What Are the 4 Types of Musical Theatre?

Musical Theatre|Theater

Musical theatre has been around for centuries, and over the years it has grown to encompass many different styles and forms. While the core elements of musical theatre remain the same, there are four distinct types that have developed: traditional musical theatre, rock musicals, jukebox musicals, and revues.

Traditional Musical Theatre

The most popular type of musical theatre is traditional musical theatre. It typically follows a linear narrative structure, with a storyline that is driven by song and dance numbers.

It includes elements like duets and ensemble numbers, as well as large-scale production numbers. Examples of traditional musicals include “The Sound of Music”, “West Side Story”, “The Music Man” and “My Fair Lady”.

Rock Musicals

Rock musicals are a more modern type of musical theatre. Instead of using traditional show tunes as their soundtrack, they use rock music to tell their stories.

These shows often have more edgy themes and explore contemporary issues, such as teenage angst or drug use. Examples of rock musicals include “Rent” and “American Idiot”.

Jukebox Musicals

Jukebox musicals take pre-existing pop songs from past eras and use them to tell a story. They usually don’t have an original score or script; instead they rely on existing songs to drive the narrative forward.

Examples of jukebox musicals include “Mamma Mia!”, “Jersey Boys” and “We Will Rock You”.

Revues

Revues are not really considered a form of true musical theatre; they are more like variety shows featuring a series of unrelated songs by various artists or composers. They don’t necessarily have a plot or storyline; rather they are simply collections of songs that are performed in sequence. Examples of revues include “A Chorus Line”, “Cabaret” and “Fosse”.

Conclusion:
Musical theatre has evolved over time to encompass four distinct types: traditional musical theatre, rock musicals, jukebox musicals and revues. Each type offers its own unique style and approach to storytelling through song and dance.