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MT 2: THE ERAS

Term 1: Musical Theatre History

The Time Traveler

The Classic Era

1940s - 1970s

The 'Golden Age' of Broadway! This was a time of big orchestras, huge dance numbers, and stories where the songs helped tell us how characters were feeling.

Famous Neighbors

The Sound of Music
Oliver!
The Music Man
Annie

SINGING VIBE

Bright and Loud! Open your mouth wide like you're telling a secret to the back row.

DANCING VIBE

Sharp and strong! We use high energy and often use props like mops or hats.

Show Spotlight

Annie

The Creators

MusicCharles Strouse
WordsMartin Charnin

The Story

Annie is a brave orphan in New York City. Even when things are tough, she never stops looking for her family and holding onto hope!

TRIVIA!

The musical is based on a comic strip called 'Little Orphan Annie' that is over 100 years old!

Watch A Scene

Wait for the intro to see them clean!

PRACTICE STATION

"It's The Hard Knock Life"

Ready to be an Orphan?

What's happening?

"The orphans are tired of cleaning for the mean Miss Hannigan. They aren't just sad—they are FEISTY!"

How to perform:

"Show your 'Grit'! This song needs stomps, loud voices, and lots of attitude."

MT-PLAYER

Head over to your practice site to play the track! You can solo the vocals to learn the melody, or solo the backing track to perform like a pro.

GO TO PRACTICE SITE

Remember: Keep your old songs practiced too! They are all staying on the site.

Musical Theatre 2 • Term 1 • 2026
Musical Theatre 3 | Ages 9-11

Eras of the Stage

Exploring the history, style, and evolution of Broadway through our current study of Annie.

Performance Study: Easy Street

What to Watch For:

  • •Vaudeville Influence: Notice the "razzle-dazzle" character movement—it's meant to be flashy and slightly over-the-top.
  • •Musical Characterisation: How do the three characters move differently to show their personalities?
  • •Tempo & Energy: The song builds speed. Why do you think the composer did that?

The Broadway Timeline

Click an era to expand

Practice Portal

Access your "Easy Street" tracks, including the backing track or vocal parts.

Go to Portal

MT3 Challenge

Characters in "Easy Street" aren't just singing about a place; they are singing about an ambition.

1. Why do Rooster and Lily want to be on 'Easy Street' so badly?

2. How does the 1930s Great Depression make this song feel more desperate?

Did you know?

Annie actually debuted in 1977, which is the Post-Golden Age. However, the story takes place in 1933, so the music uses a style that honours the early 20th century Jazz era!

Musical Theatre 4 | Age 11+

Eras of the Stage

Exploring the history, style, and evolution of Broadway through our current study of Annie.

Performance Study: Easy Street

What to Watch For:

  • •Vaudeville Influence: Notice the "razzle-dazzle" character movement—it's meant to be flashy and slightly over-the-top.
  • •Musical Characterisation: How do the three characters move differently to show their personalities?
  • •Tempo & Energy: The song builds speed. Why do you think the composer did that?

The Broadway Timeline

"This is when the 'Integrated Musical' was born—where the songs finally helped tell the story instead of just being random performances."

Stylistic Features

  • Big Orchestras
  • Clear Storytelling
  • Classic Jazz Influence

Examples

  • Oklahoma!
  • South Pacific
  • The King and I

"Musicals started getting 'edgier' and more experimental. This era introduced the 'Concept Musical' where the theme was as important as the plot."

Stylistic Features

  • Rock Influence
  • Complex Characters
  • Fosse-style Dance

Examples

  • Chicago
  • Hair
  • Company

"Everything got BIG! Massive sets, huge special effects, and sung-through scores with pop-ballad influences."

Stylistic Features

  • Spectacle
  • Synthesizers
  • International Hits

Examples

  • Les Misérables
  • The Phantom of the Opera
  • Cats

"Today's musicals blend every genre imaginable, from Hip-Hop to Bluegrass, often focusing on modern social issues."

Stylistic Features

  • Genre-Bending
  • High Energy
  • Diverse Stories

Examples

  • Hamilton
  • Dear Evan Hansen
  • Wicked

Practice Portal

Access your "Easy Street" tracks, lyrics, and choreography notes here.

Go to Portal

MT4 Challenge

Characters in "Easy Street" aren't just singing about a place; they are singing about an ambition.

1. Why do Rooster and Lily want to be on 'Easy Street' so badly?

2. How does the 1930s Great Depression make this song feel more desperate?

Did you know?

Annie actually debuted in 1977, which is the Post-Golden Age. However, the story takes place in 1933, so the music uses a style that honours the early 20th century Jazz era!