Just like the relationship between "Hollywood" and American movies, when people mention "Broadway", they naturally think of American dramas. Broadway is the name of a street in Manhattan, new york. In the middle of this street, it has always been the center of American commercial drama entertainment, so "Broadway" has become synonymous with American drama activities. Broadway once had a very glorious history, which is closely related to the history of American commercial musicals. Broadway musicals, formerly known as black entertainment performances, burlesque and musical dramas, are influenced by jazz and swing music, and their dances have the original Broadway style. In 1904, Beattre Jones defined the concept of musical. The truly representative play is "The Performing Boat" in 1927, which combines songs, dances, story lines and theatrical performances. It can be said that it is this musical that successfully combines American-style jazz with dance with strong jazz swing. "Oklahoma", "west side story" and "To the Top" are all important music tracks popular on Broadway. In addition, the enduring Broadway musicals include Phantom of the Opera House, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, etc.
2. Black musical
The transfer of musical expression from Europe to the United States is due to the popularity of jazz, soul music, vagrancy and sad blues in the era of black rags. Later swing music also had a strong black music background. Famous black musicals include Performance Boat, Bogey and Beth, House of the Sky, Woman in St. Louis, House of Flowers (1954), Jamaica and so on.
3. West End of London Musical
West End of London's musicals are more influenced by operas and operettas. The development of British musicals rarely makes outstanding improvements in dance. The combination of art forms here is to combine the traditions of opera, operetta and musical comedy with jazz, tap dancing and ballet to some extent. In the 1970s, two masters of music creation appeared in Britain: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and then British musicals took an artistic turn. In terms of style, Weber's musicals emphasize music and dance is relatively less; In production, cameron mackintosh, a famous British musical producer, attaches great importance to the combination of various techniques on the stage-scenery, costumes, lighting and other means. Soon, Broadway felt the great pressure and challenge from West End of London. West End of London's famous musicals include Les Miserables, Miss Saigon (199 1 moved to Broadway in new york), Cat, Phantom of the Opera House (later moved to Broadway in new york) and so on. Besides, it seems that all musicals can be successful when they move from London to Broadway, such as Chess, Boyfriend, Oliver, Lovely War, Charlie Girl and so on. [2]