Derived from the colorful traditions of vaudeville, burlesque, revue, and operetta, the musical has blossomed into America's most popular form of theater. Scott McMillin has developed a fresh aesthetic theory of this underrated art form, exploring the musical as a type of drama deserving the kind of critical and theoretical regard given to Chekhov or opera. Until recently, the musical has been considered either an "integrated" form of theater or an inferior sibling of opera. McMillin demonstrates that neither of these views is accurate, and that the musical holds true to the disjunctive and irreverent forms of popular entertainment from which it arose a century ago.
Critics and composers have long held the musical to the standards applied to opera, asserting that each piece should work together to create a seamless drama. But McMillin argues that the musical is a different form of theater, requiring the suspension of the plot for song. The musical's success lies not in the smoothness of unity, but in the crackle of difference. While disparate, the dancing, music, dialogue, and songs combine to explore different aspects of the action and the characters.
Discussing composers and writers such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, Leonard Bernstein, and Jerome Kern, The Musical as Drama describes the continuity of this distinctively American dramatic genre, from the shows of the 1920s and 1930s to the musicals of today.
Released: 2006
An EP recording of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, the musical by John and Elena Tafone, is now available on all streaming platforms, featuring Nik Walker, Mary Kate Morrissey, and a 25-piece orchestra.
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Summer is here and there is no better time of year to soak up the sun and dive into a new book.
Nathan Abrams, a professor of film at Bangor University, has written a comprehensive biography of playwright David Mamet, examining how his Jewishness and Judaism shaped works like Glengarry Glen Ross and American Buffalo.
Costume designer, artist, and scholar Kaiqi Zhang will present the book launch of The Art of Kaiqi Zhang in Los Angeles, showcasing a comprehensive overview of her artistic practice in recent years.
The title song, “Penelope,” from Penelope: Live at Joe’s Pub, starring Grace McLean, is available to stream now.
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Stage Partners announced two new play commissions pairing playwrights Mandy Conner and Ian McWethy with the Educational Theatre Association and California Thespians to develop original one-act plays for school theatre programs.
Sir Stephen Hough's new solo piano album features his own arrangements with a selection of favorite piano works, including selections from Mary Poppins, Frozen, and more.
Michael, the hit biopic about Michael Jackson, is set to arrive on Premium Digital and Premium Video on Demand beginning June 9, where it will be available to rent or purchase.
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Sherri Shepherd, who is wrapping a four-year run as host of the daytime talk show Sherri, is entering the world of publishing with her debut novel, Life is a K Drama.
While we await Tonys night (June 7, 2026), we're saluting the Tony, Grammy, and Drama Desk Awards celebrated shows of Concord Theatricals Recordings- From Some Like It Hot to Come From Away; Smash to Death Becomes Her.
Picnic at Hanging Rock: The Musical – Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording is being released in digital and streaming formats.
