THE 20 -AND 21 -

TH ST

CENTURY MULTIMEDIA
FORMS
 What is a musical play?
• A musical play is a form of theatrical
presentation. It is popular because of the
combination of songs, spoken dialogue, acting,
and dancing which makes it more endearing
and entertaining. Modern musicals are
becoming more interesting because of stage
set-up, lights and sounds. It may utilize a live
orchestra or band to provide the music.
LES MISERABLES
EXAMPLES OF MUSICAL PLAY
• Les Misérables. The 2014 cast of Les
Miserables
• Wicked
• The Phantom of the Opera
• West Side Story
• Blood Brothers
• The Book of Mormon
• Matilda the Musical
• Miss Saigon
Les Misérables
Wicked
The phantom of the opera
West Side Story
Blood Brothers
The Book of Mormon
Matilda the Musical
Miss Saigon
 Les Misérables
• Les Miserables is the masterpiece of the musical theater of Alain
Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, based on the novel by writer
Victor Hugo published more than 156 years ago.
• It is considered one of the great novels of the nineteenth century, a
paradigm of French romanticism that analyzes the French society of
his time, by reasoning about good and evil, about law, politics,
ethics, justice, and the religion.
• The play takes place during the events of the June 1832
insurrection, where Victor Hugo presents much of his own political
ideology. It tells an exciting story, where the struggle for freedom
and justice is a timeless testimony of great human passions. With
some of the most beautiful songs written for musical theater, this
epic and inspiring story has become one of the most successful
musicals in the history of the theater in the great capitals of the
world
• The show takes place in the nineteenth century in France,
when Jean Valjean an ex-convict seeking redemption after
serving a nineteen-year prison term for stealing a loaf of
bread. Unable to find an honest job because of his past,
Valjean decides to break his parole in hope of starting a new
life under a false identity with the help of a bishop, while
suffering the relentless persecution of Inspector Javert over
the years, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is
relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses
to believe Valjean can change his ways.
• He becomes an exemplary man who fights against misery
and injustice and decides to take charge of Cosette, Fantine’s
little daughter, and their lives change forever. Thus, Jean
Valjean is forced to change his identity several times.
• At the same time, he must elude Commissioner
Javert, an inflexible policeman who persecutes
him, convinced that he has outstanding accounts
with the courts.
• Barricades, the interior of a factory, an old
neighborhood of Paris, a monastery, and a brothel
are just some of the images that manage to create
a cinematographic concept within the theater.
• Finally, during the Paris student uprising of 1832,
Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares
his life and saves that of the student revolutionary
who has captured the heart of Valjean’s adopted
daughter.
 How is an idea or a story presented in a
musical play or video?
• An idea, including the emotional content of a
musical—love, anger, nostalgia, bemusement,
and/or humor—is presented through the use of
music and drama elements like dialogue, movement,
space, stage, scenery, costumes, and special effects.
• Various songs and dances present the idea or tale in
a musical play to offer the feeling of the concept, or
tale often referred to as the theater. Actors play
characters, bring them to life through speech, acts,
and even songs and dance.
• Dancing with emotion and acting like an actor
and an actress. It can be portrayed in a certain
lyric in the song through facial expressions and
sudden motions.
• A theater that incorporates music, songs, voice
dialog and dance is musical theatre. The
numerous emotional aspects of production —
humor, pathos, love, rage — and the story itself
are expressed by expression, music, dance and
the performance as a whole.
 How an idea in a play presented?
• In a musical play, an idea is matched with an
instrumental music or song that carries a
similar theme, and is used to serve either as
accompaniment or as carrier of dialogue. The
idea that surfaces or that is accompanied by
music is then presented in live performance or
a recorded one for a scheduled show.
How are theatrical elements in
a selected part of the musical
play combined with music and
media?
• Dialogue surfaces as a lyric of a song
• Melody is used to highlight mood and tone
• Acting is accompanied with either songs or
instrumental music
• Scenery is presented using props that symbolize
locations like street, etc.
• Lighting and other forms of sounds are also
added to produce effects
• More importantly, instrumental music that
carries parallel theme is included to establish the
play’s main theme.
 What are the elements of a musical?
• The score is written by a composer. It is the
music for the entire show, which is composed of
a number of songs. Songs are incorporated into
the story when the scene is changing, a character
has made a decision, and two characters are
interacting or when the story needs a pick-me-up
dialogue.
• The lyrics are the words to the songs
• The script, which is also known as the book, is
the dialogue that the actors speak.
Why is music important in a play?
• Music can have a number of different roles in a
play. In terms of musical theater, such as opera,
ballet, and musicals, music has the function of
communicating the emotional heart of the action
and the feelings, wishes, and thoughts of the
characters. In musical theater, music involves a
certain degree of suspension of disbelief on the
part of the audience. The characters sing to each
other or directly to the audience as if they are not
even aware that they are singing. As the audience
watches the characters on stage break into song,
they are brought into the inner workings of the
character and experience them on a deeper level.
• It helps us understand the personality of the
characters, establishes a backstory, and moves
the action forward. In non-musicals, a
monologue can often achieve this same goal,
but usually with less spectacle.
• In non-musical theater, music can still play a
role. Sometimes it used to help establish a
certain mood or atmosphere
BROADWAY
MUSICAL
 What is Broadway musical?
• Broadway is America’s contribution to musical
drama. The characteristic of opera remains
except for the recitative part because of the
spoke dialogue. Broadway has a particular
style so it is easily appreciated by ordinary
people.
 Who are the key organizers of a musical?
• Choreographer- creates the dances and manages the overall
movements of the performance to match the directors’ vision.
• Costume designer- decides and oversees the creation of what
the actor will wear.
• Director- organizes all of the elements and key players into his
or her overall vision for the performance.
• Lighting Designer- makes sure that everything on stage is seen
or not seen according to plan; sets the mood of each scene; and
creates or sets the atmosphere and time of day.
• Musical Director- conducts the actors while singing as well as
the instrumentalist who play the score.
• Set Designer- plans and oversees the creation of the illusory
world in which the production takes place.
 How does technology affect the music industry?
• People’s use of technology in expressing themselves
through art can be felt even in the world of music. In
fact, people continue to explore ways to vary sounds
using modern technology. As a result, technology makes
it possible for musicians to produce various sounds. The
way is recorded and delivered to audiences was also
changed because of modern technology. As musicians
strive to deliver new style to musically express
themselves, composers continue to update themselves
with skills and equipment that may be used to satisfy the
discerning ears of music audiences. Thus, music
technology has become a primary component for
developing music.
 What are the contribution of computers and
other forms of technology on the presentation
of modern musical plays?
• The life-transforming effects of music is
evident in the ways people communicate,
store information, and produce new music
sounds and images. During the 1980s, when
the effect of modern technology first made an
impact on the theater, audiences were awed
by the ways sounds, light, and even theater
set were, to some degree, generated
electronically.
What are the contribution of social media
to music industry?
• Not to long ago, fans would coverage in a
coliseum or a park just to hear a musical
performance. While this may still be a fad, the
advent of social media has made it possible
for people to watch certain performances at
any place of their convenience using a
computer or any portable multimedia device.
This way, people may watch presentations by
merely going online.
• In addition, social media is making it possible
for people to organize their own groups where
they share their views about musical
performances. Furthermore, to obtain
updates about their favorite music tracks,
people now use different social media sites of
blogs.
Performance Check 1
 Performance Check 1
• DIRECTION: Create your own design of
costume in the musical play, “Les Misérables”.
You can sketch, draw, or paint a costume for
boy and girl. And then, use any indigenous
materials (Gunot Nyog, eamay saging
disposable or recyclable materials, sequences
etc.) to further design the details of the
gown/costume. Explain what materials you
used in your design. Do it INNOVATIVELY on a
clean flat karton/ any thick paper.