Musical theatre
Musical theatre is stage entertainment that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance to tell a story or present a theme.
Book musical: A musical whose songs and dialogue develop a connected dramatic plot. It exemplifies the integrated storytelling at the center of musical theatre.
Operetta: A form of light opera combining spoken dialogue with songs and orchestral music. Operetta supplied a major model for early English-language musicals.
Jerome Kern: An American composer whose works include the musical Show Boat. His collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II helped advance integrated musical storytelling.
Oklahoma!: A 1943 musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II set in Oklahoma Territory. Its songs, choreography, and plot form a notably integrated whole.
Opera: A theatrical art form in which singing and instrumental music carry most or all of the drama. Musicals generally rely more heavily on spoken dialogue than opera does.
Libretto: The text of a musical, including its spoken dialogue and lyrics. Its dialogue and lyrics give the production its verbal dramatic structure.
Vaudeville: A popular theatrical format of varied short acts, including comedy, music, and dance. Its performers and variety-show structure influenced early musical theatre.
Oscar Hammerstein II: An American lyricist and librettist known for collaborations with Richard Rodgers. His work helped make songs serve character and plot rather than stand apart.
West Side Story: A 1957 musical by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, and Jerome Robbins. It reworks Romeo and Juliet through urban conflict, dance, and symphonic music.
Revue: A theatrical entertainment made of loosely connected sketches, songs, and dances. Unlike a book musical, a revue need not develop a continuous plot.