| The purpose of this study was to select a period in American history (1955-1965) and representative American musicals from the same period to compare the underlying values communicated through the American musical with the values within the American society.;A structural analysis of libretti and original Broadway or Off-Broadway cast's recordings revealed the values of the musical theatre world for comparison with the American values isolated by a collection of images, events, and themes from popular and historical documents.;This study concluded that musicals are reflective of the American values of its era. This information and the process for discovering it should be useful to all producing artists of American musicals who may choose to adapt characters when negative values are being communicated or to emphasize positive values of the past. This study should help to make theatre artists realize that all dramatic creations communicate values; therefore artists and producers must be accountable for the values of the art they choose to practice.;The ten year period was divided into three eras: 1955-1959 (The Eisenhower Years), 1960-1962 (The Kennedy Years), and 1963-1965 (a new Romanticism following the assassination of John Kennedy). Accompanying each of these eras was a randomly selected sample of American musicals and a selected sample of the longest running American musical of each year. The random sample between 1955 and 1965 includes: Once Upon a Mattress, The Music Man, Flower Drum Song, Li'l Abner, and West Side Story; between 1960 and 1962 includes: Do Re Mi, Mr. President, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Bye Bye Birdie, and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying; and between 1963 and 1965 includes: Skyscraper, Here's Love, 110 in the Shade, Man of La Mancha and Do I Hear a Waltz? The selected sample includes the following musicals: Damn Yankees, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Flower Drum Song, The Sound of Music, The Fantasticks, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Fiddler on the Roof, and Man of La Mancha. |
