The Golden Age of Broadway
The Golden Age of Broadway is generally considered to have begun with the musical Oklahoma! (1943) and ended with the musical Hair (1968). Two works of great importance for this era and the development of the musical form are Oklahoma! and West Side Story.
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! (1943) was the first musical to go through a careful, lengthy period of development and was a milestone for the book musical form. Instead of writing the show quickly, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II started with weeks of discussion. They spent time deliberating over how to best serve their source material, discussing dramaturgy and tone as well as mapping out their musical plans in storyboard fashion. They began at the beginning with the show’s famous opening “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” in which the music, lyrics, and book come together to support the drama by portraying time, mood, and place. Oklahoma! was a huge hit, braking all Broadway records. It launched the craze for cast albums allowing, for the first time in history, people to sit at home, tap into the drama of the music and lyrics, and imagine seeing the show on stage. This was a significant factor in launching Broadway’s Golden Age.
The Golden Age of Broadway is generally considered to have begun with the musical Oklahoma! (1943) and ended with the musical Hair (1968). Two works of great importance for this era and the development of the musical form are Oklahoma! and West Side Story.
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! (1943) was the first musical to go through a careful, lengthy period of development and was a milestone for the book musical form. Instead of writing the show quickly, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II started with weeks of discussion. They spent time deliberating over how to best serve their source material, discussing dramaturgy and tone as well as mapping out their musical plans in storyboard fashion. They began at the beginning with the show’s famous opening “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” in which the music, lyrics, and book come together to support the drama by portraying time, mood, and place. Oklahoma! was a huge hit, braking all Broadway records. It launched the craze for cast albums allowing, for the first time in history, people to sit at home, tap into the drama of the music and lyrics, and imagine seeing the show on stage. This was a significant factor in launching Broadway’s Golden Age.
