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The Black Crook is widely accepted as the first musical. In 1866 when "a fire destroyed the ballet troupe’s intended venue, they found refuge with the melodrama company, leading to an unprecedented fusion of dance, music, and dramatic storytelling" (Tuxford 2024 para. 3). The Black Crook took the United States by storm, and "was a spectacle that spawned 15 subsequent Broadway revivals and numerous touring productions" ("Harry Ransom Center Digital Collections" Accessed 2025, para. 1). -
George M. Cohan was an American playwright, who wrote, directed, and produced various popular plays (Tuxford 2024, para. 6). Cohan created over 50 musicals, and even has a bronze statue. (Nicholas 2019, para. 5-8). The impact he had on musical theatre and how musical theatre developed would grow to be undeniable. -
The West End, located in London, is a enamoring hub of Musical Theatre, and has been key to the world of musical theatre since around 1910. "The West End cultivated a distinct identity, offering audiences a unique blend of British storytelling, creative flair, and a commitment to artistic excellence" (Tuxford 2024, para. 12). The West End produced multiple musical hits, and has been marked as "a global centre for theatrical innovation" (Tuxford 2024, para. 13).
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Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were two composers in the musical theatre world, and produced various influential musicals, the first being "Oklahoma!" and their last "The Sound of Music". The various works of the two men were very influential, and continuously influence creativity. "Collectively, the musicals of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II earned 42 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammy Awards and 2 Emmy Awards" ("Rodgers Hammerstein" para. 3)
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The 1960s marked a new age of music: rock music. The "groundbreaking productions shattered traditional conventions, embracing contemporary rock music’s raw energy and rebellious spirit" (Tuxford 2024, para 14). Hair (1968) is often pegged as "the first true rock musical" (Tuxford 2024, para. 15). The new genre helped to grow audiences, expand genres, and overall grow Musical Theatre as a whole. -
The age of Mega- Musicals was key to the development of Musical Theatre as a whole, and helped spread musical theatre not only around the Broadway world, but around the local communities as well. "These productions transcended the realm of mere performance [..] their success propelled the globalization of musical theatre, inspiring amateur theatre groups worldwide to bring these grand stories to their local communities" (Tuxford 2024, para. 21). The Musical "Les Misreables" (1985) was the first. -
Although Disney began it's Broadway domination with "Beauty and the Beast", Disney's "The Lion King" is arguably Disney's most important piece of Musical Theatre. The Lion King "utilized innovative puppetry, vibrant costumes, and stunning choreography" (Tuxford 2024, para. 25). which was groundbreaking for Disney. "The show’s global success solidified Disney’s position as a major force in the theatre world" (Tuxford 2024, para. 26). Disney's hit musicals were some of the most influential.
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The Rise of Jukebox Musicals, a "musical is a type of musical where the score is made up of pre-existing, well-known popular songs instead of original music" ("What is a jukebox musical?" 2023, para.1) used already popular pieces of music to convey new stories, and reach more people. "Mamma Mia!" (1999) is one of the most known jukebox musicals, and is a musical that constantly inspires and influences in the musical theatre world today.
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In 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical "Hamilton" debuted on the Broadway stage, and the stage almost broke. Lin uses Hip-hop/RB/Rap music to tell the story of the lives of the infamous Hamilton family, race-bending roles, and telling the story beautifully. Miranda's work struck up one of the largest conversations in musical history, and "Hamilton quickly became a cultural phenomenon, winning 11 Tony Awards, and inspiring audiences worldwide" (Tuxford 2024, para. 30). -
Musical Theatre is still a developing genre, and has had many building blocks in the creation of the genre it is today. Musicals are performed small, large, professional, armature, local, and worldwide everyday. Musical Theatre is a ever-developing genre of expression. Passion and creativity is what forms theatre, and what aids us in creating, writing, producing, and performing musicals today. Musical Theatre is known worldwide, and its influence and impact on modern art is great.