessica Crawley

What was the state of British musical theatre before Gilbert and Sullivan?
Extravaganzas and Burlesque performances dominated the industry with improbable plots, leggy
showgirls and recycled pop songs. Offenbach influenced the original scores or early musical theatre.
London stage shows rarely ran for more than a few weeks. Budgets were small and artistic standards
were pathetic.
What is the name of their first collaboration?
Thespis 1871
Name the themes or basic character traits that appear in G and S operettas:
1. Topsy-turvydom: the plot places accepted reality on its ear, to great comic effect.
2. Realistic settings and costumes are used to make the topsy-turvydom all the funnier.
3. Unqualified men have wheedled their way into high public office.
4. The course of true love not only never runs smooth, but often runs in surprising directions.
5. There is an appalling disdain for woman over 40.
6. At least 1 patter song is written for the lead comedian.
What did Gilbert do that was innovative as a director?
He caused a transition into the use of realistic characters, set and costumes.
What did Sullivan do that was innovative as a conductor?
He used unprecedented use of creative rhythm with lyrics to further a plot.
What role do you think you would be perfect for in a G and S operetta?
Rose Maybud in Ruddigore The role vocally suits my voice type and I enjoy the naivety of her at
the beginning of the show, using a book of etiquette to understand right and wrong.

Textual Studies

Chapter | 4

Jessica Crawley

Adonis (1884) was a precursor of American musical comedy, embodying a formula for success
that would remain viable for the next 6 decades. During that period, almost every musical hit
on Broadway abided by this formula. List the components of this formula and any
contemporary musicals that follow it:
1. A story or casting gimmick with intriguing comic possibilities: timeworn plot ideas could be
revitalised by creative casting
2. One or more extraordinary performers, the more the better: while established stars were good to
have, amazing new talent could be equally effective.
3. Star vehicles (designed around the unique talents of a particular performer) could work, but only
so long as the original star was on hand.
4. An abundance of jokes, wisecracks and sight gags were required to keep the action flowing
between songs.
5. The score had to be easy on the ear, with no offensive content. Hit songs were helpful at the box
office but not essential.
6. Any relation between the plot and songs is unnecessary.
Wicked, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, We will Rock You.
What is the French slang meaning of Vaudeville?
Songs of the town
Where in the line-up is the top spot that went to star or headliner?
The headliner went second to last.
What is the name of the 1950s musical that chronicles the end of vaudeville while telling the
story of a stage mother and her desire to get her children top billing on the vaudeville circuit?
Gypsy
Name two differences between music hall and vaudeville:
Vaudeville can have acts that entertain in more unconventional ways than just singing E.G silent acts.
Also, music hall is for more common affairs whereas Vaudeville was for the upper class
entertainment.
George Cohans legacy was tremendous: he set the groundwork for much that followed in the
course of the 20th century. What did he do that was so important?
Gave the male lead a dancing role (notably tap dancing) and started his shows out of town. He also
was against the formation of equity.
What is the name of the song that is featured in a 70s musical that is a homage to Bert
Williams song Nobody?
Mr Cellophane
What is the only musical from the 1900s that is regularly performed today?
Mary Widow
Why is that?
It was believable, with a fantastic score.
Leon and Stein changed the way musical librettos would be shaped in the decades to come.
What did they do that was so revolutionary?
Music, Lyrics and Script are all coherent whilst storyline and subplot are separate.
Hannah and Denilo were the first in a long line of musical stage lovers who would captivate
audiences by refusing to say I love you. Name other musicals where lovers play hard to get
(including 1 contemporary):
Once, Kiss Me Kate, A Little Night Music.
According to Gerald Bordman, what musical formed the mould out of which poured half a
century of American Musical Comedy? What made the Princess series of musicals
remarkable?
Very good Eddie princess musicals integrated songs/story. Theyre in a smaller theatre with a
smaller cast and there was much more emphasis on good writing that spectacle.

Textual Studies

Chapter | 5

Jessica Crawley

What 1927 musical comedy blended the integration of operetta with the unabashed spirit of
music comedy?
Showboat.
What are some of the musical styles utilized in this music comedy?
- Negro folk song (Cant Help Lovin That Man)
- Spiritual (Ol Man River)
- Operetta (Make Believe and You Are Love)
- Musical comedy (Life On The Wicked Stage)
- Tin Pin Alley (After The Ball and Goodbye My Lady Love
This musical sure does have a melodramatic and soupy plot! If this show was opening for the
first time in the West End, do you think it would last past opening night?
Yes because people appreciate its part in musical revolution. However, it wouldnt last long because
of a lack of commercial audience.
Why is this show considered revolutionary? What happened to the revolution?
Zany musical comedies and romantic operettas shared equal billing on the Broadway stage
during the 20s. Which of these genres let integrated musical theatre grow and mature?
Musical Comedys
The 30s turned out to be a fascinating decade for musical theatre. What happened?
Theatre and productions became smaller but better.
Who was the most successful creator of West End musicals in the 1930s?
What is the name of longest running West End musical in the 1930 that was also a big hit on
Broadway in the mid 80s?
Hellzapoppin
Why do you think the West End didnt create a plethora of musical comedies like they did on
Broadway?
John Kenrick says that ..became defining talents in 1930s musical theatre. No other team
matched the sheer range of their efforts. Who is he talking about and why were they
unmatched?
Brothers George and Ira Gershwin
Audiences sure must love those Gershwin tunes, because they keep being used in Broadway
shows. A couple of years ago there was a NEW Gershwin show on Broadway as well as a
(controversial) revival of another show. (This controversial revival was performed at the
Regents Park Open Air Theatre this past summer. Did anyone see it?) What shows am I
talking about?
What song does Sondheim consider the most genuinely poetic and deeply felt in the history of
musical theatre?