Vaudeville was a popular form of entertainment in North America, beginning in the late 19th century and lasting until the 1930s. It was a variety show, combining a variety of performers such as comedians, dancers, jugglers, singers, and acrobats. Vaudeville had a major influence on the development of musical theatre in the early 20th century.
The most obvious influence that vaudeville had on musical theatre is its incorporation of music into the performance. Vaudeville shows often featured singers and musicians who would perform popular songs to entertain the audience. This helped to introduce audiences to different styles of music, from jazz and ragtime to blues and show tunes. The impact of vaudeville was so strong that many musical theatre composers such as George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter first got their start in vaudeville.
Vaudeville also influenced the structure of musical theatre by introducing acts with multiple scenes that all revolved around a single theme or story.
This enabled composers to combine multiple songs into one cohesive piece that told an engaging story or explored different topics. The integration of dialogue into musical numbers was also borrowed from vaudeville shows, allowing for more complex storytelling than could be achieved with just song.
Vaudeville also had an influence on the choreography used in musicals. Choreographers drew from elements of traditional vaudeville dances such as “cakewalks” and “breakaways” for inspiration when creating their routines for musicals. This helped to give musicals a unique look and feel that set them apart from other types of stage performances.
Overall, it is clear that vaudeville played an important role in shaping what we know today as modern musical theatre. It introduced audiences to new styles of music and provided composers with an opportunity to explore different themes and stories through song. Furthermore, its influence can still be seen today in many aspects of choreography used in contemporary productions.
Conclusion
Vaudeville played an essential role in shaping the development of modern-day musical theatre by introducing audiences to new styles of music, incorporating dialogue into song numbers for more complex storytelling, and inspiring choreographers with traditional dance moves. Its legacy lives on today through its continued influence on both traditional and contemporary productions.
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