Give My Regards to the Book

This project is an analysis of the construction of American Musical Theatre. The research for this project has been drawn from direct quotes and writings from Musical Theatre writers, scores and scripts, and from historical books. Reading of these sources reveal principles of Musical Theatre writing which the authors use and the audience expects. This project analyzes how the book, lyrics, and music to a show are written and demonstrates that the writing of Musical Theatre has developed its own unique craft which is grounded in the book

What Are the Hills Really Alive With?: Spectacle versus Narrative Driven Musical Theatre

American Musical Theatre is known for its entertaining qualities, but what holds the audience’s attention to stick around for the second act? Is it the dance numbers, the fancy lighting, and the spectacular numbers or is it the story and the characters? Musical theatre always uses a combination of the two elements, but one of two tends to drive an individual musical forward and engage the audience\u27s attention. The conflict of emphasizing spectacle or narrative can bee seen initially at Musical Theatre\u27s conception all the way down to recent shows written by Webber and Sondheim. Spectacle can be understood as the dances, musical numbers, and effects in a show that are used to dazzle the audience. Narrative, on the other hand, is the use of storyline and character development to engage the audience. Through its history, musical theatre has combined these two forces and each show places a higher emphasis on one or the other