What Is an Example of a Play in the 1980’s That Illustrates New Developments in Musical Theatre?

Musical Theatre|Theater

The 1980s saw a plethora of new developments in the world of musical theatre. In particular, there was a great emphasis placed on incorporating elements of popular culture into the genre, often in the form of rock or pop music.

This allowed for a greater range of stories to be told, and also enabled writers to explore more complex themes. One example of a play from the 1980s that illustrates this new trend is “Dreamgirls”.

The Broadway smash hit “Dreamgirls” was first produced in 1981 and follows the story of three black female singers as they navigate their way through the music industry in search of fame and fortune. What made this production stand out was its use of popular music styles such as R&B, soul, funk and disco. This not only gave the show an up-to-date sound but also allowed for an exploration into more serious topics such as racial inequality, sexism and exploitation.

The success of “Dreamgirls” inspired a wave of other musicals to follow suit, with writers incorporating aspects from popular culture into their work in an effort to make it more accessible to wider audiences. One example is “Little Shop Of Horrors”, which debuted on Broadway in 1982 and featured a variety of rock and pop songs alongside its humorous storyline about a nerdy florist who discovers an alien plant with an insatiable appetite for human blood. The use of rock music helped to give the show an edgy feel that had not been seen before in musical theatre, while also allowing for some darkly comic moments throughout.

The 1980s saw many other musicals that incorporated aspects from popular culture into their works, such as “Cats”, “Les Miserables” and “Phantom Of The Opera”. All three were hugely successful at the box office but what they all had in common was their use of pop or rock music to tell their stories. This allowed them to explore more complex themes than had been done before while also connecting with wider audiences due to their familiarity with these genres.

In conclusion, “Dreamgirls” is an example from the 1980s that illustrates new developments in musical theatre by incorporating elements from popular music into its narrative. It paved the way for other shows such as “Little Shop Of Horrors” and “Cats” that followed suit by using rock or pop songs alongside their storylines in order to create something unique and exciting that resonated with audiences both old and new.

What Is an Example of a Play in the 1980’s That Illustrates New Developments in Musical Theatre?

An example from the 1980s that illustrates new developments in musical theatre would be “Dreamgirls”. This Broadway smash hit used elements from popular culture such as R&B, soul, funk and disco music to tell its story while exploring themes such as racial inequality, sexism and exploitation.