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West Side Story
West Side Story opened on September 26, 1957. "The musical is significant because it brought together famous people in the world of music and musical theatre. Such as, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins," (Marshall). This musical is a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. "The West Side sound embodies everything that we now think of as "the American sound," (Marshall). This musical is still popular today. -
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
"With more than 20 musicals to his name, Andrew Lloyd Webber is arguable the world's most successful living composer and impresario," (Nepilova). His musical was performed in 1968. Some of the famous musicals are Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar. -
Producer Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh is a musical theatre producer. He produced his first West End show in 1969. "His first international success, in 1976, was Side by Side by Sondheim," (Rothstein). Some other musicals he produced are: Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Miss Saigon. He has won three Tony Awards. -
Choreographer Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse is one of the most known choreographers in the musical theatre industry. "In the early 1970s, Fosse struck gold. 1972 saw the premiere of Pippin, which he directed and choreographed, earning him a Tony Award for Direction," (Holst). He won a total of eight Tony Awards for his choreography. "There is a Tony Award-winning musical designed to showcase him, simply called Fosse," (Holst). -
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is important because it changed musical theatre. "The musical had no large scenery, no costumes, no intermission and no star", (Behind the Line: The Creation of A Chorus Line, 2019). The musical is about the life of a broadway dancer. "One of the reasons A Chorus Line achieved such a blockbuster success was that its stories resonated with everyone-not just those who dance," (Behind the Line: The Creation of A Chorus Line, 2019). A Chorus Line won nine Tony Awards. -
Lincoln Center Theater Opens
"Lincoln Center is home to crucial parts of the New York City cultural scene, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic, a Broadway theatre, and two Off-Broadway theatres," (Cavoto). Lincoln Center Theater opened in 1985 and operates three theatres in its building: the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater and Claire Tow Theater," (Cavoto). -
RENT
The musical RENT is important because it shows a variety of people living their everyday lives. Jonathan Larson's revolutionary RENT opened in 1996. "The show highlights the struggle of New Yorkers with marginalised identities," (Angelita). The marginalised identities consisted of the LGBTQ, people of color, Indigenous people and people living in poverty. "Shows like RENT were able to become beacons of progress on Broadway, featuring stories that celebrate unconventional underdogs," (Angelita). -
The Lion King
The musical The Lion King is important because it is the highest grossing musical on Broadway. "The Lion King has staged 28 productions," (White). This production has been seen by many people around the world. "This musical is a tale set in Africa and Black performers unlike any other on Broadway," (White). The props and costumes aren't like any other musicals. This is a great movie for children who have also seen the movie. -
Actor Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the most famous musical theatre actors. Not only is he an actor but he is a composer, producer and director. "Lin-Manuel Miranda is on a roll. Already a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner, Miranda received a MacArthur Foundation Award in 2015, the same year his current musical, Hamilton, opened on Broadway to sold out crowds," (Ball). -
Hamilton
The musical Hamilton has played a significant role in musical theatre history. Hamilton was created by one man, Lin-Manuel Miranda. :"Hamilton fuses American history with current politics, using a soundtrack of American popular music," (Churchwell). This musical won eleven Tony Awards, eight Drama Desk Awards, one Pulitzer Prize for Drama and one Grammy.