Who Made Musical Theatre Famous?

Musical Theatre|Theater

Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. It was made popular in the early 20th century and has since become a major genre of theatre.

The history of musical theatre can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was first performed as part of religious ceremonies. It then evolved into a form of entertainment in the 16th century in Italy, with the first full-length musical being written by Claudio Monteverdi in 1607.

The modern musical theatre genre emerged in the late 19th century, thanks to composers such as Gilbert and Sullivan. Their operettas became extremely popular and led to the development of new forms of musical theatre such as operettas and revues. This era also saw the emergence of composer/lyricists such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin who wrote some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre history.

The 1930s saw a boom in Broadway musicals with shows like Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! becoming some of the most successful shows to ever play on Broadway. This period also saw an increased interest in film adaptations of Broadway shows with films like The Wizard Of Oz (1939) becoming huge box office successes.

The second half of the 20th century saw an even bigger surge in popularity for musical theatre with shows such as West Side Story (1957), Hair (1967) and Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) becoming global hits. Musicals were now being produced all over the world with new styles being developed such as jazz, rock opera and fusion.

Today, musical theatre is still incredibly popular with hits such as Hamilton (2015), The Book Of Mormon (2011) and Wicked (2003) becoming international phenomena. It has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment around the world with productions being put on everywhere from London’s West End to New York City’s Broadway.

So who made musical theatre famous? While there have been countless contributors to this art form throughout history, some names stand out above all others – Gilbert & Sullivan, George Gershwin, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber are just some of those who have helped make musical theatre what it is today.

Conclusion:

Musical Theatre has seen tremendous growth throughout its history from Ancient Greece until today; however without composers like Gilbert & Sullivan, George Gershwin, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber it would not have achieved its current level of success. They are truly responsible for making Musical Theatre famous around the world.