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Since the first Broadway musical, "The Black Crook," was staged in 1866, running over five hours long and for 474 shows, audiences of all nationalities, backgrounds and ages have enjoyed the orchestrations, dance, song, tears and laughter of Broadway. The all-time longest-running musicals include "Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats,"... more »
With two theme parks and a handful of Disney shows currently running on Broadway, becoming an actor for Disney is becoming easier and easier. There are National Touring Casts and theme park casts who all are on the road to Broadway. With these odds, why wouldn't you take a shot and audition for a Disney Musical? All you need is a... more »
Children's musical theater provides a fun environment for kids to learn to appreciate the arts. All kids in the production receive instruction on singing, dancing and acting. There are musical theater productions that cater to young children and teenagers, and those that include both age groups within one show. The director has no... more »
There are many benefits to either reading a dramatic play, a literary composition that includes conflict, action, and crisis or viewing a dramatic play performed live. Readers or audience members of all ages may have a chance to use imagination and experience "catharsis" or an emotional cleansing. Studies also suggest that dramatic... more »
Broadway has been a huge part of American culture for over 100 years. From its modest beginnings to its staggering success in the roaring 20's and its slow decline over the decades, Broadway has always been a part of America. To this day new fans emerge, hearing songs of beloved musicals. The mere idea of Broadway has led some people... more »
The musical is one of the great American traditions and putting on a show--in a local hall or...
Romance, fantasy, mystery and horror are only the tip of the iceberg. Writers have had several...
Though native Manhattanites take Broadway in stride, if you didn't grow up with the Great...
Broadway musicals have been a popular form of entertainment since the mid-1800's. Theatergoers enjoy a variety of musicals to choose from on any... more »
Directing a musical is a dream job for many. But it isn’t all fun and games. It can be overwhelming, particularly if it’s the first time you’ve... more »
Broadway musicals are typically productions full of spectacle and backed by investors with deep pockets. Off Broadway musicals offer something a... more »
To get the lead in your next play or musical, you'll first need to fit the role. For example, most directors wouldn't cast a female in a male's... more »
If you’re putting on a musical theater production then you need to find actors who can sing. Finding talent can be a tedious task but if you... more »
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been called simply, "musicals".
Musicals are performed all around the world. They may be presented in large venues, such as big budget West End and Broadway theatre productions in London and New York City, or in smaller fringe theatre, Off-Broadway or regional productions, on tour, or by amateur groups in schools, theatres and other performance spaces. In addition to Britain and North America, there are vibrant musical theatre scenes in many countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
Some famous musicals include Show Boat, Oklahoma!, West Side Story, The Fantasticks, Hair, A Chorus Line, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and The Producers.
Definitions
The three main components of a musical are the music, the lyrics, and the book. The book of a musical refers to the story – in effect, its spoken (not sung) lines; however, "book" can also refer to the dialogue and lyrics together, which are sometimes referred to (as in opera) as the libretto (Italian for “little book”). The music and lyrics together form the score of the musical. The interpretation of the musical by the creative team heavily influences the way that the musical is presented. The creative team includes a director, a musical director and usually a choreographer. A musicals production is also creatively characterized by technical aspects, such as set, costumes, stage properties, lighting, etc. that generally change from production to production (although some famous production aspects tend to be retained from the original production, for example, Bob Fosses choreography in Chica read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical+theatre
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