Grace's Media Blog: November 2021

What is the musical genre?

I am a fan of musical theatre so I decided to do my research on the musical genre to dive deeper into a topic I love.

Musical Genre:

What exactly is a musical? A musical is an art that tells a story while using choreography, vocals, and music. Sometimes musicals are based on previous works (ex: Mamma Mia, Dear Evan Hansen, etc) and other times the musical is a new creation (ex: Singin' in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, An American in Paris, The Greatest Showman, etc.)

Content:

Musicals vary in the story being told. This genre of movies typically does not have a common plot and there is no one specific type of musical. Some musicals tell a fantasy story (ex: Into the Woods) other times a realistic story (ex: Grease). Characters in musicals use song and dance for expression and to develop the plot. A common musical trait is that characters burst out into song and dance (ex: What Time Is It? from High School Musical 2). Lots of times with musicals there are main characters who we learn a lot about and side characters who have few parts. Musicals dive into charter relationships (ex: the sisterhood between Anna and Elsa in Frozen).

Production Techniques:

Musicals contain song and dance that once a viewer sees they can not forget (ex: One from A Chorus Line). Due to this aspect sound and lighting are important to set the tone whether happy, sad, angry, desperate, etc. Shots and angles used really depend on the movie (ex: the wide shot in The Sound of Music) and (ex: the sun rising establishing shot during The Lion King). Costuming is a very important part of musicals making sure the pieces look accurate to the time period and location (ex: the western clothing in Annie Get Your Gun) and (ex: the costuming in Rocketman to help Taron Egerton portray the character of Elton John). Set design and location is also a crucial part of musicals to make sure the location is correct (ex: the rooftops in Marry Poppins) and (ex: the streets of New York in Newsies).

Marketing:

The main audience of musicals is people ages 25-34 and they tend to be female. Around 42% of viewers are male and around 52% are women. Most music advertisements nd posters include the main character(s) in their iconic costume. Trailers typically include music, eye catching dance numbers, and clips from the film. Today, often high profile celebrities are cast in films to draw audiences in (ex: such as Ariana Grande in the upcoming Wicked movie)

Samples:

Chicago came out in 2002 on film with its Broadway counterpart premiering in 1975. Chicago shows how musicals can potray darker topics yet still entertain audiences. Chicago tells the story of two murderers Velma and Roxie who are both working with lawyer Billy. The story shows just how these two girls will battle for fame. Chicago is very "broadway" with powerful numbers such as Cell Block Tango and costumes that are eye catching. The trailer for Chicago is very quick and dark, it also includes the popular song All That Jazz. Chicago stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah, all popular people who drew in crowds.

In the Heights came out in 2021 on film with its Broadway counterpart debuting in 2005. This film tells the story of your average everyday people living in Washington Heights doing the best they can to reach their dreams. In the Heights hits all the targets when one thinks of musical. Starting with the title song (In the Heights). A number with tons of dance sequences and views of the city that helps audiences get an idea as to what Washington Heights is. The poster includes a large number of ensemble members who look like they are doing something exciting, drawing viewers in to watch the film. Lin Manuel had a big role in marketing which also helped draw his large number of fans in.

Other Musical Examples: