1. Broadway musicals
Like the relationship between "Hollywood" and American movies, when people mention "Broadway", they will naturally think of American dramas. "Broadway" is the name of a street in Manhattan, New York City. The middle section of this street has always been the center of commercial theatrical entertainment in the United States, so "Broadway" has become synonymous with American theatrical activities. Broadway once had a very glorious history, which is closely related to the history of American commercial musicals. Broadway Musicals (Broadway Musicals) originated from black entertainment performances, burlesques, vaudevilles, etc. They are mostly influenced by jazz and swing music, and their dance has an original Broadway style. In 1904, Bittle Jones clarified the concept of musical theater. The truly representative play was "Show Boat" in 1927, which comprehensively combined songs, dances, storylines, and drama performances. It can be said that the musical successfully combines American-style jazz and dance that has a strong swing to the jazz. "Oklahoma," "West Side Story," and "Rise and Fall" are all important musicals that have become popular on Broadway. In addition, musicals that have been popular on Broadway for many years include: "The Ghost of the Opera", "Les Misérables", "Miss Saigon", "Beauty and the Beast", etc.
2. Black musicals
The expression method of musicals has shifted from mainly European to mainly American, because of the jazz, soul music, troubadour and melancholy of the black era. The popularity of blues. Later swing music also had a strong black musical background. Famous black musicals include "Show Boat", "Porgy and Bess", "Sky Cabin", "The Women of St. Louis", "Flower Room" (1954), "Jamaica" and so on.
3. West End musicals
West End musicals are more influenced by operas and operettas. The development of British musicals has rarely made particularly outstanding improvements in dance. The art form here combines the traditions of opera, operetta and musical comedy with jazz, tap dance and ballet to a certain extent. In the 1970s, two masters of musical theater creation appeared in the UK: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Immediately, British musicals experienced an artistic turn. In terms of style, the musicals created by Weber focus on music and relatively less dance; in terms of production, the famous British musical producer Cameron Mackintosh pays great attention to the various technologies on the stage-sets, costumes, Lighting, etc. are combined with other means. Soon Broadway felt tremendous pressure and challenges from London's West End. Famous musicals in London's West End include "Les Misérables", "Miss Saigon" (which moved to Broadway in New York in 1991), "Cats", "The Ghost of the Opera" (later moved to Broadway in New York), etc. In addition, it seems that all musicals that move from London to Broadway are successful, such as "Chess", "The Boyfriend", "Oliver", "The Lovely Wars", "Charlie" and so on.
Western Musicals
The origins of musicals can be traced back to operettas, comedies and black plays in the nineteenth century.
Early musicals did not have fixed scripts and even included acrobatics, circus and other elements. Since the performance boat (Huafangxuan Palace) began to focus on text in 1927, musical theater has entered its golden years. Musicals of this period mostly promoted optimistic ideas and often ended with happy comedies. Until the popularity of rock music and television in the 1960s, musicals were the most popular form of entertainment and entertainment among Americans. Since the 1980s, musical theater performances in London's West End have flourished, catching up with Broadway's success. Later, there were even French musicals, such as Les Misérables (later adapted into an English version and performed on Broadway), Star Dream, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Romeo and Juliet, The Little Prince, etc. and German-language musicals such as Elisabeth, Dance of the Vampires, Rebecca, Rudolf, etc.
As British and American musicals often tour around the world, musicals have also become popular in Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian regions. See musicals in Asia.