Musical: A Look at the American Musical Theater

Book Description
This revised and expanded edition of Kislan's acclaimed study of America's musical theater includes a new section on "Recent Musical Theater: Issues and Problems." "The ancient union of drama and song, known as musical theater, comes in many forms - vaudeville, burlesque, comic opera, minstrels, etc. The author reviews these and other highlights of American musicals ... with a fascinating background on the elements that contribute to the success of a Showboat." - King Features * "Worth study by anyone who still thinks that the musical is a collection of songs." - The Stage


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Kislan explains all the basic principles, materials and techniques that go into the major elements of a musical production - the book, lyrics, score, dance and set design. He traces the musical's evolution through the colorful eras of minstrels, vaudeville, burlesque, revue, and comic opera up to the present day. He discusses the lives, techniques, and contributions of such great 20th-century composers and lyricists as Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Stephen Sondheim.


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