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500 BCE
Greek tragedy
Comedies and tragedies were staged in open-air amphitheatres, accompanied by music and dance. -
Period: 500 BCE to
Musical Theatres
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240 BCE
Roman comedies
They included orchestras and used special effects. -
600
Wandering minstrels
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Period: 600 to 1492
Wandering minstrels
These were travelling entertainers in the Middle Ages who sang songs and performed comedies. -
1100
Troubadores
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1100
Musical theatres in churches
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Period: 1100 to 1492
Troubadors and trouvères
Not-wandering minstrels from the higher classes during the Middle Ages. -
Period: 1100 to 1300
Musical theatres in churches
Churches used musical theatres as religious chants. -
1492
Commedia dell'arte
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Period: 1492 to
Commedia dell'arte
An Italian tradition during the Renaissance in which clowns improvised. -
Molière
He turned several comedies into musical entertainments. -
Opera becomes popular in the UK, France and Germany
Operas could be funny, romantic, or tragic. -
William Hallam
New York became very important musically, thanks to William Hallam, who sent a company of 12 actors to the colonies. -
Period: to
The Golden Age
It begun with "Oklahoma!" and ended with "Hair". -
Jacques Offenbach
One of the most important French Operetta composers. -
Period: to
French Operetta
The most important composers were Offenbach and Strauss II. -
"The Elves"
It was Broadway's first "long-run" record, with 50 performances in total. -
Arthur Sullivan
One of the most important British comic opera composers. -
"The Black Crook"
It was the first modern musical, which lasted 5 hours, and ran for a record-breaking 474 performances. -
W. S. Gilbert
One of the most important British comic opera composers. -
Period: to
British comic opera
Styled by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, it was a family-friendly, popular type of opera. -
Johann Strauss II.
One of the most important French Operetta composers. -
Broadway becomes the top musical theatres producer and place to stage them
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George Edwardes
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Period: to
Broadway becomes the top musical theatres producer and place to stage them
Hundreds of musicals were produced and staged in Broadway, with a lot of songs written in New York's Tin Pan Alley. -
Period: to
George Edwardes
He revolutioned the London stage by presenting new musical comedies with snappy, breezy music. -
"Florodora"
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"A Chinese Honeymoon"
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Rudolf Friml
An important operetta and musicals composer. -
Sigmund Romberg
An important operetta and musicals composer. -
Irving Berlin
An important operetta and musicals composer. -
Period: to
Second generation of operetta (and musicals) composers
Formed by Rudolf Friml, Irving Berlin, Sigmund Romberg, George Gershwin and Noel Coward. -
Period: to
The Roaring Twenties
It was thought that the cinema would repllace musicals. Musicals during this decade used to ignore the plot to focus more and emphasizing actors and actresses as stars. -
Period: to
Musical theatres fall
Due to the Great Depression, this industry was affected because people had no money to go to musicals. -
"Porgy and Bess"
Written by Gershwin, it was close to an opera. -
"Oklahoma!"
It marked the beginning of The Golden Age. -
"West Side Story"
It transported Romeo and Juliet to the 1950s' New York. -
"Milk and Honey"
Jerry Herman's first Broadway production, about the funding of the state of Israel. -
"Hair"
It was the first rock musical, which led to many more. It was very controversial because it contained nudity and opinions about the Vietnam War. -
"Hello Dolly!"
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Period: to
Rock musicals
Including "Grease", "Jesus Christ Superstar", etc. -
"Cabaret"
It explored Nazi Germany. -
"Jesus Christ Superstar"
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"Tommy"
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"Chicago"
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"Grease"
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"Evita"
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"Les Misérables"
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Period: to
Mega-musicals and pop operas
These operas were influenced by pop, had large casts, and notable special effects. -
"Cats"
Written by Andret Lloyd Webber, and derived from the poems of T. S. Elliot. -
"The Color Purple"
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"The Phantom of the Opera"
It came from a novel. -
"Hairspray"
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Period: to
Disney hits
Including "Beauty and the Beast", "The Lion King", etc. These were adapted from animated movies. -
"Beauty and the Beast"
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"The Lion King"
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"The Buddy Holly Story"
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Period: to
Jukebox musicals
These are musicals with a small plot made for an already existing hit album or artist/ group (these ones have a larger plot), like "Mamma Mia!" or "We Will Rcok You". -
"The Lion King"
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"Mamma Mia!"
Featuring ABBA's songs. -
"Movin' Out"
Based on the tunes of Billy Joel. -
"We Will Rock You"
Based on Queen's songs. -
"Good Vibrations"
Based on the Beach Boys' song. -
"All shook up"
Based on Elvis Presley's song.