Musical Techniques Used In Show Boat By Oscar Hammerstein II

When it comes to musical theatre, there are various aspects that come together to make a musical the best show it can be. The best part about musical theatre is the fact that each musical differs from one another. For instance, in the musical “Show Boat” written by Oscar Hammerstein II, the characters speak to one another using spoken dialect and singing. There are very few dance numbers. However, in the musical “Oklahoma!”, also written by Oscar Hammerstein II, there is more dancing involved. No matter how different musicals are from one another, the songs that are incorporated in the shows further the plot in many ways. One musical that contains songs that furthers the plot is “Show Boat”. For example, the song “Ol’ Man River” is used to show one of the various themes of the musical. One of those themes includes, “what goes around comes back around”. Throughout the song, the man who sings it symbolizes the importance of picking yourself back up, and moving on. Another
One of these songs is “People Will Say We’re In Love”. In this song, Laurey and Curly hit to one another that they are in love, but do not want to admit it. This furthers the plot because the audience doesn’t have to wait until the climax to find out whether or not they love one another. Instead, they are informed at the very beginning of the musical. Another song in “Oklahoma!” that furthers the plot is “Poor Jud Is Daid”. In this song, Curly tells Jud to kill himself so that he can have Laurey to himself. It furthers the plot because it explains how deeply in love Curly is with Laurey. Although this musical may differ from others, it still contains songs that further the plot. To conclude with, both “Show Boat” and “Oklahoma!” are two of many musicals that use songs to further the plot. While the songs aren’t exactly the same in each musical, they all have the same purpose. Without these songs, musicals wouldn’t be the