purpose of drama was to call attention to social problems in order  to bring about change

ex:A Doll's House-controversial

concentrated on individuals at war with themselves and with each other

ex: Freud: ego, superego, ID

believed the audience's senses should be bombarded

-stimulate the audience

believed theatre could create an intellectual climate for social change and provide instruction

• to accomplish audience should not be emotionally hypnotized but remain detached
• willing suspension of disbelief-didnt believe
• put something onstage to make us think
• "mother courage"

believed existnce has little meaning: God does not exist, only thing individual can do is accept responsibilty for their actions

• cant explain why things happen, they just did

has the notion that much of what happens in life is ridiculous or absurd and cannot be explained logically

• ex:random convo-that was it

• drama set entirely to music
• every part was sung with a degree of difficulty

• not entirely set to music
• romantic story set in some far-off locale
• remote from everyday life

• crude, low-grade style of song, dance, comedy
• stereotyped African Americans
• plantation life that never existed-happy, optimistic
• "blackface"

• blackface comedian
• "comic negro song of Jim Crow"
• Father of American Minstrel show

• not real person-created by T.D. Rice
• stereotype: southern plantation hand poor and crude, tattered clothes, childlike, empty-headed, happy-go-lucky, content, mischievous, sly
• "Sambo"-laughing black man

• not a real person
• "urban dandy," replica of white dandy, tight pants, long-tailed coat, high ruffled collar, top hat, glasses, long watch chain
• pretend to be "larned scholar"
• talked of elegant appearance, effect on women
• illustrated how ridiculous Negroes could be when trying to act like white gentleman

3 parts of Minstrel show:

Opener

3 parts of Minstrel show

olio

3 parts of Minstrel show

after piece

• emancipated blacks turned to minstrelsy as livelihood
• maintained stereotypes
• died out with coming of radio

• traditional variety format: medley of songs, dances, comedy, circus acts, blackface mistrel and skits

• where variety/vaudeville began
• drinking establishments, mostly male
• offered show with drinking and smoking
• keep customers happy, drinking mood
• low robust comedy

• bawdy rep
• saloons --> theatres
• "family entertainment"

• decline:growth of radio, movie industry, Depression
  

• beginning of burlesque
• misntrel format
• "added attraction"
• 3 basic elements: girls, comic, sexual innuendoes
• girls costumes revealing
• eventually eliminated minstrel-became striptease show, girls=stars

• never "clean" act
• varying degrees crudeness:swings, behind-the-tent kooch shows
• prostitution
• decline:radio, movies, politcal/public outrage, WWI, Depression

• book:spoken text, story, libretto
• lyrics:words to the song
• music

• Vaudeville background
• performer, writer, composer
• more realistic dialogue and better plot development
• Little Johnny Jones (1904), songs with African flair

• 1927
• story was thoroughly American
• dealth with serious material
• songs integrated into plot
• chorus line eliminated

• 1935
• very realistic story
• forceful and complete music
• musical theatre or opera?

• 1943
• story, music, lyrics and dance became competely integrated
• beginning of the "Golden age of American musicals"

• to entertain
• to probe human condition
• provide an escape
• impart information
• raise philosophical questions