History of Musicals

Research the history of the musicals listed below.  You are to write about one set of the musicals listed and try to explain why they might be listed together.  Please address each of the following questions or statements:

1. Complete biographical information
2. Why are these two shows listed together?
3. Were these shows landmarks on Broadway? Why?  Please note that not every musical listed for this assignment has dramatically changed the Broadway musical.  Try to discover why they are listed here.
4. What did creators of these musicals do that made them so different and noteworthy?
5. What was the plot or main conflict of these musicals?
6. Who directed these musicals in the original Broadway productions?
7. Name the most famous song to originate in these musicals. What is the title of the song? 
8. As best you can ascertain, who is the character singing the song cited in #7 above and what is the character’s point of view?
9. What do you think was the composer and lyricist’s purpose in composing this song?
10. Name what you think are the most interesting rhymes or grouping of words in this song.
11. Name two performers who starred in these musicals when it opened on Broadway.
12. Would you want to see these musicals and why?
    1. 1776 and Hamilton
    1. A Chorus Line and Chicago
    1. The Producers, Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon
    1. Hair and Hairspray
    1. Jersey Boys and Dreamgirls
    1. La Cage Aux Folles and The Addams Family
    1. Rent and Spring Awakening
    1. Show Boat and Oklahoma!
    1. Wicked and Into the Woods

Research report must:

• 500-words plus separate bibliography page. Please cite all your sources.
• Be in 12-point font
• Be double-spaced with page numbers
• Have no spelling or grammatical errors
• Have titles of musicals, songs, books, etc., written inALL CAPITAL LETTERS or bold or underlined orin italics orin “quotes.” Student will lose points if titles are not properly written.