Musical Theater: An Appreciation
Here it is at last: a history of musical theater from its early origins to the Broadway shows of today, combined with an in-depth study of the musical styles that parallel the changes taking place on stage.Musical Theater: An Appreciationteaches the reader how to listen to both the words and the music of the stage musical, understanding how all the components of a show combine to create a unique experience for audiences. Good musical theater moves us—to laughter, to tears, to anger, to pride—and this text helps to demystify many of the subtle tools used to elicit these emotions.Musical Theater: An Appreciationlooks at the contributions of many great American writers: George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Kander and Ebb, Bock and Harnick, Steven Sondheim—as well as the crossfertilizations with European theater, both past and present day. Each chapter enriches the reader's journey with items such as Sidebars that explore issues in greater depth, Behind-theScenes anecdotes relating various (mis-) adventures of creative artists, Plot Summaries, and focused examinations of a wide range of theater songs. Musical and theatrical vocabulary terms are introduced throughout the text, allowing readers to speak knowledgeably about both the visual and aural aspects of the stage experience. Armed with these perceptions, readers will be posed for greater enjoyment of musical theater's rich legacy, fromDon Giovanni to Rent,as well as for increased appreciation of drama and music as independent yet complementary arts.