How Has Musical Theatre Changed American Culture

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A bright light fills the void of an empty stage. A symphony grows and fills the room, heads turn and chaos ensues. One, two, and then three spotlights flash on as an ensemble rushes on stage and wows an audience. Musical theatre has profoundly impacted and changed the state of music over time, namely in the last century. From the dramatic comedies and tragedies in Ancient Greece to minstrel shows in a prejudice-ridden America and modern musicals on Broadway, musical theatre has been a part of the history of music for ages. One could argue that musical theatre definitively changed the state of music, and to some extent, the world, through its effective combination of music and dialogue, diversity, and display of both social commentary and human …show more content…

Especially because of the Great Depression and World Wars, the American public needed something new and unique they could turn to for entertainment. Through its unique music forged from the comic opera, operetta, jazz, etc., and the usage of dialogue to build characters and a story around the music, musical theatre effectively serves as this entertainment. Therefore, it certainly changed the scope of American music and entertainment in the early 1900s, by making pieces more complex and story-based, touching the hearts and minds of Americans. Next, musical theatre changed the state of music and how we perceive it during the 1900s, and especially in the modern world, by allowing for diversity and inclusion. Although it is undeniable that musical theatre has its roots in racist and xenophobic minstrel shows from the early 1900s onwards, understanding the influence of the minstrel show on the traditional musical is necessary to understand why diversity and inclusion are more prevalent now. The minstrel show was a form of theater in America in the 1900s, where white performers would paint their faces black and portray caricatures of black

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