The Key Features of Musical Theatre

Character Information:

Angel Dumott Schunard - Angel is seen as the most controversial character throughout the musical. Some people believe her to be a transgender woman, and some believe her to be a drag queen. She is also HIV+ and she uses 'she' and 'he' pronouns throughout the musical.

Joanne Jefferson - Joanne is an Ivy League - educated lawyer. Joanne is the woman for whom Maureen left Mark.

Benjamin Coffin III - 'Benny' Coffin is an ex roommate of Mark Cohen, Maureen Johnson, Tom Collins and Roger Davis. Three months prior to the beginning of the show he and Mimi Marquez were presumably in a relationship.

Maureen Johnson - Maureen is an outrageous, bisexual performance artist. She dated Mark Cohen before the events in Rent.

Roger Davis - Roger is an ex-junkie, he is depressed, April, who committed suicide after learning they are both HIV+.

Tom Collins - Tom is Angel's love interest after Angel finds him beaten up and helps him.

Mark Cohen - He is one of the main characters aswell as the narrator. He is a filmmaker who decides on Christmas Eve of 1989 to 'shoot without a script' and create a documentary of the 1989-1990 year. He is one of the characterswho is not HIV+.

The Plot

The plot of the musical is set in the 1990's of a group of New Yorkers struggle with their careers, love lives and the AIDS epidemic on their community. Mark an aspiring filmmaker, and Roger an HIV positive musician , scramble for moneyto pay rent to their landlord and former roommate, Benny. Meanwhile their friend Tom, a professor, has fallen for Angel who is slowly dying of AIDS.

Form/Structure

'Seasons of Love' is a chorus number in the musical. Solo #2 in this song relates to the musical because it references 'In the truth she learned' from my interpretation I think that this could be a possible reference to April learning that she was HIV+ . Another reference is that in this song it mentions 'the times she cried' this could be that Collins losing Angel and 'The way that she died' could be a refernce to April's suicide or Angel's death from AIDS. Other froms of song in the musical include There is a duet number played by Mark Cohen and and Joanne called 'Tango:Maureen'. It is about Maureen's ex-lover (Mark) and new lover (Joanne) meeting for the first time after intial distrust and that dating Maureen is like dancing a complicated Tango and that they then reluctantly become friends. The structure of the musical is that it is a sung -through libretto with musical numbers.

Themes

The main themes shown in the musical are AIDS, homophobia, poverty and drug addiction. These themes are shown by the majority of the characters being HIV+. Also Mark, the protagonist, was a former drug addict and many of the characters are homosexual and bisexual and because of this they face discrimination and hardship in society. Another theme that is clearly common throughout the musical is the theme of 'Love'. This is shown when Mimi and Roger fall in love with each other and Maureen and Joanne being different in society at the time by being in a homosexual relationship.

Function of Dramatic Elements

The function of the dramatic elements within the musical is that the plot develops from Act 1 to Act 2 as Act 1 mainly focuses on the start of forming new relationships between the characters. Roger meets Mimibecause of her power outage, these two are immeadiatly attracted to each other. Maureen and Joanne are protesting against Benny from removing a homeless shelter. in Act 2 the group tries to break into their apartment after Benny padlocks it because they are struggling to pay rent.

Function Of the Dance Elements

The function of the dance elements is that it is minor apart from the dance break in 'Tango: Maureen' which is a duet between Joanne and Mark.

Function Of Musical Elements

Rent is a rock opera , which means the story line is told through the music. About half of the songs in the musical are in minor key due to the distressing situations that the characters are in. However the rest of the songs are in major keybecause the characters refuse to give up when faced with poverty and disease. Several of these songs are reprised throughout the musical to emphasise the importance of the themes in them and to help the audience have a clear understanding of the situation of what the characters are in.

Character Information:

Roxie Hart - she is the protagonist in the musical. Roxie is seen as not very bright and never thinks about the consequences of her actions before she says or does anthing. She is an aspiring Vaudillian and murderess who kills her lover after an argument and is sent to jail.

Velma Kelly - Velma is a Vaudillian and muderess who is on trial for killing her cheating husband and sister. She is represented by Billy Flynn and competes with Roxie Hart for him.

Billy Flynn - Billy is Velma and Roxie's lawyer who has a perfect track record and makes celebrities of his clients to win sympathy and sway public aopinion.

Amos Hart - Roxie's faithful and good-natured but simple husband whom nobody pays attention to. He spends most of the show trying to make Roxie take interest in him or even just acknowledge his existence.

Matron 'Mama' Morton - She is the matron of the Cook County Jail who believes that all favors she gives should be reciprocated which means that to feel for someonein the same way that they feel.

Mary Sunshine - The newspaper reporter who follows the trials of both Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. In most productions, Sunshine is revealed to be a male at the end of the show.

The Plot

It is the mid 1920's in Chicago Illinois and Velma Kelly who is with her sister performed a popular double-act until Velma ia arrested for the murder of her sister and husband, who she found in bed together. Whereas Roxie Hart who is a Vaudille wannabe shoots her lover, Fred Casely, because he didn't keep his word about introducing Roxie to nightclub producer so in fury she shoots him dead. This is an example of her not thinking about her actions and the consequences to come.

Form/Structure

The forms of song in the musical atre solo numbers such as 'Funny Honey' and is sung by Roxie Hart. It is about how even though Roxie cheated on her husband Amos her will continue to love her and do everything for her which reflects her selfish personality. Another form of song in the musical is a finale/reprise number which is 'All that Jazz' which helps set the scene of the musical by Velma Kelly leading showing that she always wants to be incharge and this helps communicate to the audience the plot of the musical.

Themes

(Crime) - The key themes shown within the musical is that everyone in Chicago is minipulatic and the only genuine character is Amos, as most of the characters within the musical have committed a crime or involved within crime.

Vaudeville - The structure of the show is seen as people performing their lives and that Velma who is an ex-vaudeville performer in the story aswell of acting kind of a host. She killed her own Vaudeville act by killing her sister, exactly at the same time as Vaudeville was reaching it death in the late 1920's.

Function of Dramatic Elements

The function of the dramatic elements within the musical is that as the plot develops there is a change between act 1 and act 2. In act 1 Roxie goes to jail in the Cook County Jail and is inhabited by Velma and the other murderesses. The plot then develops because Velma and Roxie have a similar situation as they both have the same layer (Billy Lawyer). In act 2 Velma shows Billy all the tricks she plans to do for her trial. Wheras Roxie has a heated arguement with Billy and fires him. However she is brought down back to earth when she minds out a fellow inmate has been executed.

Function of Musical Elements

The function of musical elements within the musical is that Ebb and Kander's musical demonstrates not only a revolution in ideology but through its illustrated jazz sounds,innovative rythms and wiity lyrics.

Function of Dance Elements

The dance elements used are a cabaret style and burleque features. Also because crime is influenced it creates a a very self-righteous atmosphere and this reflects in the dancers movements showing that they are confident and are not afraid to show off.

Character Information:

Donna Sheridan - She is a single parent and the mother of Sophie Sheridan. She owns a hotel on the island of 'Kalokairi' in Greece. Before Sophie was born Donna had three lovers who could all equally be Sophie's father.

Sophie Sheridan - She is 20 years old and is the daughter of Donna Sheridan and she goes on a search to find her father. She is engaged to Sky whom she wishes to marry. Her best friends are Ali and Lisa and she lives in 'Kalokairi' (Greece) with her mother Donna.

Sam Carmicheal - Sam is one of Sophie's potential fathers' and Donna's ex-lover who she marries towards the end of the musical.

Harry Bright - He is also one of Donna's ex-lovers and is one of Sophie's potential fathers'.

Bill Austin - Bill is one of Sophie's potential fathers and Donna's ex-lover.

Tanya - Donna's best friend.

Rosie - Donna's best friend.

Sky - Sophie's fiancee.

Ali - Sophie's best friend.

Lisa - Sophie's best friend.

The Plot

Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends (Tanya and Rosie). Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites her three potential fathers from her mother's past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day.

Form/Structure

The structure of the songs in Mamma Mia! is that it is a sung through libtreeto with musical numbers. In act 1 Donna, Tanya and Rosie and the female ensemble sing 'Super Trouoper'. This hel[ps the audience understand that Donna character of being a strong, independant woman.

Themes

The themes and features within the musical is that the theme of love is shown when Donna reunites with her ex-lovers and marries Sam Carmicheal. Another theme shown is that when Sophie goes to the water this could represent that she has an inseecurity or instability. Also the lighting used could reflect the mood, for example when dark colours are used this could represent that Sophie is isn't happy/confident. The boat could represent freedom. Also when she and her three possible father go to explore the island of Kalokairi this represents a theme of unity.

Functions of Dramatic Elements

The functions of dramatic elements within the musical are that the there is a climax from Act 1 to Act 2 and this helps the storyline flow so that the audience becomes engaged when watching. At the end of Act 1 it is Sophie's hen party and her three potential fathers crash the party. First Sam tells Sophie that he will promise to walk Sophie down the aisle and so do Harry and Bill, leaving Sophie in a condused state knowing that she doesn't want to let any of them down.This happens on purpose so that the audience are ready and engaged to watch Act 2. However towards the end of the musical in Act 2 Donna ends up marrying Sam but she doesn't actually reveal who her father is.

Functions of Musical Elements

The musical elements in Mamma Mia! is that the ABBA songs help tell the narrative by reflecting the characters mood. For example when Sophie sings 'I have a dream' this shows that she wants to reach something and that the musical features in this number is that it is a solo and that it is very quiet and soft and this reflects her caring personality.

Functions of Dance Elements

The functions of the dance elements within the musical is thaat Donna mainly does the dance numbers for example in 'Dancing Queen' Donna, Tanya and Rosie all dance and sing together trying to show their youth and make their lives interesting so that the audienced are engaged in what is happening.