ABSTRACT

The style of music in any musical is highly influenced by and reflects the style of contemporary music of its time period. Stylistic determinations are not always logical, but understanding the qualities that divide different theatrical styles assists the director in making preliminary assumptions about a given play and presents an initial direction for its interpretation. The evolution of theatrical styles grew out of the presentational revolution; the Greeks created the first style categories of comedy and tragedy. Having identified the literary style of the play, the director now establishes the production style. The director needs to determine how to frame the production concept while keeping in mind the expectations of the audience and utilizing these expectations to help communicate the play. The director must critically evaluate every choice in the production to ensure it is consistent with the mode.