Musical Theatre

Musical theatre combines music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. Also called 'musicals', they are usually performed in theatres.

Musical theatreMusicals set out to entertain through a combination of:

  • Catchy music in a popular style
  • Solo songs, duets, choruses and ensembles
  • Orchestra or band accompaniment
  • Spoken dialogue
  • Dance sequences, stage spectacles and magnificent costumesMusical theatre combines music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. Also called
    'musicals', they are usually performed in theatres. 

    Musicals set out to entertain through a combination of: 
  • Catchy music in a popular style

    • Solo songs, duets, choruses and ensembles

    • Orchestra or band accompaniment

    • Spoken dialogue

    • Dance sequences, stage spectacles and magnificent costumes

These are all held together by the plot. Musicals are usually performed in theatres, most famously on Broadway and in the West End of London. Broadway is also used as a general term to refer to American musicals.

Every musical has a:
LibrettoThe overall text including the spoken and sung part
Lyrics - the words to the songs
 
Most songs are either:
Action songs, which move the plot forward
Character songs, which enable a character to express their feelings


Within these two formats, different song types can be found including:


  • Ballads, which are usually slow, romantic and reflective

  • Comedy songs , which are funny, so the lyrics are very important

  • Production numbers, which involve the full company and are used to show major changes in location or plot, and often open and close acts

  • Rhythm songs are driven by energetic rhythm patterns

Although most musicals use dialogue some are through-composed. There is little or no dialogue, nearly everything is sung.

Many show songs use verse and chorus form.


The chorus: 
  • Sets the refrain of the lyrics and often contains the title words

  • Usually returns several times, always with the same words

  • Is normally the 'catchiest' part of the song

The verse usually has different words with each repetition.



'Something’s Coming' - West Side Story

West Side Story is an American musical and was completed in 1957. The music is by Leonard Bernstein and the words are by Stephen
Sondheim. It is a jazzy musical based on Shakespeare’s story of Romeo and Juliet but set in 20th-century New York against a background of racial gang warfare.

There are two rival gangs  - the Sharks who are originally from Puerto Rico and the Jets who were born in New York. Tony (tenor) and Maria (soprano) meet at a dance and fall in love but have allegiances with opposing gangs. Both acts end with a murder.

The musical was groundbreaking because of its tragic tone, sophisticated musical style and innovative extended dance sequences which are integral to the show. The music has elements of opera, musical, jazz and Latin-American dance music. 'Something's Coming' is one of the well-known songs from West Side Story. Others include 'Somewhere', 'Maria' and 'Tonight'.

The first production was on Broadway. In 1961 it was made into a successful film and since then has been performed many times by theatre, opera companies and schools. Leonard Bernstein had a successful career as both a composer and conductor. His best-known works include Chichester Psalms and Candide. Stephen Sondheim went on to write innovative musicals of his own including Company and Sweeney Todd.

Orchestra
There are a large number of instruments in the West Side Story orchestra with particularly large woodwind, brass and percussion sections.

As is common in theatre pit orchestras (or bands), the players in these sections often play more than one instrument. This is known as doubling.

'Something’s Coming' is taken from Act I and is Tony’s first solo. At this point he has not met Maria. He has become disillusioned with gang warfare and looks forward to a better future. He wants to leave the Jets but agrees to join them to go to a dance later that evening.

Listening...