The Golden Age of Musical Theatre is widely considered to be the period between the 1920’s and 1960’s. This era brought about some of the most iconic and beloved musicals of all time, such as The King and I, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story.
A great deal of credit for the success of this era goes to Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter. These composers combined elements from jazz, blues, classical music, and ragtime to create a new style of music that would revolutionize theater for generations to come.
The musical that most historians consider to have started the Golden Age was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. This musical was released in 1943 and was groundbreaking in many ways.
It featured a fully integrated plot with both music and dialogue, as well as realistic dialogue that advanced the story rather than simply providing exposition. The show also presented a more complete picture of American life than had been seen before on Broadway with its wide spectrum of characters from different backgrounds.
The success of Oklahoma! not only ushered in the Golden Age but influenced many other composers to follow suit in creating fully-integrated musicals that propelled storytelling forward while also delivering memorable songs that audiences connected with. Rodgers and Hammerstein were credited with pioneering a new form of theatrical production that was both commercial and artistic in nature.
Conclusion:
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! is widely recognized as the musical that started the Golden Age of Musical Theatre during the mid-20th century.
It featured a fully-integrated plot with both music and dialogue, realistic dialogue, a wide variety of characters from different backgrounds, memorable songs, commercial success, and artistic quality. All these elements combined made it an unprecedented success on Broadway which helped pave way for future generations to enjoy some of the most iconic musicals ever produced.