1940S Theatre History

1940s Theatre History
Theater is alive because of one simple word: adaptation, the act of making something suitable for a
new use or purpose (Dictionary). Theater is continuously adapting to the present culture to provide
plays and musicals that the audiences are thrilled to see. Whether people are delighted to see
Oklahoma! or Hamilton, there are aspects of every show that draw audiences toward them. Many
playwrights, of both the 1940s and today, have figured out ways to draw attention to theater,
whether the purpose is to distract or entertain. During the 1940s, theater was used as a distraction
from World War II, so people could get away from the world for three hours. Now, people see shows
to enjoy themselves or to have a relaxing time after a stressful ... Show more content on
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In 1940s it was inspirational, that is why it is known as the golden age. The golden age in theater
brought uplifting shows that the audiences were excited to see, one of those being Oklahoma! by
Rodgers and Hammerstein. Audiences were expecting exciting shows, they "...sought musicals and
spectacles–escape, not drama. Dramatic theater, in fact, was...entering a period of decline," (Drama
Downsizes). Theater was expected to raise spirits of people, an escape from life. Musical theater
brought the world joy, which is why musical theater became so popular. The shows were always
comedic or romantic. People enjoyed these shows because there was always a happy ending to look
forward to. Theater during this time period was used to divert people from what was going on
around them. Theater today is a means of entertainment. People go to see shows to enjoy a couple
hours with whoever they are going to see a show with. Although plays these days do not always
have a happy ending, people are constantly excited by new twists in shows. The show Into the
Woods, a musical instilled with a plot twist, is enjoyed around America because it ends the
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Analysis Of The Broadway Play: The King And I
The decade I chose was the 1950's and I will be mainly focusing on the broadway play called "The
King and I". I chose this play because it was one of the most iconic plays in this era and is still
running on broadway. Based on a 1944 novel by Margaret Landon, "Anna and the King Siam", "The
King and I" was directed by John Van Druten and has about 1,200 performances and it's the longest
running Broadway Musical. It's written and produced by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
II. Rodgers was also the composer and Hammerstein was the lyricist. The opening night was in
March 29, 1951 in St. James Theatre.
In 1951, it was nominated for the best musical by the New York Drama Critics' Circle and later in
1952, it won many Tony Awards. For example,

Musical Analysis: Oklahoma !
'Oklahoma!' is an American musical that can trace its roots back to the 1940's. It is a creation
developed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on the 1931 play,
'Green Grow the Lilacs'. In 1943, Richard Rodgers invited Oscar Hammerstein II to collaborate on
adapting Lynn Riggs' play into a musical. The original play was considered a simple tale but with
Rodgers and Hammerstein and their collaborators, 'Oklahoma!' claims an important part of
American musical history (Cook, 2009).
This musical marked the first collaboration between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar
Hammerstein II. Their dramatic and compositional approach in 'Oklahoma!' altered forever the path
of American musical theater. Before this, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The musical was centered on the relationship and conflict between the farmer and the rancher. In a
larger sense, this represented the relationship between American fragmentation and community. The
people of America were divided during World War II in that there were those who supported the
war, those that were against it, and those who believed the country was coerced into it. When
'Oklahoma!' debuted, a solution presented itself to the American people during these wartime
tensions. The message that came across was for the American people to bond together during these
times of hardship and war in order to maintain American values and to fight the enemy. The musical
created a middle–class blissful life where liberals and conservatives become unified (Kirle,

Oscar Hammerstein Research Paper
There are many well–known lyricists and composers, but none of them have left a mark on the
theatre world like Rodgers and Hammerstein. The duo produced eleven musicals during their
partnership and made an extensive change in musical comedy. They set a new standard that are still
followed to this day in musical history. Before they became the Rodgers and Hammerstein, they
were Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, both of New York City. Oscar Hammerstein II
was born on July 12, 1895. He was brought up in a theatrical family. His grandfather, Oscar
Hammerstein I, was a famed opera impresario. His father William managed a vaudeville theater, and
Uncle Arthur was a successful producer of Broadway musicals. While Hammerstein was ... Show
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They produced plays, musicals, concerts and revivals. The first collaboration of Rodgers and
Hammerstein was entitled Oklahoma! in 1943. They began writing together under the mentors of
the Theatre Guild. They were assigned to make a musical out of the Guilds play Green Grow the
Lilacs by Lynn Riggs. They were making on the score for what would become Oklahoma!. Rodgers
had a bold business notion. He told Hammerstein that it would be foolish if they did not publish
their musicals it. They were seeking to set a system in place that would protect their works and those
of others for decades to come. This musical opened at St. James Theatre and ran for 2,212
performances. The duo wanted to collaborate on another piece. They knew that anything they
created next would be compared to Oklahoma!, and most likely be unfavorable. They reached out to
Molnár to seek the rights to Liliom. Molnár had refused permission for the work to be adapted.
After acquiring the rights, the team created a work with lengthy sequences of music and made it into
a bigger hit. On April 19, 1945, Carousel opened up on Broadway, and it was an immediate hit with
both critics and audiences. It ran for 890 performances and duplicated its success in the West End,
but it never achieved as much commercial success as Oklahoma!. After the success of their first two
musicals, they released their the most unpopular

How Did Rodgers And Hammerstein Create A Revolution In...
Rodgers and Hammerstein:
Richard Rodgers was only 16 when he began his musical collaboration with Lorenz Hart. Rodgers
was acting as composer and Hart as lyricist. Manhattan was their first breakthrough in 1925 and
other songs including jazz standards such as "Blue moon" (1934) and "My funny valentine" (1937),
"Isn't It Romantic?" (1932) and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (1940). Together, Rodgers
and Hart wrote the music and lyrics for 26 Broadway musicals. Which includes: On your toes
(1936), Babes in Arms (1937) and their last collaboration, A Connecticut Yankee (1943).In 1943
their collaboration ended due to artistic differences and Hart's declining health. Thus the revolution
within Musical theatre started.
Change Slide:
Hammerstein wrote his own play, called The Light (1919) and was produced by his uncle. In 1920,
he collaborated with Rodgers and Hart in writing a Varsity show called Fly with Me.Short after he
dropped out of Grad school to pursue a full time career in Musical theatre. Hammerstein's first
success as a librettist was with Wildflower, a collaboration with Otto Harbach produced in 1923. He
achieved more success with 1924's Rose Marie, which he created in collaboration with Harbach as
well as Herbert Stothart and Rudolf Friml. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The musical gained so much success that it put Hammerstein on the map as a writer and lyricist.
Hammerstein continued to collaborate with Kern on several musicals including Sweet Adeline
(1929), Music in the Air (1932), Three Sisters (1934), and Very Warm for May (1939). In 1943, he
wrote the lyrics and book for Carmen Jones, an updated version of George Bizet's Carmen set
during World War II and featuring an African–American cast. The musical was adapted into a 1954
film, starring Harry Belafonte and Dorothy

Compare And Contrast The American Musical Theatre In The...
Compare and contrast the American musical theatre in the 1920s with that of the 1930s. How did
each reflect and absorb its era? What forms & styles were dominant, what was the same, what was
different and why? Do we see elements from these decades in shows today? Use examples from
specific musicals. In the 1920's, musical theater was "roaring" just like the economic situation in the
United States. Florenz Ziegfeld was at his peak, buying shows and catapulting them to the forefront
of pop culture. The most popular songs on the radio were songs that were written and performed in
broadway shows. The subway station had just opened in times square and people came rushing to
the theaters. Rag–time was the popular genre at the time and Jazz musicians were working on their
own genre just blocks away. Prohibition caused the rise of the speakeasy and as a result, people of
different social classes were interacting. People were looking for entertainment that matched the
change in people's sensibilities. During this period, musicals (which were labeled "musical
comedies" at the time) were in the form of acceptable of guilty pleasures – the appeal of women and
their sexuality, silly characters that made fools of themselves, or the goofy country girl dancing
through the chores of the day. Ziegfeld's Follies, Marx brother shows, and Al Jolson playing his
character in blackface are great examples of these shows that focused on showing off the stars and
gave little care to the

How To Write An Essay On Oscar Hammerstein's Plays
In 1919, Hammerstein wrote his own play, called The Light, and his uncle produced it. Despite the
play's relative failure, Hammerstein forged ahead with his writing. In 1920, he collaborated with a
Columbia undergraduate named Richard Rodgers in writing a Varsity Show called Fly with Me. Not
long after, Hammerstein dropped out of grad school at Columbia to concentrate his efforts entirely
on musical theater.
Lorenz Hart was 7 years older than Richard Rodgers, who was only 16 when they began their
musical collaboration, with Rodgers acting as the composer and Hart as the lyricist. Manhattan was
their 1925 breakthrough hit, and scores of other songs yielded many of today's standards, including
Blue Moon, My Funny Valentine, Isn't It Romantic? and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.
Together, Rodgers and Hart wrote the music and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After a year at Columbia Law School, he went on to fame as a librettist for operettas

composed by Rudolph Firml, Sigmund Romberg, and George Gershwin. Oscar Hammerstein had
a successful career before beginning his partnership with Rodgers. He collaborated with Jerome
Kern on eight musicals, most notably Show Boat, and wrote the book and lyrics for Carmen Jones,
which was the 1943 all–black version of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen.
After Hammerstein's death in 1960, Rodgers wrote the music and lyrics for No Strings, for which he
earned two Tony awards. He then composed the music for Do I Hear A Waltz?, Two by Two, Rex,
and I Remember Mama. Rodgers's centenary in 2002 was celebrated around the world with books,
performances, new recordings of his music, and a Broadway revival of Oklahoma! Rodgers left
behind a legacy of more than 900 published songs, forty musicals, and numerous works for film and
television.
While still in his professional prime, Oscar Hammerstein II lost his battle

The King And I Codes And Conventions
The King and I came out in 1956 during the Golden Age of Musicals in the United States. This film
tells the story of a widowed British woman who goes to Siam to teach the king's children. This
musical movie was created by the infamous Rodgers & Hammerstein, and it became a national hit
in the movie theaters and on Broadway (Manos, "The King and I (Film)"). This film shows that the
musical film genre is versatile yet traditional because the plot, moviemaking process, and
storytelling tools utilize conventions and innovation to create an amazing film. After opening with
an overture, the film introduces Anna Leonowens and her son, Louis, arriving to Siam on a boat.
They are brought to the palace to meet the king of Siam and his wives and children. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
As the genre would suggest, The King and I contains several unforgettable musical numbers like "I
Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Hello, Young Lovers." Rogers and Hammerstein did a spectacular job
at making the songs flow seamlessly throughout. These various songs also heavily contributed to the
storyline and are responsible for some of the film's greatest moments. The song "Hello, Young
Lovers" tells the backstory to Anna's past and gives the audiences a better understanding of this
British woman. "A Puzzlement" is a moving and revealing song about the king. In his solo
rendition, the king agonizes over the fact that he may never discover the truth about life and the
world even though he has been desperately searching for it. One of the most iconic moments of the
film is "Shall We Dance." In this song, the king and Anna dance to celebrate the banquet's success
and their unlikely friendship. The music not only adds to this film; the songs are the very essence of
The King and

Julie Andrews Accomplishments
Actress, author, singer, child star, award–winning, Disney Legend, Dame Julie Andrews has
captured the hearts of individuals for seventy years. With her phenomenal talent discovered as a 10
year old, Julie Andrews has gone on to perform on Broadway, television, in films, and has won over
thirty awards. Many people know Julie Andrews for her roles in the films Mary Poppins and The
Sound of Music, and along with starring on Broadway, she has written over thirty books. Even with
all of these achievements, Julie Andrews has done an impressive job staying genuine, classy, and
respectable through all the popularity. This child star gone on to succeed on Broadway and thrive in
the film industry, influences people every day. People discovered Julie Andrews' talent as a young
child and began performing for large audiences at the age of 10. Although Julie's mother performed
on stage, her stepfather ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Describing her voice as "extremely high and thin," she felt she lacked "the necessary guts and
weight for opera." Producers on Broadway soon saw her talent and recruited her during her late teen
years. From her Broadway career, people remember her for her performances in The Boy Friend,
My Fair Lady, and Camelot. Growing to be well known in the Broadway community, Rodgers and
Hammerstein invited Julie Andrews to perform in their Broadway musical Pipe Dream and their
television musical Cinderella. Rodgers and Hammerstein later cast her in The Sound of Music.
Unfortunately, she resigned from her singing career due to an unsuccessful surgery in 1997. Her
surgery, supposedly harmless, removed vocal nodules from her vocal chords, but left her unable to
sing and with a raspy speaking voice. She underwent four surgeries in 2000, which only improved
her speaking voice. Julie Andrews' career on Broadway opened many doors to legendary
opportunities in the film

Oscar Greeley Cladenning Hammerstein II: Theatre
Oscar Greeley Cladenning Hammerstein II was born in New York City to Alice and William, a
Jewish family, on July 12 of 1985. Though William Hammerstein worked at a theater he did not
want his son to having anything to do with theater. Hammerstein attended Columbia University
from 1912 until 1916, and then went to Columbia Law School for a year. While at school
Hammerstein's father died of Bright's Disease in June of 1914. Later Hammerstein quiet law school
and began to purse the theatre. In 1920 Hammerstein, and his associate Herbach, opened their first
play, Always You. He teamed up with Jerome Kern to create Forty Years. Then in 1927
Hammerstein's very popular Show Boat hit the theatre. Hammerstein's teamed up with all different
people like

The Wiz Play Analysis
In December, I watched the televised play of The Wiz, that aired on NBC. While I have mixed
emotions about this play, itself, I have a better appreciation and understanding about how a play
should be presented now that I have researched the history of american musical theatre, and that is
unity of the story being told, thru song, dance, and performance.
American Musical Theatre is a form of art that tells a story through songs, dialogue, acting and
dance. The different types of musicals includes ballad opera, operetta, musical comedy, straight
musical, rock musical, vaudeville, and burlesque.
Opera is a type of drama that was entirely sung. Madame Butterfly is an example of an opera. An
Operetta, like an opera also incorporates frivolous ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Brook is considered the first work that accomplished bringing all of these elements together,
separating the musical from the musical comedy. The two major branches of the american musical
theatre are the musical play and musical comedy. Rodgers and Hammerstein, creators of Oklahoma,
became the most important contributors to the musical play form. They produced more plays that
had social thought that led the way for others to follow. Rodgers and Hammerstein recognized the
struggle in America and elsewhere for minorities civil rights had grown, they and many other
creators used the musicals to try and normalize social toleration and urged racial harmony with
works like Finian's Rainbow and South Pacific. As a theme, tolerance, has continued to be an
important aspect for

Why Do Rodgers And Hammerstein Collaborations?
Rodgers and Hammerstein Collaborations
Oklahoma! The first collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein was entitled Oklahoma! The idea of
the musical came from a play called Green Grow the Lilacs, written by Lynn Riggs in 1931. This
story is about the state of Oklahoma at the turn of the century, when the Indian Territory joined the
United States. It is the story of a girl named Laurey Williams and her (sort of) love triangle with two
boys by the names of Curley McClain and Jud Fry. Laurey is in love with Curley, but she attends a
dance with Jud instead. At the dance, Curley surprised Laurey by bidding an enormous amount on
the basket of food she has prepared. They soon marry, and after the wedding, Jud starts a fight with
Curley, but he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It ran for 890 performances. It was decided to make this a movie as well.
On February 16, 1956 the film version of Carousel was released. It stared two actors were not
strangers to Rodgers and Hammerstein. They were the stars of their previous movie, Oklahoma!
Shirley Jones played Julie Jordan and Gordon MacRea was Billy Bigelow. Many of the same songs
were included in the movie, such as "If I Loved You," and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
State Fair The first musical created by Rodgers and Hammerstein that was made especially for the
screen was State Fair. The source came from the novel of the same name by Phil Stong. The release
date was August 20, 1945.
This was a story of a trip made to the Iowa State Fair by the Frake family. The entire family went in
hopes of something. Abel Frake wanted to sell his prize pig. Melissa Frake wanted to win a blue
ribbon for her mincemeat pie. Both children, Wayne and Margy Frake, wanted to find love, which
they did. Margy fell in love to a man named Pat Gilbert while Wayne fell for Emily Edwards, a
singer. The show included many songs, including "It's a Grand Night For Singing," and "All I Owe
Iowa."
On June 2, 1969 State Fair was revived on the stage. Ozzie Nelson played Abel Frake, and Harriet
Nelson played his wife Melissa.
The film was remade again in

Rodgers And Hammerstein Interpretation
In Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King & I, the use of the word "libertine" on "Shall I Tell You
What I Think Of You" really strikes out as Anna's way to reject the difference. The Merriam–
Webster defines "libertine" as "a person (especially a man) who leads an immoral life and is mainly
interested in sexual pleasure", an accusation that Anna lands onto The King based on his practice of
polygamy.
"Because I'm a woman, you think, like every woman,
I have to be a slave or concubine.
You conceited, self–indulgent libertine!" (Rodgers & Hammerstein 1951)
The word became a strong element in the song that Hammerstein used to condemn the act of having
female as an object of sexual pleasure for men. This becomes more interesting as the original
production of The King & I (1951) ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A little contradictory note that is visible as, perhaps, Hammerstein's way to present Anna's
uncertainty about whether or not she should leave Siam after all. The King & I started by enforcing
the strong idea of feminism. Anna, a Welsh widow braving the wilderness of the East to teach a
whole kingdom to be "civilized", is often seen as a proto–feminist character in the show. The way
Anna continuously denies The King's beliefs and practices is defining the western feminism that she
brought to Siam. This projects an idea that Anna has no sense of devotion or loyalty, unlike the other
women in the show, to The King because of these differences in act one. This concept of feminism
is then changed in the story by Anna's interaction with Lady Thiang. After her expressive song,
Lady Thiang approaches Anna to ask her to see The King because he was troubled by the argument
that they had. As Anna objects with an idea to apologize to The King, Lady Thiang expressed her
reason through the song "Something

I Attended Ucla 's First Production Of Carousel On A...
I attended UCLA's May 11th production of Carousel on a Wednesday night at the Freud Playhouse.
Jeremy Mann and Dan Belzer directed the production. The musical opened on April 19th, 1945
(Hauser). Oscar Hammerstein II wrote the book and lyrics, while Richard Rodgers wrote the music
in collaboration. In this paper I will expound on the history of Carousel's writers, it's historical
significance in the world of American theater, as well as the plot of the play and it's implications on
the evolution of theater history. The musical was a collaborative effort by the two talents of Rodgers
and Hammerstein. Prior to Carousel, the two had found success in various shows independently
including shows like The Boys From Syracuse, Pal Joey, and Show Boat. After a falling out between
Rodgers and his previous writing partner Hart due to alcoholism, Rodgers approached Hammerstein
for opportunity to create new work together (Columbia). On March 31st 1943 Rodgers and
Hammerstein found major success with the hit musical, Oklahoma! (Hauser). The musical was the
duo's first step in a direction of evolution in response to resistance to their vision for musical theater.
The two had wanted to produce a musical that told more complex stories and substantial character
arcs and psychologies, but found resistance in their older partners (Columbia). It was not until the
two had met up to work together that they began their journey into their own artistic vision.
Naturally after the success of

Flower Drum Song By O. Y. Lee
Carlo Castaneda
Professor Clark
American Studies
23 November 2015
In Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song was based on the 1957 novel, The Flower Drum Song, by Chinese–American
author C. Y. Lee. It was the eighth stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar
Hammerstein II. The piece opened in 1958 on Broadway and was subsequently made into a 1961
musical film. The team hired Gene Kelly (famous for Singin' in the Rain) to make his debut as a
stage director with the musical and scoured the country for their cast. With the exception of Juanita
Hall (who also starred in Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific), the main cast is mostly Asian.
Anna May Wong was actually set to return to Hollywood with the role of Auntie Liang in Flower ...
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This dichotomy reinforces the orientalist notion of the West as male and the East as the female.
But, despite these differences, they both share a crucial value: preserving the patriarchal system,
even if it results in their own commodification. When analyzed in the barest of terms, both of these
women want to get married, and their actions steer them towards that objective. Incidentally, in
striving toward that goal, they become things, not people. Mei Li allows herself to be inspected like
an animal or manufactured product, and Linda's song "I Enjoy Being a Girl" places the utmost
importance on her appearance, not her personality or intellect.
Race Representation and the Generation Gap
One way that representation of race manifests itself in Flower Drum Song is through a generation
gap: the older versus newer generation. If we compare Ta to his father, there is a clear distinction in
both their dress and their speech. Ta wears American suits and ties while Master Wang wears
stereotypical Chinese garb. He even "accidentally" burns his suit when he is forced to wear one.
Wang also holds on to a more traditional way of doing things. He is hesitant to put his money in the
bank, and when his sister in–law finally convinces him to do so, he is unaware of how to behave in
such a contemporary western setting and sets off the alarm, momentarily creating a frenzy. His
scenes with his younger son are

The Rebirth Of American Musical Theatre Essay
Two great writers of American musical theatre, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, had
one idea in common. They wanted to present to the American public a new and revolutionary
musical that would stand out above the rest. They wanted to make an impact on the societies of the
era. They wanted to be creative and do something that was considered rebellious. When they finally
combined their ideas together they created an American masterpiece in musical theatre: Oklahoma!.
It was the first Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration, starting the most successful creative
partnership in the history of American musical theatre.
According to Joseph Swain in his book The Broadway Musical: A Critical and Musical Survey,
there are a number of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
has been recognized as a new kind of musical play that denied its Broadway audiences many of
their most treasured traditions, says David Ewen in American Musical Theatre. There was no
opening chorus line, no chorus until midway through the first act, in fact. There was rather a serious
ballet and other serious overtones, including a killing in act two. The story, which was so simple,
seemed to engage the audience in more than mere evening diversion. (248) These changes, far from
disappointing to viewers, were upheld by a success that had never been seen in the history of
musical theatre.
He continued to say that with their first collaboration, Rodgers and Hammerstein ushered in a new
era for the musical theatre. This beautiful folk play realized fully that which the earlier Rodgers and
Hart musicals had been striving to obtain: a synchronization of all the elements of the musical
theatre into a single entity. At best Oklahoma! could lay legitimate claim to have carefully woven a
new element, dance, into the artful fabric of the modern musical. No longer would singers sing and
then go into their dance, a purely decorative dance at that. (248)
Dance was not a new element in the theatre realm. It had been used for years as a way of
interpretation of feelings of a character that the writer or director wanted the audience to feel
visually. Through movement, expression of those feelings was portrayed and helped the audience to
somewhat

Richard Rodgers And Oscar Hammerstein's Impact On American...
Essay 2: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's impact on American Musical is unfathomable.
Their methods are still praised to this day, and idealized when creating a musical today. Their
formula for musicals was that the song was the servant of the play. They would create the music to a
play first, then let the plot follow. They did not need to capture crowds like other musicals by
getting a known star to be on their show. Their shows were a mixture plots with mature themes, and
all aspects of the play, dance, song, and drama were combined into a whole. What was very
important bout the duo, is they sincerely believed in what they wrote. They liked to embrace life's
simple truths as their themes. This is seen in all of their musicals like

Richard Rodgers's Life And Accomplishments
Richard Rodgers' journey began June 28, 1902, when he was born in Queens, New York. His first
copyrighted song was The Auto Show Girl which he wrote when he was 14, the year of 1916, and
by the age of 15 he had already chosen his profession as theater. His first partnership in music was
with a man by the name of Lorenz Hart. This partnership began when Rodgers was only at the age
of 16. Rodgers began a career that would take off after he wrote his first breakthrough hit,
Manhattan in 1925. Years later he came out with many more amazing hits that included Blue Moon
(1932), Isn't It Romantic? (1932), Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (1940), and My Funny
Valentine (1937). These were only some of his works, by the end of his career, he had written 40
Broadway musicals, one Broadway play, three London musicals, 10 original movie musicals, two
television musicals, the scores for two television documentaries, a ballet, and one nightclub revue.
He also survived cancer of the jaw and a laryngectomy, his life had to come to an end. The great
Richard Rodgers died at the age of 77 in 1979, and even though he has passed on, it is said ... Show
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Oscar Hammerstein II was born July, 1895. He went to Columbia University and wrote his own play
called The Light which was produced by his uncle. This play was not very popular but later he
would write better works that would make him the great librettist he is known for. He found success
with Wildflower which was produced in 1923. He even more success with Rose Marie in 1924 and
later wrote Show Boat in the year of 1925. Countless of his musicals were shown
on Broadway, on tours, and in professional, academic, and in amateur theaters around the world.
He divorced Myra Finn in 1929 and remarried Dorothy Blanchard Jacobson. Later in his life,
Hammerstein sadly died of stomach cancer in the city of , on August 23, 1960 in Doylestown,

Oklahoma Pop Culture
Oklahoma! the musical, released in 1943, proved to be one of the most successful musicals of its
time, holding nearly 2,212 performances before closing fifteen years after its opening. Despite its
folk culture and overall simplicity, the classic love–triangle story between Curly McLain, Laurey
Williams, and Jud Fry proved to be just what America wanted and needed. An analysis of the
historical time period during which Oklahoma! the musical was created reveals a direct link
between the show's music and American culture. Using 1940s American ideals as a lens through
which to view society, I will examine the role of family, gender–roles, and heroism in helping to
shape American identity during War War II. The Need for an American Opera During World War II,
America strived to differentiate itself from the "evil" European Axis powers and present itself to the
world as a democratic superpower. This desire to create a national identity and culture was reflected
not just in politics, but also in art and in music. Up until this point, American music, and specifically
opera, was largely influenced by European ideals and was regarded as a purely European art form.
Composer Virgil Thomson once received a letter from a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The New York Times once quoted Rodgers saying that Oklahoma was "neither an opera nor an
operetta." Rodgers' believed that the music strayed too far from traditional opera to be considered
opera, and yet the show was more than just a musical because of its integrated storytelling. Prior to
the release of Oklahoma!, American storytelling through art was fairly segregated. For example,
operas at the Metropolitan Opera house showcased music and acting, while American ballets
showcased music and dance. Oklahoma!, however, was one of the first musicals to integrate
elements of all three: music, acting, and

Carousel Analysis
The Poor Will Have Their Music
"Won't we have any music? Not one blasted note." This conversation between our anti–protagonist,
Billy Bigelow and the delinquent Jigger Craigin describes the class divide between the rich and
poor. According to Jigger, even in heaven the rich get the prosperity and the poor still suffer just as
they always have. The penniless have historically been at the bottom of the social order, struggling
to provide for their family and looked down upon by the upper echelon of society. In almost all of
Rodgers and Hammerstein's works the duo explore and promote the tolerance and acceptance of
differences such as race differences and class differences. Their musical, Carousel is no exception.
In Carousel, Rodgers and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Mullin. She attempts to persuades him with her wealth and the promise of her "ruby ring" to leave
Julie so that he can come back to her carousel and be a barker. Although Billy refuses, she still uses
his lack of wealth and social standing in order to manipulate him. Moreover, these two are unsavory
examples of the abuses of power and wealth against even the stereotypical, unlikeable Billy.
In addition, within the soliloquy, Billy becomes more dynamic though his motivations. Billy doesn't
like being the stereotype, for he wishes more for his unborn child than to be a "bum" like him. In
fact, the motivation behind the robbery is so that his child may have a better life, and the "best that
money can buy." Being poor erks Billy, but he accepts it as he said "money think I'm dead."
However, when it comes to his child, Billy wants, he or she to have a better life since he
understands the difficulties of living without the luxuries and status that come with wealth.
Moreover, the motivation behind the robbery isn't for personal wealth, but prosperity for his child. If
he wanted personal wealth he could have taken Mullin's offer or agree to the robbery with Jigger
when the offer was first made. But no, it is only after he knows Julie is pregnant that he accepts.
Rodgers and Hammerstein craft his soliloquy with expert care in order to make the despicable Bill,
a round anti protagonist that the audience can support and find

Cultural Characteristics Of Musical Theater
Richard Kihm
10/16/17
MUTH 130
Professor Kolb
What is Musical Theater?
It is not Shakespeare, nor is it Opera. It has been called Minstrel Show, Burlesque, Vaudeville,
Extravaganza, Operetta, Musical Comedy, Musical Revue, Musical Theatre and it has been
described in a variety of terms including "Low Brow" and "Middle Brow" but never "High Brow." It
had also been praised and condemned for its broad cultural connections and appeal. Although
Musical Theatre is not a Shakespearean or Operatic subcategory. It was highly inspired by many
Operas and theatrical iambic pentameter and phrases of the great Shakespeare himself. For example,
Rent was inspired by La Boheme and Miss Saigon was inspired by Madame Butterfly. As a result,
They sparked the beginning of the amazing cultural phenomenon of Musical Theater. Vaudeville is a
type of show and entertainment that was very popular within the United states during the early 20th
century, that had a mixture of special acts such as burlesque comedy and song and dance. Burlesque
is a comical work that is usually something highly embellished, or a pastiche of some kind. It is
often found that many Burlesque works usually had a striptease of some sort. In the beginning–
showing legs was considered profane and highly scandalous yet was highly entertaining for many
people. Minstrel shows were a shameful form of entertainment that had begun to rise in the 1840's.
With this came the creation of "Black Face." Black face is when white men would

Comparison Of Richard Rodgers And Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers, composer and Oscar Hammerstein II librettist/lyricist joined forces in 1943 to
create the most consistently productive and successful partnership in the American musical theatre.
Oklahoma!, the first Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, was also the first of a new genre, the musical
play, blending Rodgers' sophisticated style of musical comedy with Hammerstein's innovations in
operetta. A milestone in the development of the American musical, it also marked the beginning of
the most successful partnership in Broadway musical history, and was followed by Carousel,
Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Flower Drum Song and The
Sound of Music (Rodgers). Within Rodgers and Hammerstein's show, South Pacific it has an
underlying theme dealing with race. Rodgers and Hammerstein instilled a social change dealing
with racism through, insistence on including a message about racial tolerance within South Pacific
and how it is directly dealing with miscegenation and its tragic after–effects in the 20th century
South.
When South Pacific first opened in the spring of 1949, the war was still fresh in the memory of all
who saw it. Since its opening in 1949, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize winning musical
South Pacific ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rodgers and Hammerstein's insistence on including a message about racial tolerance in a
commercial Broadway play a number of years before the civil rights movement. South Pacific
marks a moment when musical theatre was striving to distance itself from its commercial roots and
to redefine itself instead as art (Most). As the quintessential example of what mid–century critics
called "middle–of–the–road" culture, South Pacific sits uncomfortably between the "low" culture of
Tin Pan Alley and the "high" culture of legitimate theatre and

Carmen Jones: The Representation Of African-American Culture
In the beginning stages of production, Carmen Jones garnered negative reception first by using a
black actress in the staring role. While a box office hit, the film was criticized for adhering to a logic
of segregation that situates black representations within idealized often–rural landscapes and/or of
any larger social context. In the 1940s, Hollywood was under pressure by the NAACP (National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People) to cast a black woman in a non–stereotypical
role in hopes of assimilating black culture into mainstream fields. Up to that time, a fair number of
African–American actresses were offered roles where they were portrayed in subservient positions
as mammies, maids, and whores or as exotic/primitive examples of sexual desire in ... Show more
Hammerstein (1895–1960) was an avid liberal who challenged cultural norms and along with his
partner Richard Rodgers (1902–79), used the theatre to tackle issues of racism and cultural bias.
Preminger, sharing views similar to Hammerstein, directed films that challenged Hollywood's
production codes and the system's stigmas about societal taboos and controversies surrounding race
and representation (fig 12). This notion of respectable blacks "emulating white middle–class values"
versus blacks that "rebel" in the film represented the broader issues of race in Hollywood and in
America. The film premiered the same year as the ruling verdict of Brown vs. Board of Education in
which the judicial system ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. The release also
coincided with the emergence of the civil rights movement, which outraged several members as they
felt the film reinforced the fashioning of black women as a "sexual wanton". To avoid further
controversy, 20th Century Fox (who produced the film) donated proceeds to the

The Musical Replaced Broadway, By Oscar Rodgers
. Broadway which was the king of entertainment for such along time became replaced by the
musical once the country became settled and well appointed after the war. Musicals became part of
the American culture and also increased its boundary lines past the Theatre District. Technology also
had a major impact on the musical, because it made it easier for folks to see their favorite Broadway
performers right from their own living rooms. One of the reasons why I think the musical replaced
Broadway is because shows before were focused on the musical comedy, but then all of a sudden
musical comedy was dropped which then allowed for their to be a focus on the character
development.
2. In 1943, Rodgers couldn't convince his partner Hart to start ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Hammerstein and Rodgers agreed that Hammerstein would write the lyrics to the play and that
Rodgers would set the lyrics into the music. Before the play even started Rodgers and Hammerstein
were faced with a serious question which was, how they could evoke a pioneer spirit of the turn–of–
the–century Oklahoma. The play Oklahoma is about a pair of lovers who are named Curly and
Laurey, the lovers can't figure out how to tell each other that they love each other. There is turmoil
in the story because there is a character named Jud, who is a worker at Laurey home. Judd also
confesses that he has feeling for Laurey. Oklahoma was able to resonate with the audience because,
it was a personal story that was centered around its characters.
4. Some of the theatrical breakthroughs that made Oklahoma so special was the use of dance as a
means to advance the story, which was one of the things that distinguished them from other
musicals.
5. Oklahoma was very important during the war effort, fighting men who were shipping out of New
York city had trouble getting a ticket to see Oklahoma. Oklahoma made people feel prouder that
they were American and that they could go through anything including the war. For many soldiers it
was the last play that they saw before they departed for war. It gave soldiers a sense of security that
they were going to be alright during there hard times, just like the settlers who settled into the west.
6. The follow–up musical to Oklahoma for Rogers

Heroism In Oklahoma Play
Heroism In addition to promoting gender–roles, Oklahoma! helped to further shape American
identity through its portrayal of Curly McLain as an American Hero. Curly is portrayed as a
hardworking, persistent cowboy who is willing to sacrifice all that he owns to win the girl that he
loves. Despite his admirable qualities, Curly is far from perfect and simultaneously portrays
aggressive and violent behavior. At the end of the play, in an attempt to protect Laurey, Curly
commits murder, but gets his actions excused by the judge. This scene is often paralleled to the
Allied powers in World War II who were still considered "good" despite some of their terrible
actions against others. On the other hand, many scholars parallel Jud Fry to the ... Show more
opened on March 31st, 1943 and received an overwhelming amount of support. The show was well
known and well–loved for its simplicity, its beautiful music, and for its unique American identity.
Joan Roberts, the original Laurey, once said "The applause was so deafening, and it continued and
continued. We repeated two encores, and we stood there, until they stopped applauding." Before the
show opened, however, many doubted the success of a musical that strayed so far from the norms of
the time. One of the shows own producers reportedly left one of their preview nights saying, "no
legs, no jokes, no chance." At the time, the standard for a Broadway show included flashy numbers,
risky dancing, and dirty jokes. Oklahoma! contained the exact opposite of these things: simple
melodies, folk dancing, and an emphasis on purity. Nevertheless, the show was a big success,
captivating the hearts of Americans both at home and abroad. While they were not the Broadway
norm for the time, these ideals of purity and simplicity aligned with the American identity of the
time, the identify that America was striving to

Oklahoma ! Analysis
In 1943, the musical Oklahoma!, by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, influenced the
artistic style of American musical theatre. The integration of music, book, dance, and design
provided a new foundation for the future of Broadway. The musical illustrates the 1940s lifestyle by
capturing the essence of rural America during World War II. Americans were at their rock bottom, as
the Great Depression wiped them of all things good. Additionally, some of the most vivid and abrupt
changes in the history of American civilization occurred, reshaping society forever. America at war
and eight million Americans unemployed in the continuing depression, feared for safety of loved
ones abroad fighting for freedom. These things affected American life intensely in 1940s. (Brinkley,
1994). Fortunately, Oklahoma! gave people the opportunity to escape from the real world for the
duration of the show.
Escaping current events might be found in the company of neighbors, but for New York theatre
audiences, witnessing Oklahoma! put its viewers into a far removed realm for the time being. One
might question if the events and activities the musical replicated for American society were
intentional or not; however, given that musical theatre has the ability to convey relatable
circumstances between the characters and the audience, it would not be a reach to assume the
musical did this intentionally. Oklahoma! helped the American people grasp onto serenity, and even
a bit of nostalgia, if only for

Richard Rodgers And Hammerstein: The Most Famous Composers
So famous are the classic musicals he created as part of not one but two of America's most
celebrated songwriting duos, that his name is rarely heard or seen alone. More commonly it's linked
to the name of one of his lyricist–partners, either Lorenz "Larry" Hart or Oscar Hammerstein,
because it's as the musical half of both Rodgers & Hart as well as Rodgers & Hammerstein that
Richard Rodgers is best known. Without him, the Broadway musical as we know it would have been
something else entirely; his work forever changed its course. It's a body of work that is astounding
for its greatness and lasting power and also for the sheer volume of it, an output unrivaled by any
other Broadway composer: some 40 Broadway musicals (26 with Hart and nine with Hammerstein),
one Broadway play, three London musicals (all with Hart), 10 original movie musicals (nine with
Hart, one with Hammerstein), two television ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of the first songs they wrote, and the first one to be published, was "Any Old Place With You,"
which was used in the 1919 show A Lonely Romeo. All of their first songs were written for various
Broadway revues which were more vaudevillian than dramatic; loosely–linked presentations of
songs, dances and comic routines. But in 1925, Rodgers & Hart created their own show Dearest
Enemy that instead of being a revue was a "musical play," a show with a narrative progression in
which the songs fit and furthered the plot. The subject was a serious one: the American Revolution.
It was the first of many successful musicals the team would create. Next came Garrick Gaieties, also
in 1925, followed by A Connecticut Yankee and Evergreen. Rodgers & Hart were then lured West to
write for films and spent four years in Hollywood writing songs which were featured in such movies
as Love Me Tonight, with Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier; Hallelujah, I'm a Bum!, with
Al Jolson; and The Phantom President, starring George M.

The Dynamic Partnership Of Richard Rodgers And Oscar...
The dynamic partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein are often considered to have
fathered of the "golden age" of musical theater; a distinct and radical departure in musical story
telling that had not previously been conceived. Their first venture, Oklahoma!, was inspired by the
1931 stage play, Green Grow the Lilacs, by Cherokee author, poet, and playwright, Rollie Lynn
Riggs. Despite the success of this musical adaptation, one must consider Oklahoma! in relation to its
source material; although Rodgers and Hammerstein proved to redefine the genre, the eventual
product was radically different from the play on which it was based. The changes made by the duo
induce an entirely different tone, presenting the audience with a whitewashed display, rather than
Rigg's childhood observations of the social, legal and cultural changes that took place in the midst
of Oklahoma's impending statehood. Richard Charles Rodgers was born on June 28th, 1902 in
Queens, New York to respected physician Dr. William Abrahams Rodgers and wife Mamie (née
Levy). In his autobiography, Musical Stages, he confesses that, despite being born into a German–
Jewish household, the death of his grandmother marked the "end of orthodox Judaism" in his family
(pg. 4). He continues, "From that time on, my parents, my brother, and I were Jewish for socioethnic
reasons rather than because of any deep religious conviction" (pg. 4). Though Rodgers formal
training of the piano began at age six, his

Sound Of Music, Oklahoma !, The King And I, Carousel And...
Many people have probably heard of a musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. They wrote the music
and lyrics for many theatre classics, including The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, The King and I,
Carousel and South Pacific. Since their collaboration in the 1940's and 1950's, their musicals have
been viewed by many, and their songs have become classics. Although they were not the only
innovators in musical theatre, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote many popular musicals,used new
techniques, and won many awards; therefore, they left a lasting imprint on the theatrical world. The
successful collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II began when their
relationships with other composers and lyricists began to fail. In 1920, the two met ... Show more
The first musical they wrote together was Oklahoma. Though Walter Winchell said "No gags, no
girls, no chance," Rodgers and Hammerstein knew that Oklahoma would be a hit. Rodgers' wife left
him a note on his pillow one day after rehearsal that said: "Darling, this is the best musical show I've
ever seen." Oklahoma premiered on Broadway on March 31, 1943, and it ran 2,212 performances
over five years. After its time on Broadway, Oklahoma went on an 11–year national tour. In 1955,
Oklahoma was made into a film. The most famous songs from this show are "Oh, What a Beautiful
Mornin'", "People Will Say We're in Love", "Surrey With the Fringe on Top", and "Oklahoma!"
After the astounding success of Oklahoma, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote the musical Carousel.
Carousel was based on Ferenc Molnár's play Liliom. It is about the separate yet connected love plots
of Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan and Carrie Pipperidge and Enoch Snow, and it includes hits such
as "You'll Never Walk Alone", "If I Loved You", and "June is Bustin' Out All Over." Carousel
opened on Broadway on April 19, 1945. It ran for 890 performances and closed on May 24, 1947. In
1956, a film version was made; it starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, the same stars as the
film version of Oklahoma. Next, the musical State Fair was written. It premiered as a film in 1945.
This was

Richard Rogers Research Paper
Richard Rogers
Richard Charles Rodgers was a great composer. He learned to play the piano as a toddler. Rodgers
inherited his love of the theater from his family. He composed his first melody at summer camp. By
the age of 15, he had chosen musical theater as his profession. In 1918 Rodgers was thrilled to be
accepted to Columbia University, where he would write for the school's famous Varsity Show, an
annual production. Richard Rogers's elder brother, Mortimer, with whom he had rivaled as a kid,
ended up being the conduit for the famed partnerships of Richard's future career. At an early Varsity
Show, Mortimer introduced the young Richard to Oscar Hammerstein II. Richard Rogers was a
great composer.
Oscar Hammerstein
Oscar Hammerstein II was an amazing songwriter. His family worked in the theater. Hammerstein's
father managed a vaudeville theater, and his grandfather was a famed opera singer. At the age of
nine he began his piano ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Their collaboration began in 1942. Their partnership would last until Hammerstein's death in 1960.
Hammerstein was the writer and lyricist and Rogers was in charge of the music. In 1943 Rodgers
and Hammerstein had a hit right out of the starting gate with Oklahoma!, the musical was so great
that it won a Pulitzer Prize. In 1950, the duo scored a second Pulitzer with the musical South
Pacific. Rodgers and Hammerstein were a powerhouse, transforming Broadway and musical theater
by basing shows on plays and novels, using original dialogue and creating seamless storytelling,
from formats of speech to song. The duo had musicals that won Tony Awards and Best Musical
Score. During the 1940s and '50s the duo created some of the most enduring musicals of all time,
including Carousel, The King and I, The Sound of Music and South Pacific, which won the Pulitzer
Prize for Drama. After Oscar Hammerstein death, it was never the same. The two will always be

Musical Theatre As A Theatrical Performance
Musical Theatre is a theatrical performance when the story is told through dialogue, song, and
dance. Back then, people didn't Snap Chat, Face Time or watch TV for entertainment; they would go
to the Theatre for a night out, first date, etc. To give a more definitive description of how musicals
evolved, affected, and influenced throughout history, a time line of major musicals that defined
certain stages of Musical Theatre will probably help people understand what makes it so unique.
Now a quick history lesson, Musical Theatre technically was created in 5th Century BCE Ancient
Greece, when staged comedies and tragedies would be told with a bit music and dance...but
Musicals didn't fully emerge into the world until the early 20th Century when the art form went to
London, England, and then to America, which formed the famous theatre district, Broadway. Now
that the basics are covered of where Musical Theatre came from, this paper is more about how
Broadway Musicals evolved into what they are in present day, how people have reacted to such
performances, and how musical theatre has impacted not only America, but also the world.
The first era of Musical Theatre actually started in the 1920's–1930's during the Great Depression.
This was a the first time there were musicals other than the fun, young, and enjoyable shows, the
first example of this would be the musical Show Boat, which premiered in December 1927, the
music was by Jerome Kern, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II,

Annie Get Your Gun Research Paper
"There's no business like show business, like no business I know." This a key lyric from the popular
musical Annie Get Your Gun. The musical brings the story of Annie Oakley and her time in Buffalo
Bill's Wild West shows to the stage. Oakley, the Wild West show, and the stage musical were all
important aspects of 19th Century theater and continue to be important to this day. In order to truly
understand the importance of Annie Oakley and how Annie Get Your Gun was written, first a
background of the Wild West shows that brought her fame is needed. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody
was born on February 26th, 1846 in Iowa. He earned his nickname "Buffalo Bill" after he killed
more than 4,000 buffalo in a span of eight months. Cody first got introduced to theater when he
performed in Ned Buntline's play called The Scouts of the Prairie. Cody ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Although Cody had a good relationship with Sioux warrior and chief Sitting Bull who was also part
of the show, portraying Native Americans as aggressive warriors wasn't exactly the best idea in the
dangerous time period they lived in. The Wild West show was very popular across the United States.
According to Paul Fees, the former curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum "In 1899, Buffalo Bill's Wild
West covered over 11,000 miles in 200 days giving 341 performances in 132 cities and towns across
the United States. In most places, there would be a parade and two two–hour performances."
(Center of the West). Cody could also be considered a pioneer of equal rights so to speak. It is said
that while there weren't as many women in the show as men, they were all payed equally. The shows
ran for 30 years and according to Paul Fees, "Although occasional revivals and adaptations are
staged in the United States and abroad, the era of the Wild West can conveniently be said to have
died in 1917 along

Racial Segregation Research Paper
Racial segregation in the United States continued even after the Civil War, in the form of laws
requiring separation of people by race and in the form of ubiquitous discrimination and widespread
social resistance to integration. But even during the height of racial segregation and discrimination,
people in the performing arts pushed their audiences to reconsider their prejudices and assumptions
regarding classification and disparate treatment of people based on race. Broadway's and
Hollywood's most famous musical theater writing team, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
Jr., both reflected and powerfully commented upon these racial tensions in two of their most famous
musicals: The King and I and South Pacific. These musicals reached immense ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In a time immediately after World War II, this show, set in Vanuatu during the war, was the answer
to American citizens' question, "How should we rebuild our country Socially aside from
economically?" This show differed from the King and I in many ways, including the fact that the
first couple shown in the show traveled to Vanuatu together instead of meeting there. South Pacific
was considered by many to be Rodgers and Hammerstien's greatest show, winning a Pulitzer Prize
for drama in 1950 as well as 10 Tony awards (The Broadway League), (Broadway Across America).
This Show, thanks to its immense popularity in the 1950's and 60's, had two revivals, including one
starring TV stars Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Morrison. Hammerstien stated that South Pacific is
inspired by James A. Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, and tells the story of Nellie Forbush and
Emile de Becque visiting the war–torn Vanuatu(Ewen). Even though this musical includes
unforgettable songs like "Some Enchanted Evening", "Bali Ha'i", and "Younger than Springtime"
(which was named #224 on TIME's Songs of the Century List), there is a very controversial song
about racism called "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught". In this song, Lt. Joseph Cable tells Nellie,
Emile, and the Audience (at that time) to be afraid of minorities. As the song

Sound Of Music Analysis
The Sound of Music debuted in 1965 thanks to the music of Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar
Hammerstein II, and direction of Robert Wise. The Sound of Music originally premiered on
Broadway in 1959, but Robert Wise produced and directed the 1965 film version. The lyrics
featured in the 1965 version are hardly changed from the original. The popularity of the 1965 film
allowed for the soundtrack to live a life of its own with many of the songs being released as singles.
Even the song "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" has recently been remixed for a State Farm
commercial. On the surface, the song seems to be a typical love song. Unfortunately, the song has
lyrics that covertly portray women in a negative light. These negative aspects were not uncommon
thoughts during the 1960s. In the 20th century, women were still seen as inferior to men. This idea is
accentuated by the way the male character treats his female love interest in the song. Oscar
Hammerstein's lyrics and Robert Wise's stage direction in "Sixteen Going on Seventeen"
purposefully echo the subconscious thought people had that women should have a lower status than
men in the workplace.
The Sound of Music is set in Salzburg, Austria in 1938, just prior to World War II. After the War,
there were women who were able to break into new careers. For the first time in history, there were
women who became commercial airline pilots and even a female tugboat captain. Despite the
tremendous opportunities afforded to women after the

South Pacific Thesis
Halli Herring Herring 1
Mrs. McCasland
Pre–AP English II
25 April 2017 South Pacific "South Pacific was a highly popular Broadway musical and hit movie. "
"The story for Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1949 musical South Pacific, is drawn from a Pulitzer–
prize– winning novel by James A. Michener, entitled Tales of the South Pacific, which dealt largely
with the issue of racism" (Kurtus). It is also considered by many people to be among the greatest
musicals of the twentieth century (Kurtus). The Broadway production won ten Tony Awards,
including four acting awards, and many of its songs went to have a life of their own outside of the
musical (Kurtus). The musical inspired a 1958 film adaption and has enjoyed many successful ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even though it hasn't been seen on Broadway since the first run closed, South Pacific has been
produced worldwide and made into two great films (Costa).
Herring 5
"The hunger for optimism is never in short supply these days. Walnut Street Theatre brings life to an
American classic in their current production of South Pacific under the direction of Charles Abbott,
with choreography by Michelle Gaudette" (Diehl). This great taste of paradise has more to offer
than escapism (Diehl). "The music was by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics were by Oscar
Hammerstein II, South Pacific begins unflinchingly as a parade of some of America's favorite show
tunes" (Diehl).
Lightening the mood is full of handsome Seabees helmed by the mischievous Fran Prisco (Luther
Billis). A very strong ensemble with a loud booming sound under the direction of John Daniels, they
delight in antagonizing local merchant Bloody Mary (Lori Ton Chinn) when they are not aging the
female nurses (Diehl). "While not a highly demanding ensemble show, everyone stationed on the
island brings a welcomed bit of uniqueness to the group making the landscape feel all the more
genuine"

Oklahoma By Oscar Hammerstein II And Richard Rodgers
Oklahoma! Is the first musical that was written by both Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers,
or commonly known as the pair "Rodgers and Hammerstein". Written in 1906 and produced in 1943
on Broadway; the pair wrote this musical revolving around the love stories of various people living
in Oklahoma territory when there was a very firm grip on gender roles, especially the presence of
male domination. Oklahoma! Supplies the audience with heavy acts of male domination in various
dance numbers like "The Farmer and the Cowman" songs; such as "Poor Jud is Dea", "Oh What a
Beautiful Mornin" and even disputes between cowboys and farmers. Oklahoma's patriotic love story
seems as if it was made to be viewed by people as an act of recreation, but also for people who want
to explore the time of frontier America where male dominance was heavily present. Set in the
Frontier of Oklahoma in the early 1900s, this musical tells the story of two pairs of lovers. Laurey,
is a farmer's daughter and Curly is a cowboy. Both of them are in a love/hate relationship with each
other and have a secret passion towards one another but won't admit it. Judd, who was hired by
Laurey to be a helper, tries to come between them. Meanwhile, Ado Annie is torn between Will, a
cowboy who very much loves her, and Ali Hakim, a peddler who 's a ladies man and does not like
commitment. During this time, the Box Social was almost near. The Box social was this huge
fundraising

Who Is Rodgers And Hammerstein: The Unstoppable Musical...
Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Unstoppable Musical Theatre Duo
When most people think of people that have had the most impact on musical theater a few names
come to mind like Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jerome Kern, and of course, Rodgers and Hammerstein.
This duo put on some of the greatest and most memorable musical theater pieces of all time. Their
techniques and composition skills are still taken seriously to this day and used on a regular basis by
composers. When Mark Lubbock speaks of Rodgers and Hammerstein in American Musical
Theatre: An Introduction, he says "The examples they set in creating vital plats, often rich with
social thought, provided the necessary encouragement for other gifted writes to create musical plays
their own." Through the individual influences and techniques of Rodgers and Hammerstein, this
legendary duo paved the foundation of musical theater that is still prominent today. ... Show more
They were able to revolutionize musicals by putting together such great works that are considered to
be classics today. Some of their most famous works include Oklahoma!, Cinderella, Carousel, and
The King and I. Rodgers and Hammerstein worked well together because Rodgers could take care
of composing the music and Hammerstein writing the lyrics. Their strengths complemented each
other's weaknesses and become the one of most influential duos in history. Not everyone believes in
what Rodgers and Hammerstein do which is called the musical formula. Some people believe that it
can be too predictable at times. They soon went from just being writers to becoming full time

The Song Ten Minutes Ago, Is From Rodgers And Hammerstein...
The song "Ten Minutes Ago" is from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. A musical adaption of
the classic fairytale by the same name, it became a musical sensation when Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein transformed it into a live musical television broadcast in 1957. Starring Julie
Andrews, it retold the fairytale of a young girl living a miserable life under the roof of her evil
stepmother and her three equally vicious stepsisters. With the Prince's Ball nearing, the four women
in her family were planning to go, leaving Cinderella at home on the night of the ball. When all
hope seemed lost, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appears, granting her wishes by transforming her
from rags to riches, and giving her a pair of glass slippers. Cinderella was able to go to the ball
unrecognized, under the condition to be home by midnight, when the spell wore off. At the ball, she
meets the prince and there is immediately chemistry, but she rushes to leave before the clock strikes
twelve, in fear of the prince seeing her for who she really was and being disgusted by her true self.
As she escapes the castle, she loses one of her glass shoes on the steps of the castle. Leaving it
behind, she makes it home without being seen by anyone, and resumes her life as a poor girl being
abused by her family. The next day, the prince announces a search for Cinderella, not knowing her
name or remembering her face. He went around town and asked women to try on the glass shoe,
believing that he would

Essay on Oklahoma
Show: Oklahoma Date: 1930's (Movie 1950's)
Music by: Richard Rodgers Book by: Oscar Hammerstein II
Lyrics by: Oscar Hammerstein II Choreography by: Agnes de Mille
Location and time of story: 1930's Oklahoma
Principal Characters:
Curly – tenor
Laurey – Soprano
Ali Hakim – Speaking part
Jud Fry – ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
; Curly, Laurey, and Aunt Eller
"Kansas City" Will Parker (song/dance)
"I Cain't Say No" Ado Annie Carnes
"I Cain't Say No" Will Parker and Ado Annie Carnes
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" Reprise with group
"People Will Say We're in Love" Curly and Laurey
"Poor Jud is Daid" Curly and Jud Fry
"Out of My Dreams/Ballet" Laurey (song/dance)
"All er

1940S Theatre History

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