Musicals101.com

History of Musicals
What is a musical?
Stage
Film
TV
Bibliography

Sub-Histories:
A Chorus Line 101
Cabaret 101
George M Cohan 101
Noel Coward 101
G&S 101
Historic NYC Theatres
Making Musicals 101
Theatre in NYC: History
Variety 101
Ziegfeld 101

Site Index
Site Search
Find a Musical

Musicals101 Shop

Blog:
The Showtune Chauvinist

Reference Resources
Stage Chronology
Film Chronology

Musicals as History
Sample Lyrics
Sample Scenes
Photo Galleries
Show Rights Index
Who's Who in Musicals

Musicals Calendar
Links

Reviews & Essays
Stage/Screen Reviews
Book Reviews
CD Reviews
Flops on CD
DVD Reviews
Dance in Musicals
Gays and Musicals
Making Bway Musicals
How to Put On A Musical
A Life in Vaudeville
Musicals101 Blog

Guest Sites
LOOM Homepage
Miller/Seldin Homepage
NYC Restaurants

About the Author

Contact Musicals101

History of Stage Musicals
by John Kenrick

(Copyright 1996, Revised 2003)

You can study this history in a brief capsule version that links to the full essays, or go straight to the essays via the links below.

 

1700-1865


French and Viennese Operetta:
1850-1880


British Music Hall

American Variety


Minstrel Shows


Vaudeville


Burlesque


1866-1879


The First Musical Comedies: 1879-1899


Gilbert and Sullivan


1900-1910


1910-1920

Stage 1920s


1930s


1940s


1950s


1960s


1970s


Stage 1980s


Stage 1990s


Stage 2000s


And the Future?

 

Back to: Musicals101's Homepage