First for the obvious…what would musical theatre be without the music? Just plain theatre, of course! It is the inclusion of solos/duets/ensembles/overtures/etc. that culminate into the genre known as Musical Theatre.
With any theatrical production, it is the acting and the believability of the actors that draw the audience into the world of the play. Musical theatre has the added tool of “song” to entice and entertain audiences. Musicals have run the gamut from fantasy to reality; from providing a feel-good pure entertainment showcase to a spectacle beyond all imagination. It is really amazing how musical theatre has changed over the years.
Early musicals, often denoted with the title, “classic musicals”, include such fare as, “The Sound of Music”, “Oklahoma”, “The King and I”, “My Fair Lady” and the like. Although the stories range from light entertainment to more passionate encounters, the music serves the same purpose.
Characters in a musical often break into song to show emotion to their current situation. These songs replace the conventional spoken dialogue of traditional theatre. If one is a true lover of music, these passionate outpourings can evoke incredible emotion from the viewer. Duets and trios allow interplay between certain individuals which often advances the plot as well as allowing characters the interaction dictated by their relationships. Ensemble numbers can range from a few individuals to entire casts and can provide wonderfully spectacular finales to acts. Many of these musical numbers are also accompanied by choreography which will be discussed in the third article in this series.
More recently, musicals have taken on more intense subjects and more spectacular special effects and staging (“Phantom of the Opera”, “Les Miserables”, “Sunset Boulevard”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Lion King”). Not the light entertainment of the classics, these blockbuster productions catapult us into fantasy worlds or propel us through the heart-wrenching experiences of history or even bring the words of a great novel to life. The music, however, continues to function as it did back in the earlier musicals. Characters sing of their emotions, duos and trios interact, and ensembles provide spectacular finales.
A performer in a musical must not only possess the same acting abilities as those in traditional theatre, but must also be able to communicate a believable character in song. Musical theatre schools often teach what is deemed, “The Triple Threat” (see my article dated April 24, 2001) which allows students an environment where they can develop their acting, singing and dancing skills. In current times, to succeed in musical theatre, one must almost certainly have the potential to be a triple threat.
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