Abstract
This paper provides a history of American musical theatre with a focus on musical comedy from the mid-nineteenth century in the form of vaudeville and minstrelsy to the highly sophisticated and distinctly American art form of musical theatre developed by greats like Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

From the Paper
"The history of musical theater in Europe dates back to the ancient Greek theater that combined music, dance and comedy or tragedy since the Fifth Century ...B.C. American musical theatre, in contrast, is a distinctly modern phenomenon, one that did not fully develop until the early twentieth century. The now famous Times Square Theater District in New York City did not develop until the ...s and ...s. In a ... performance hit known as "The Elves"..."

Tags:characterization, structure, The Black Crook, Showboat, Oklahoma, Ethel Merman, choreography, chorus girls, audiences, movies, actresses, lyricists, librettists, Jerome Kern, George M. Cohan

Abstract
This paper explores how music and the theater have always worked together for as long as humanity has engaged in staging productions. It shows that music has played a part, sometimes minor, sometimes major, in many theatrical productions; however, since the late nineteenth century with the birth of the modern musical theater it has continued to gain importance and social relevance. The writer shows that as they gained in popularity, musicals became an entertaining forum for discussing relevant social issues, depicting the plights and victories of modern Western society.

From the Paper
"The first musical comedies began to emerge in the 1880's, thanks to a pair called Harrigan and Hart. They were the owners of the Theatre Comique on lower Broadway. Unlike the Extravaganzas of the previous decade, Harrigan and Hart's musical comedies began to stir up some social awareness. Many of the comedies that were staged on Broadway took place in the dishevelled streets of Manhattan, with characters reflecting the lives of those who lived and worked there. While the productions certainly took a comical viewpoint, the audience was very aware of the reality of the situation."

Tags:broadway, The, Black, Crook, Harrigan, Hart, Gilbert, Sullivan, Shubert, Cohan, Rogers, Hammerstein, Lehan