American musical theatre originated in the 19th century, and has since become an important part of American culture and entertainment. The roots of musical theatre can be traced back to the minstrel shows of the early 1800s.
These shows featured white performers in blackface, singing popular songs and performing comedic skits. Minstrel shows were hugely popular in the United States throughout the 19th century, but they are now widely viewed as offensive.
The first true American musical theatre production was The Black Crook, which opened on September 12, 1866 in New York City. This show was a spectacle that included more than 500 performers, elaborate costumes and scenery, and a story that combined elements of melodrama with music and dance. It was an instant success, running for 474 performances and setting off a wave of imitators across the country.
In 1877, The White Fawn became the first long-running Broadway musical. This show featured a score by composer Thomas Baker, who wrote some of the earliest original Broadway scores for such hits as Rob Roy, The Red Mill, and The Fortune Teller. This ushered in a new era of musical theatre that saw the rise of such legendary composers as Victor Herbert, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart.
By the early 20th century, American musical theatre had become a thriving industry with dozens of new shows opening each year on Broadway and elsewhere around the country. The 1920s saw a surge in popularity for musical comedies such as No No Nanette, while other genres such as operettas (e.g., Rose-Marie) and revues (e., George White’s Scandals) also flourished during this era.
Today, American musical theatre continues to be extremely popular with audiences around the world. Every year brings new productions to Broadway and beyond that entertain millions of people with their unique blend of music, dance, comedy, drama and spectacle. From its humble minstrel show beginnings to its current status as one of America’s favorite art forms, it’s clear that American musical theatre has come a long way over the last two centuries.
Conclusion: What were the origins of American Musical Theatre? As we can see from this article it stemmed from minstrel shows in early 1800s which later developed into full productions of song and dance by composers like Victor Herbert or George Gershwin who wrote classic Broadway scores for many popular shows like ‘The Fortune Teller’. By 1920s Musical Comedies gained immense popularity which paved way for other genres like operettas or revues – all contributing to what is now one America’s favorite art forms.