ABSTRACT
Musical theatre is a particularly complex art form. It is a multi-media event which depends on a harmonical union of language, music, and dance. The participants are actors/dancers and musicians. Depending on the type of drama, the actors are singers too and the off-stage group of musicians may include vocalists. All these participants need to co-ordinate their actions. Although it is not necessary for them to agree on every aspect of the performance (choreography, layout of text and music), even in purely oral traditions the possibilities of improvisation are very limited, since such a considerable number of people requires a high degree of coordination and frequent rehearsing.
