As many veterans of musical theatre strive to keep a stronghold on the traditional form of the art with shows like "Oklahoma," "Show Boat" and "Carousel," we must recognize the life of said art form must also appeal to the mindset of new generations. In 1973, a rock musical began making waves in London's theatrical community. "The Rocky Horror Show" was like nothing anyone had seen before. The show had a plot but was presented like a rock show. The characters paid homage to a youthful faction of society wanting to express its individualism. Musicals continue to explore new avenues and bring new faces to the theatre. Shows such as "Rent," "Saturday Night Fever" and "Wicked" have garnered interest from a younger audience. Songs from these shows are appealing to the masses just as the songs from "Oklahoma" and "Carousel" did in the 1940's. A growing interest in musical theatre by the younger population can pique their interest in discovering other musicals. One way to satisfy this piqued interest is by infusing a youthful or modern energy to shows that can be adapted to the senses of this younger generation. "Oklahoma" or "Carousel" might not adapt well by being set in the 21st century. But "The Rocky Horror Show" already exudes a timeless energy with its nod to popular culture (its rock music influence). As musical theatre transforms with its audiences, so can some of its well-known shows.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-4153 |
| Date | 01 January 2007 |
| Creators | Ellis, Timothy |
| Publisher | STARS |
| Source Sets | University of Central Florida |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
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