The document discusses how musicals have changed across different time periods from Ancient Greek theatre to modern rock musicals. In Ancient Greece between 550-220 BC, musical plays were performed in open-air theatres for religious festivals and focused on myths and the gods. By the 18th century, Ballad Operas emerged in England and used songs within sentimental plays, targeting both upper and middle classes. Musical halls became popular in the 1830s as variety entertainment for all classes. Vaudeville shows in the late 19th to early 20th century featured many unrelated acts to entertain audiences of all statuses. Rock musicals originated in the 1960s and used rock music to differentiate from traditional musical plays.

1. How Musicals have Changed In
Different Periods Of Time
The Greece Theatre 550 and 220BC
Almost every Greek city had
a theatre because plays were
part of many religious
festivals. The Greeks
enjoyed singing and
dancing. At first, theatres
were only used for festivals
and as time had the Greece’s were more into theatre
plays and they were mainly into comedy and tragedies.
Socially their target audience were only men and they
wore female costumes to represent women as women
were not allowed out to go outside or even take part in
plays.
Their storylines were mostly about festivals and Gods –
superstitious plays, however they mostly enjoyed
watching comedy and tragedy plays. One of the most
famous plays the Greeks enjoyed watching was ‘The
Persians’ and this play was for a tragedy play. For the
comedy play the Greek enjoyed watching ‘The
Acharnians’
The theatres were built on hillsides in the open air and
could often hold more than 18,000 spectators this meant
their voice would echo and the audience were able to
hear what the actors were saying. Plays were usually
performed at day time as it was daylight.

2. The technologies they used were candles, weapons made
out of wood and some few pieces of metals, they used
mask to show their emotions designed on the mask as
the masks showed facial expression of the actor’s feelings
also they used musical instruments such as Greek Lyre,
Greek Aulos, Greek harps, Greek Sistrums and Greek
didgeridoo.
Their clothing had a massive impact on their plays
because at that time of period actors wore bright colours
for comedies and for tragedies they wore dark colours to
represent their feeling though dull and mysterious
colours.
Ballad Opera 18th Century
Ballad Opera originated in
England in the early 18th
century. Furthermore the
Ballad Opera used a verity
of different combinations
which were of sentimental
plays with musical
numbers which was very popular and another one was
the comic combination.
As time had changed from the ancient Greek musical
theatres in 550 and 220BC to ballad opera. It changed in
many ways as their target audience were unisex meaning
male and females were allowed to go watch the plays,
even better for women during the 18th century as they
could act in front of a massive audience. Ballad opera
mainly aimed at upper classes who were very rich also

3. they aimed at middle class as they could afford to go and
watch a musical play.
One of the very most famous, earliest Ballad Opera is
‘The Beggar’s Opera’ which came out in 1728 and it was
written by John Gay. The Ballad Opera was the first only
opera which came out in 1728.
Technology was very advanced during the 18th century
Ballad Opera as they used lots of instruments such as;
Different types of costumes with very dark colours and
light colours which were not too colourful but very
formal. Most actors wore wigs to show the status of the
character.
Musical Halls 1830’s
Most music halls were used
for some performances and
practices. It wasn’t only for
rich people, however in
Greek Theatre and Ballad
opera it was more for the
affluent audience as they
would not mind paying for any type of
entertainment/Also the purpose of music halls were for a
variety of performance but Greek theatres and ballad
opera focused on plays with different scenarios to show
feeling by singing and dancing to spoken dialogue.
The development of cinema’s, the radio, and the
cheapening of things like the gramophone lowered the

4. popularity of music halls greatly. It now had to compete
with Jazz, Swing and Big Band dance music.
Musical halls were for a variety of different acts and
many people found them very entertaining, as time
passed by there were many changes took place as
musical halls were also open for the lower class, however
they were seated away from the wealthier people,
furthermore musical halls were a place for many people
to go and socialise with and it was for males and females
to and get entertained by the performers.
Vaudeville 20th Century
Vaudeville was originally the
term for a light song. At the
end of the nineteenth
century this form of
entertainment was adapted
for the stage in France,
England, and the United
States.
Vaudeville was very popular in the United States from
the 1890s until the early 1930s which consisted of 10 to
15 individual unrelated acts which were featuring
magicians, acrobats, comedians, trained animals,
jugglers, singers, and dancers.
Even today vaudeville is still the most entertaining in the
United States than anywhere else in the world.
The target audience for vaudeville was very simple, easy
and clever as anyone were allowed regardless of statues

5. or whether if they were female, this was very interesting
as both the upper and lower classes were being
entertained under one roof. It was clever as they made
money through the poor and the rich so they targeted at
anyone who they thought would be very interested by
vaudeville entertainment, however children or young
teenagers were not allowed to go and watch the show as
it was not suitable for their age.
Rock Musicals 20th-21st century
Rock musical started in the
20th century, this type of
musical is very different to
other musicals as the music
of this musical is rock, this
makes the musical very
different to other musical
plays.
There are many famous rock musicals such as; 'Hair',
'Grease', 'Rent', 'Next To Normal' and other more famous
hits. The Rock Musical became an important part of the
musical theatres in the late 1960's with the very famous
rock musical hit show called 'Hair'. 'Hair' premiered in
1967 as the first production staged at the Public Theatre,
then very rapidly it moved to Broadway in October 1968.
Below are some examples of the most famous rock
musicals.