When Did American Musical Theatre Begin?

Musical Theatre|Theater

American musical theatre began in the late 18th century, when the first professional theatres in the country were established. It was during this period that the first musicals, such as The Black Crook, were composed and performed. The Black Crook was a melodrama set to music and was incredibly popular in its time, running for over a year and becoming one of the longest-running shows in American theatre history.

The success of The Black Crook set a precedent for future musicals and influenced other composers to write their own works. Notable composers from this period include Stephen Foster, who wrote many popular songs such as “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races”; George M. Cohan, who wrote “Give My Regards to Broadway”; and Irving Berlin, who wrote “God Bless America” and “White Christmas”.

In the early 20th century, American musical theatre began to take shape with shows such as Show Boat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II – considered one of the first true integrated musicals – Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story and A Chorus Line. These shows showcased a wide range of styles from traditional operettas to modern dance-oriented productions.

The success of these musicals led to an increased interest in American musical theatre throughout the world. This led to more international productions being staged in Europe, South America and Asia. Broadway tours have become incredibly popular over the years with many productions touring both domestically and internationally for months at a time.

Musicals have become entrenched in American culture with new shows being produced every year on Broadway and beyond. Musicals continue to be seen as an important art form that brings joy to audiences around the world through its unique combination of music, dance and storytelling.

In conclusion, American musical theatre has been around since the late 18th century when some of its earliest works were composed and performed – most notably The Black Crook which became one of the longest-running shows in American theatre history – but it wasn’t until early 20th century that it truly began to take shape with notable works like Show Boat by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II becoming some of its most beloved classics. Today it remains an integral part of our culture that brings joy to audiences everywhere through its unique combination of music, dance & storytelling.