Musical comedy is a form of drama that tells a story through a combination of spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. Musical comedies are commonly called musicals. The term musical theater is also used, because many shows have little comedy and some have little or no dance. Over the years, musicals typically have been light in tone and have contained much humor. However, since the late 1900’s, many musicals have been serious. Musical comedy developed in the United States during the late 1800’s and became a unique American contribution to world theater. For most of its history, musical comedy has produced many of the best-known songs in popular music.
Musical comedy differs in several ways from other types of stage works that have music. For example, the revue has songs, dances, and skits but tells no story. The opera and operetta resemble musical comedy, but most of them have much less spoken dialogue. In addition, most operas use classical music, while nearly all musicals use popular music. Some plays may include songs or instrumental music, but the play remains dramatically complete without the music.
Until the late 1900’s, most major American musicals were first presented in New York City, normally on Broadway. Since the late 1900’s, many musicals have originated outside New York City and then moved to Broadway. The more successful musicals might tour the United States or be presented for extended runs in major cities. Some may be performed in other countries. In 2014, the Library of America published authoritative editions of 16 classic American musicals in two volumes, covering the periods from 1927 to 1949 and 1950 to 1969.
Elements of musical comedy
There are many varieties of musical today, but historically a typical example consists of four basic elements. They are (1) the book, (2) the music, (3) the lyrics, and (4) dancing.
The book
is the musical’s story. It is sometimes called the libretto. The book provides shape and structure to a musical. A successful book integrates the dialogue, music, lyrics, and dancing. Some books are written specifically for a musical. Others are adaptations of other literary forms, especially novels, short stories, or plays. In some cases, the composer writes the book for a show, but most books are written by playwrights or other professional writers.
The music
in a musical comedy may be vocal, instrumental, or both. In most shows, the music has a melodic form that the audience can easily remember. However, some modern composers have demonstrated little interest in writing simple melodies. In the early history of musical comedy, the music served primarily to entertain audiences and show off the talents of the performers. But by the 1940’s, the music began to serve a more dramatic function. Today, it is expected to help create characterization, advance the plot, and develop important situations or action. The composer works with the author of the book to determine where the music can most effectively be used in the story.
The lyrics
may be written by the composer or by another person, called a lyricist. If the musical involves both a composer and a lyricist, the two must work closely together to ensure that the lyrics fit the music. In many songs, the lyrics contribute to telling the story or describing a character’s feelings. The best lyrics are actually skillful poems set to music.
Dancing
is one of the most distinctive elements of traditional musical comedy. Some dances are meant only to entertain the audience. But many dances help tell the story or set a mood. Many shows employ a person called a choreographer, who creates dances especially for the show. In some cases, a show’s director serves as the choreographer. Most dances in musical comedy are light and rhythmic, but some musicals include long dance pieces that resemble classical ballet.
The history of musical comedy
The first musicals.
American musical comedy developed from a blend of American popular entertainment and the more classical elements of the European musical stage. The basic American influences were vaudeville, minstrel shows, and burlesques. All three types of entertainment had singing, dancing, and comedy, but none had a unifying story. European influences included the ballet, various forms of opera, and a form of elaborate spectacle called an extravaganza.
Most scholars believe that The Black Crook (1866) marked the beginning of American musical comedy. The show was noted for its spectacular scenery and emphasis on beautiful women. The Black Crook was based on European models. A truly American form of musical theater began to appear with The Brook (1879). This show included American themes and attempted to integrate the story with the songs and dances.
During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the European-style operetta was perhaps the most popular form of musical theater in America. Three European-born composers—Rudolf Friml, Victor Herbert, and Sigmund Romberg—were the most important composers of operetta in the United States.
A number of American composers and performers attempted to create a more American form of musical theater. In 1879, vaudeville stars Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart presented The Mulligan Guards’ Ball. This show was the first in a series of Mulligan Guards’ comic plays with music. The series dealt with recognizable American types and realistic scenes of everyday life. During the early 1900’s, composer-actor George M. Cohan wrote the book, music, and lyrics for a number of high-spirited musicals (see Cohan, George M.). Such Cohan shows as Little Johnny Jones (1904) and Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway (1906) helped turn American musical comedy away from European traditions and toward a more distinctively American style.
Musical comedy matures.
During World War I (1914-1918) and the years soon afterward, American musical comedy took shape as a unique form of musical theater. Composer Jerome Kern ranks as probably the most influential figure in bringing musical comedy to maturity (see Kern, Jerome). From 1915 to 1918, Kern composed the music for a series of sophisticated musicals. Most of the shows had a book and lyrics by the English playwrights P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton. These musicals were known as the “Princess shows” because they were presented in the Princess Theatre in New York City. The Princess shows had small casts and modern, everyday settings. The shows brought a more natural, informal style to musicals.
In 1927, Kern and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II completed Show Boat, a milestone in the development of musical comedy. Show Boat presented believable characters in a realistic manner and had a genuinely dramatic book. In addition, the show dealt with racial discrimination and other serious issues that were rarely mentioned in musicals of the time.
In 1931, a political satire called Of Thee I Sing opened in New York City. George Gershwin composed the music, and his brother Ira wrote the lyrics. The noted playwright George S. Kaufman was coauthor of the book with Morrie Ryskind. The show became the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The award helped raise the status of musical comedy to the level of serious theater. The sharp attacks on American political life also broadened the range of subjects considered suitable for musicals.
A number of major composers and lyricists flourished during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Besides Gershwin and Kern, the leading composers included Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Arthur Schwartz, and Vincent Youmans. The top lyricists included Howard Dietz, Ira Gershwin, Otto Harbach, and E. Y. Harburg. Composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart formed an outstanding partnership of the period. One of their best-known musicals, Pal Joey (1940), introduced a realistic, adult view of such themes as love and sex into musical comedy.
The modern musical.
The modern era of musical comedy began in 1943 with the premiere of Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The show revolutionized musical comedy through its skillful integration of the story, music, and dancing. Rodgers and Hammerstein rapidly became the most popular team in the history of musical comedy. Their hits included Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), and The Sound of Music (1959). See Hammerstein, Oscar, II; Rodgers, Richard.
A number of teams contributed popular musicals in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s. Composer Frederick Loewe and lyricist Alan Jay Lerner created My Fair Lady (1956). Composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim wrote West Side Story (1957), based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The show featured brilliant choreography by Jerome Robbins. Composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick collaborated on Fiddler on the Roof (1964). A Chorus Line (1975), one of the biggest hits in theater history, was created by choreographer Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch. It dealt with the hopes and struggles of professional dancers as they audition for a new show.
During the late 1900’s,
musicals explored a wide range of subjects and styles. Hair (1967) dealt with young people of the 1960’s who rebelled against society during the Vietnam War. Grease (1972) was a rock musical about high school life during the 1950’s.
Many critics consider Stephen Sondheim the most creative figure in musical comedy of his time. Sondheim began his career as a lyricist but soon began to write both the words and music. Sondheim gained praise for the wit and sophistication of his lyrics and for the originality of his subject matter. His best-known shows include Company (1970), A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd (1979), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Into the Woods (1986), Assassins (1991), and Passion (1994). See Sondheim, Stephen.
The British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was probably the most commercially successful composer of his time. Lloyd Webber was the key figure in the international success of British musicals since the early 1970’s. His hits include Jesus Christ Superstar (1971), Evita (1978), Cats (1981), The Phantom of the Opera (1986), and Sunset Boulevard (1994). In 2006, The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history. Such spectacular shows reflected a trend in musical theater of the late 1900’s toward more lavish staging and settings. Musicals also moved away from the conventional book and adopted structures similar to the conventions of opera. See Lloyd Webber, Andrew.
During the mid-1990’s, such hit shows as Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (1995) and Rent (1996) incorporated more youthful subjects, more modern musical rhythms, and pop and rock music scores. Old patterns remained, however, with the most successful musicals at the end of the 1900’s being the spectacular The Lion King (1997) and Ragtime (1998).
Musical comedy today
Two of the biggest Broadway musical hits of the early 2000’s were The Producers (2001) and Monty Python’s Spamalot (2005). Both were based on popular motion picture comedies. Another major hit was Wicked (2003), a musical adaptation of a novel about two young women who were characters as witches in the famous movie The Wizard of Oz (1939).
A number of shows, commonly called “jukebox musicals,” were based on the hit songs of a particular performer, performing group, or composer. The trend began with the popularity of Smokey Joe’s Cafe (1995), built on the rock songs composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Most of these musicals failed, primarily because of weak books. However, a few became hits, notably Mamma Mia! (2001), based on the songs of the Scandinavian singing group ABBA; Movin’ Out (2002), based on songs composed by the American songwriter-singer Billy Joel; and Jersey Boys (2005), a biographical musical about the careers of Frankie Valli and his 1960’s singing group, the Four Seasons.
Although there have been some commercial and artistic successes in musical comedy in the early 2000’s, the form has struggled. Part of the problem has been high production costs that have forced Broadway ticket prices to $100 or more. However, several new shows have displayed innovation and a fresh approach, providing some cause for optimism about the current state of the musical. Most of these shows were developed away from Broadway in regional or not-for-profit theaters. Contact (1999) used dance performed to recorded music to tell three stories. Urinetown (2001) satirized big business. Avenue Q (2003) was an adult show that used puppets inspired by the characters in the children’s television program “Sesame Street.” A musical about various kinds of romantic love called The Light in the Piazza (2005) was a hit for regional theaters in Seattle and Chicago before moving to a successful run in New York City. A charming small-scale show called The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee became an unexpected hit in New York City in 2005.
In the second decade of the 2000’s, two shows became huge hits even though they dealt with unconventional and potentially sensitive subjects. The Book of Mormon (2011) humorously followed the adventures of young Mormon missionaries in Africa. Hamilton (2015) portrayed how a group of passionate young patriots scrambled to found and establish the 13 American colonies as a new nation. African American and Hispanic performers played the key characters. 
