(art) the visual arts in a western musical play

8/9/2019 (Art) the Visual Arts in a Western Musical Play

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Musical plays or other dramaticpresentations include songs, spokendialogue, acting and dancing. Since theearly 20th century, musical theaterstage works have been called, simply,musicals.

W hat is a W estern M usical Play orTheater?


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Although musical play has elementscommon with other theatrical form likeopera and dance, it may bedistinguished by the equal importancegiven to the music as compared withthe dialogues, movements, and otherelements of the works.

W hat m akes m usicals differentfrom other theatrical form s likeopera and dance?


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The use of music as part of dramaticpresentations has been a tradition of theestern dramatic presentation since ancienttimes but !rmly established on the "reek

dramas particularly on tragedies. The modernestern musical reached its most#developedform during $%th century as seen with theworks of "ilbert and Sullivan in &ritain andthose of 'arrigan and 'art in America. Since

then, numerous musical comedies emerged.

W hen did the use of m usic start inW estern dram a?


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H ISTO RY O F

M U SICA LS


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The originator of musicals in (urope can betraced back to the theatre of ancient "reece,where music and dance were included instage comedies and tragedies during the

pinnacle of "reek civili)ation in *00 &+(. Thedramatists Aeschylus and Sopocles composedtheir own music to accompany their playsand choreographed the dances of the chorus

"reek Amphiteater *00&+(-

The omans borrowed from the "reeks thestage#entertainment of songs and dances. /nfact, they introduced some technicalinnovations. or e1ample, to make the dancesteps audible in large open#air theatres, theoman actors attached metal chips calledsabilla to their stage footwear the !rst tapshoes in the manner of the modern tap#dancing. 3lautus, the oman dramatist,included song and dance routines performedwith orchestrations in 400 &+(.

The oman Theater 400&+(-


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/n the $2th and $4th centuries during the5iddle Ages, theater in (urope consistedmostly of traveling minstrels and smallperforming troupes of performers singing and

o6ering slapstick comedy. 'owever, somerendered religious dramas on periodscommemorating +hristian events.

Traveling5instrels7oving Troupe5iddle Age $00#$800

+(-

(uropeans enaissance saw older formatevolve into commedia dellarte, an /taliantradition where raucous clowns improvised

their way through familiar stories, and later,opera bufa.

+ommedia dell9arteThe enaissance: $8*0s-


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/n (ngland, during the beginning of $;thcentury, (li)abethan and attering toa noble or royal patron.

The writer &en


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FAM O U S M U SICALS

IN TH E 20 TH

CENTURY


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FAM O U S M U SICALS

IN TH E 21 ST

CENTURY


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Elem ents of M usicals

The book or script of amusical refers to the story,character development,

and dramatic structure,

including the spokendialogue and the stage

directions. /t can also refer

to the dialogue and lyricstogether, which aresometimes referred to as

the libretto /talian for

?little book@-

The musicand lyricstogether form the scoreofa musical but theinterpretation of a musicalby its creative team heavilyin>uences the way in whicha musical is presented.


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How are m usicals presented?

i ti 5 i l ll t d i t t ith h t


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rgani)ation 5usicals are usually presented in two acts, with one shortintermission and the !rst act frequently longer than the second.

The !rst act generally introduces nearly all of the characters andmost of the music, and often ends with the introduction of adramatic con>ict or plot complication. The second act mayintroduce a few new songs but usually contains reprises of

important musical themes and resolves the con>ict orcomplication.

Several shorter musicals on &roadway and in the est end havebeen presented in one act in recent decades

Arrangement of

Bialogues and5usic

A book musical is usually built around four to si1 main themetunes that are reprised later in the show, although it sometimesconsists of a series of songs not directly musically related.Spoken dialogue is generally mi1ed together between musicalnumbers, although ?sung dialogue@ or recitative may be used,especially in so#called ?sung#through@ musicals such asJesusChrist Superstar, Les Miserables and Evita

Story 5aterial The material presented in a musical may be original, or it may

be adopted or born from novels Wicked and Man o LaMancha-, plays Hello, oll!"-, classic legends Camelot-,historical events Evita- or !lms #he $roducers and %ill! Elliot-.n the other hand, many successful musical theatre works havebeen adapted for musical !lms, such as#he Sound o Music,West Side Stor!, M! &air Lad! and Chica'o(

Time There is no !1ed length for a musical. 5ost musicals range fromone and a half to three hours. Some may range from a short


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Usual W ork Flow in a M usical


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Setdesign7

costumes

5usic7dialogue

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orchestra

5usical

directorTechnica

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Stagebackdro

p73rops7>ight7

sounds

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Differences betw een

M usicals and pera


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Musicals Opera/t is more focused onspoken dialogue

/t has dancing performedby principal performers aswell as the chorus

/t uses popular music orvarious popular singingstyles or genres

/t uses the language of theaudience in theperformance

The performer mustrimaril be an actor and

/t has some unaccompanieddialogue, but very minimal

/t has no dancing e1cept asrequired by the situation for aparticular actor to act

/t uses conventional andclassical music

/t uses the original languageby which the musical lyrics is

written mostly /talian, "ermanand Spanish-

The singer must primarily be asinger and rarely an actor nor

a dancer


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Elem ents of !rtistic E"pression

A musical is a kind of performing art which requires elementsfor creative e1pression. =ike visual art of painting, it requiresthese elements for an integrated wholesome art: lines, color,

shape, rh!thm, space, sound, te)ture and movement('owever, unlike visual art, it must arouse sound andmovement the most essential movements.

$ =ines /n the act ?=es 5iserables @ the dead rench revolutionaries


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$. =ines # /n the act ?=es 5iserables,@ the dead rench revolutionariesplayed by actors seem to present the horror of death as they lay>at in hori)ontal formation. 'ori)ontal line, represented by theactors lying on the stage, combined by colors in the range of redand black, is e6ective in suggesting the idea of death.

2. +olors The technicality of lightning is an important element inmusicals because it presents colors that evoke mi1ed emotionsupon the audience. Accompanied by sounds and rhythm of music,it will a6ect the audience to sympathi)e, to admire, to love, to side

with, and to be amused. /n the musical ?'air@, lighting disclose theweird long#haired actor in the center, who is pale and wearing agrayish#blue vest e1pressing the feeling of being belittled andaccused. The color red is dominant in the range of natural earthcolors, surrounded the pale color. "estures and movements ofactors are given emphasis through color.

4. Shape the basic design element that serves as an outline isshape. /t also determines space on stage. hether it is a two#dimensional painting- or a three dimensional installation orsculpture-, the weight, si)e, and te1ture that form the shape must

be pointed out.


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/n the beginning of the 20th century when the (nglishhad established the form of musical and had givenemphasis of its distinction from opera, they put

importance on each particular shape installed on thestage. rom costumes to stage properties or props,shape is emphasi)ed so as to e6ectively e1press thefeelings of grandeur and magni!cence in accord to the4B all#perspective setting-. The backdrop calls forsomething hugeD thus, the design of various geometric,curvilinear, and rectilinear shapes to e1press the idea

8 hythm The rhythm of the musicals comes out when there is


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8. hythm The rhythm of the musicals comes out when there isordered repetition of movement in the dances accompanied bysongs. /t is given emphasis in repetitive movements, providingvariations on a basic theme, or indicating a progressivedevelopment. The casts of the musical ?pen &oat@ touched the

emotions with their body rhythm of synchroni)ed dancing andsongs.

*. Space This is the >oor space or the entire area in the >oorstage where the casts including their costumes and props arepresented to the open. The area is not large enough nor toosmall but suitable enough for the casts to move around.

E. Sound Buring the antiquity of the "reek and oman dramas,the actors are compelled or trained to proFect their voice to beaudible, !rmed and clear enough for the audience to be heard.

This system went on until 20th century when high technologyassisted the technicalities. Cowadays, the advent of micropickup microphone attached near every actor9s mouth helps alot for voice proFection. &ackground soundtracks are also used

nowadays apart from live chorus.

G T t =ik i l t th i f d i


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G. Te1ture =ike visual arts, the images of designof backdrop, props, and costumes may send tothe audience the feelings of roughness,

hardness, !neness, and smoothness. /nmusicals, te1ture is emphasi)ed according tothe feelings conveyed in each act.

;. 5ovement Harious body movements of thecasts are di6erentiated according tomovement yet integrated consistently for the

development of the plot

(art) the visual arts in a western musical play

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