MUSICALS

1. What are 3 elements are incorporated in musicals that distinguish them from plays?

2. What purpose do these elements serve?

3. Musicals were earlier known as musical comedies originating in what country?

4. When did musical comedies begin?

5. Why was the term "comedies" dropped from musical comedies?

6. What country did musicals flourish most in?

7. Oklahoma! incorporated what fourth element in musicals?

8. West Side Story is an example of musical based on established literary works that introduced what kind of problems?

9. What two literary works was West Side Story based on?

10. What was the first musical to incorporate rock music?

BIG QUESTION

American musicals were popular for nearly six decades. Why do you think that they are no longer popular? Considering how both musicals and society have changed over time, what came first, the chicken or the egg? That is not a literal question; in other words, has our society lost its innocence because media entertainment is no longer innocent, or is media entertainment no longer innocent because our society was no longer interested in innocent entertainment?

INTERNET RESOURCE -

http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/m1/musicals.asp