Theatre Final Essay
Theatre has been a prevalent form of entertainment for centuries. As time has progressed, the meaning behind theater has shifted to adapt with society appropriately. Different genres of theater have been emerging all throughout history and continue to emerge even today. There are so many different genres of theatre that any individual can relate to it. One can easily recall the major genres of theatre: drama, comedy, musicals. However, it is the sub-divisions within these major genres that evoke unique performances and experiences.
One branch of the musical genre, the rock musical, is simply a theatrical work that contains rock music. The play’s story is told not only through spoken dialogue, but through songs as well. This type of musical has only emerged recently, roughly fifty years ago, with the opening of Hair. It was with this production that the rock musical became an important part of musical theatre. Another cornerstone for the rock musical was the musical RENT which, like Hair, pushed the boundaries of theatre and allowed audiences a rare theatrical experience. It is musicals like Hair and RENT that have helped the world of theatre come into its own and allow theatre to continue to push the envelope by bringing its audiences the highest form of entertainment. Hair is considered to be a cult Broadway musical that made its debut in the 1960’s. It tells the story of Claude, a young man who journeys to New York City. There, he befriends a group of politically active hippies (the “tribe”) who live a bohemian lifestyle together in the midst of an extremely conservative society. The play tells the story of their lives as they fight against the draft into the Vietnam War. Ultimately, Claude must decide to either resist the draft as the members of the “tribe” have done, or succumb to societal pressures and serve in
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