1) A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MUSICAL

A musical may be defined as a production for stage or film that typically involves music, singing, dancing and dialogue. Musicals are performed all around the world and may be presented in large venues or in smaller theatres or spaces like school halls.
Although music has been an integral part of theatrical presentations since ancient times, the modern musical only emerged during the late nineteenth century. Many of its structural elements were established by the works of “Harrigan & Hart” in America.
Theatrical productions that led to the rise of the musical are as follow:

• BALLAD OPERA & OPERETTA
Ballad operas and operettas both share qualities found in traditional opera. Just like the opera, these genres are both sung in an operatic style.

The ballad opera originated in England around the eighteenth century, and developed to become a type of comic opera. It typically featured farcical plots and light-hearted music that was mainly confined to ballads and folk songs that were interspersed with spoken dialogue. The Beggar 's Opera is an example of a ballad opera.

An operetta, although similar to the opera, is typically shorter than traditional operas. This genre is also much lighter in style and more popular in subject matter than the opera. The Beautiful Helen by Jacques Offenbach, is an examples of an operetta.

• VAUDEVILLE
The vaudeville is, just like the musical and opera, a theatrical genre but it emphasises variety