History of the American Musical Theatre

<p>From the diverse proto-theatres of the mid-1800s though the revues of the '20s the 'true musicals' of the '40s the politicisation of the '60s and the 'mega-musicals' of the '80s every era in American musical theatre reflected a unique set of socio-cultural factors.　</p> <p>Nathan Hurwitz uses these factors to explain the output of each decade in turn showing how the most popular productions spoke directly to the audiences of the time. He explores the function of musical theatre as commerce tying each big success to the social and economic realities in which it flourished.</p>