Concept Musical:

What is a Concept Musical?

 The term 'concept musical' did not appear in theatrical scholarship until after
1970, when the phrase “conceived by” preceded Michael Bennet’s name in A
Chorus Line .

 Most theater historians agree that the terms 'concept' and 'musical' were not
linked until 1968, in a NY TIMES review of Zorba by critic Martin Gottfried.
Referring to Harold Prince’s direction rather than the show itself, Gottfried
wrote: "Conception is the big word here - it is what is coming to replace the
idea of a 'book'... there is even less room than in the usual musical because
Prince's concept... apparently won out on every question about cutting. “ In a
later review of “ Follies” Gottfried defined it as "a show whose music, lyrics,
dance, stage movement and dialogue are woven through each other in the
creation of a tapestry-like theme (rather than in support of a plot).

 Modern critics disagree as to the exact definition of the concept musical. It is

generally agreed upon that in a concept musical, emphasis is placed upon
style, message, and thematic metaphor rather than on the plot itself. Thus,
the show's structure is rarely cohesive or linear. Critics agree that the most
defining aspect of a concept musical is its use of theme. Can be similar to a
revue in format and structure.

 Thus, the concept musical can also be defined by its structural characteristics
and common staging techniques. Its songs "punctuate rather than flow out
from the story," serving as a means of self-reflection for the character and
acting as commentary upon the theme. Often these shows are director driven.
Think of Prince, Fosse, Bennett, as opposed to R&H, Lerner and Loewe etc.

 BUT every show has a concept.

  “The age of the concept musical carried this advance in book-and-number
formatting to the point that there is virtually nothing that cannot be imagined
an effective topic for a musical. The ferment of ideas behind the concept
show combines innovation with a strict sense of the musical’s history (the
revue as called to life in Follies), the musical’s procedures (the audition and
rehearsals of A Chorus Line), and the musical’s relationships to other forms of
theatre (the kabuki methods in Pacific Overtures). The past and the future of
the theatre are at issue in the best of them.
 — Scott McMillin, The Musical as Drama

History:

 Love Life by Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner. (1948). The show told the story
of a married couple, Sam and Susan Cooper, who never age as they progress
from 1791 to 1948, encountering difficulties in their marriage (and thus the
very fabric of marriage) as they struggle to cope with changing social mores.

 Allegro from 1947 is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 3rd musical following their
success of Oklahoma and Carousal. The musical centers on the life of Joseph
Taylor, Jr., who follows in the footsteps of his father as a doctor, but is
tempted by fortune and fame at a big-city hospital. Hammerstein had long
contemplated a serious work, which would deal with the problems of the
ordinary man in the fast-moving modern world. He and Rodgers sought to
create a work, which would be as innovative as their first two-stage
musicals. To that end, they created a play with a large cast, including a Greek
Chorus. The production would have no sets; props and projections served to
suggest locations.

 Candide and West Side are also early forerunners of this. WHY?

 Other Concept Musicals include Cabaret, Man of La Mancha and Hair. WHY??

 Company (1970) Sondheim/Furth/Prince/Bennett Sondheim: "Broadway

theater has been for many years supported by upper-middle-class people
with upper-middle-class problems. These people really want to escape that
world when they go to the theatre, and then here we are with Company
talking about how we're going to bring it right back in their faces.

 Follies (1971) Sondheim/Goldman/Prince/Bennett. Pastiche/Hommage

 Pippin (1972) Schwartz/Fosse

 A Chorus Line (1975) Hamlisch/Kleban/Bennett

 Chicago (1975) Kander & Ebb/Fosse

 Cats (1981) Lloyd Webber/T.S. Eliot/Nunn

 Starlight Express (1984) Lloyd Webber/Stilgoe

 Ave Q (2003) Lopez/Marx/Witty