Staged performances that included music, dance, and a bit of acting began about 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece; this staged performance later became known as musical theater. As time progressed new ideas were added to enhance musical theater, for example, using orchestra music. The first musical theater piece known to man is the Black Crook, which premiered on September 12, 1866 in New York City. The Black Crook was about a wealthy, skeptical man who yearns to marry a young village girl who is in an unfortunate foster situation. The performance portrayed evil, rage, and sadness through music, dance, and a spoken dialogue.
There are many times of musical theater. Book musicals which includes a traditional story with music and characters. Revue musicals which is a performance of a collection of songs with a common meaning and Jukebox musicals which is similar, but the collection of songs is from a particular group or individual artist. Concept musical where the theme is more important than the actual musical. Rock or Pop musicals, little dialogue, for example, Grease. These are top types of musicals and used very evidently in many movies.
