The First Light of the Golden Age of the American Musical: Oklahoma! 9743043Stella

Oklahoma!Richard Rodgers (composer) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyricist): the most consistently fruitful and successful partnershipCarousel, South Pacific The King and I The Sound of MusicOther works:

Written in 1943The longest running Broadway musical of its time, a record it held for fifteen yearsOver 30,000 productions worldwide in more than a dozen languages.

Story of Oklahoma!Curly & Laurey: A couple do not admit their love to each otherJud Frey: intervene between Curly& Laurey Will & Ado Annie & Ali HakimAunt Eller: provide wisdom, respectable

Golden Age of the American Musical1940s~1960sBackground: 1929 Stock Market Crash, Great Depression, Entrance to WWIIGet rid of the influence of traditional European operettaTry to form their own American style musical: Show Boat Show Boat" was the first musical to include show-within-a shownumbers

Early Musical form Opening chorus :young and beautiful girls dress in well designed costume

Ziegfeld Follies

Opening songs and dances: no special meaning and not relate to the story0:33~1:35 2:16~3:25http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BjExqlkld3k#! 5:08~6:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FyGhmbfd7rY#! Clear line between dance and dramaSongs and dances: lack of characteristics, emotion

ReformOscar Hammerstein II : treat the subject frankly Innovation and challenge, unlimited : more elements the directions can use to tell storyIntegration of song, dance, character and plot

SongThe songs must delving into characters and advancing the plotOklahoma! : remove the opening chorus replaced by the solo of Curly Oh What a Beautiful Morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEUtN21cuU

With the description of the golden dewdrop on the meadow and followed by a series of description of the scenes : lead audience in to the world on the stage

DanceThe early dance was only the combination of a set of fix steps tell the audiences what can not told in lyrics and songs by body movementAdvance the plot not only show the movements

The ballet in Laureys dream: her marriage to Curly is interrupted by Jud knocking Curly unconscious and carrying her off Dream: the inner world of Laurey-DVD

The ballet provides a dreamlike non-reality and the music accomplished through a seemingly irrational medley of various tunes from the show: Oh What a Beautiful Morning and other songsReality and non-reality: predict at least one possible outcome

American: National Identity Distraction from the hard life: playful and hopeful songsThe people in Oklahoma! overcome difficulties and adversities: confidence and strength to help rebuild a world ravaged by years of war

we know we belong to the land and the land we belong to is grand: it conveys the concept of national identificationOklahoma, ok: the State of O.K. the state of okay Bad thing will pass and everything will be fineOklahoma! 1:06http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrDVzbeDzRk

Thank you