This week, I will be exploring the genre that tells a story and takes you along for an emotional ride through singing, dancing, and acting… musical theatre. When I was in middle school I used to participate in my school plays, and I think that is when my love for this genre began. While I didn’t continue my involvement in theatre throughout high school, I am still an avid supporter for the performing arts and have gone to almost every production the theatre company at my high school has presented.
Musical Theatre is the oldest genre out of the genres I have selected for my passion blog. It began in Ancient Greece about 2,500 years ago where there were staged comedies and tragedies that included music and dance. Later, orchestra music and special effects began to be added to these shows to make the performance more exciting, which is still present in current musicals. During the 12th and 13th centuries, churches also used musical theater to set their services to religious chants. By the 1700s, opera, or the use of singers and orchestras to tell a story, became popular in Great Britain, France, and Germany. Operas could be funny, romantic, or tragic but they are eventually what influenced American theater the most and became prevalent in Broadway culture.
As one can tell just from that brief synopsis of the history of musical theatre, this genre has so many uses and therefore can evoke so many emotions from the listener. When I listen to musical theatre the emotions I feel are empathetic and engaged. Whatever emotion, story, or feeling the musical piece is trying to convey, I find myself feeling those same emotions or being sympathetic toward the outcome of the storyline. I also find myself being pulled into the story and being put into the shoes of the actor/ actress; I am fully engaged in the story they are presenting and am captivated to know what happens next. I feel like the extravagance of musical theater as a genre is truly what evokes these emotions. Whether it be the strong presence of ensemble, orchestral accompaniment, spoken dialogue, dancing, and background scenery, all of these factors heavily contribute toward making the audience feel like they are part of the story.
Some of my favorite music theatre pieces (and musicals) include There are Worse Things I Could Do by Rizzo from Grease, When He Sees Me by Dawn in Waitress, and Helpless by Eliza in Hamilton. I personally gravitate toward strong solos performed by female leads in musicals because I feel like I am able to put myself in their shoes the most and relate to the context of the piece. However, these pieces are also just my favorite because of the musical talent present within the composition and vocals. I hope you enjoy and get transported into the world of musical theatre!
Musical Theatre Music Recommendations Playlist by @tahliajolly on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6fkT3gNHxRWUugqTKvJhkc?si=aef969cd52bb46f4
History of Musical Theatre Source: https://study.com/academy/lesson/history-of-musical-theatre-lesson-for-kids.html
I also really enjoyed watching the musicals and plays that my high school did. I have never seen the musicals you referenced, but they sound good!
I like how you added a music recommendation playlist for theatre at the end of the post. I love theatre as well, however I know the “basic” plays, such as Wicked, Grease, and Beetlejuice. I also like how you delved into the history of theatre and the development of it over time. I never knew that it began in Ancient Greece. I thought theatre was something that Shakespeare cane up with in England. I learned so much from this post. Thank you!