[PDF] SANATORIUMS of New Mexico (Images of America) by Richard Melzer in Arts-Photography

Description

From the diverse proto-theatres of the mid-1800s; though the revues of the lsquo;20s; the lsquo;true musicalsrsquo; of the lsquo;40s; the politicisation of the lsquo;60s and the lsquo;mega-musicalsrsquo; of the lsquo;80s; every era in American musical theatre reflected a unique set of socio-cultural factors.?Nathan Hurwitz uses these factors to explain the output of each decade in turn; showing how the most popular productions spoke directly to the audiences of the time. He explores the function of musical theatre as commerce; tying each big success to the social and economic realities in which it flourished.?This study spans from the earliest spectacles and minstrel shows to contemporary musicals such as Avenue Q and Spiderman. It traces the trends of this most commercial of art forms from the perspective of its audiences; explaining how staying in touch with writers and producers strove to stay in touch with these changing moods.? Each chapter deals with a specific decade; introducing the main players; the key productions and the major developmentsin musical theatre during that period.