American Music

American Music

Introduction

The utmost transformation in the American musical theatre up to that time came in 1927 with Show Boat, by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern. Here we arrive to a absolutely new genre--the melodious play as differentiated from melodious comedy.

Discussion

Now, at long last, the play was the thing, and everything additional was subservient to that play. Now, at last, came entire integration of recital, wit and output figures into a lone and inextricable creative entity. Here, eventually, was a melodious with a reliable and believable article line, authentic air and three-dimensional characters.

The melodious play made farther ahead paces ...