Blossom Time: Three Lyricist-Librettists and the Early Twentieth-Century American Musical Theatre

Anne Caldwell, Dorothy Donnelly, and Rida Johnson Young were three of the most prolific lyricist-librettists on Broadway from approximately 1900 to 1930. Despite their many successes, which included some of the best-loved American operettas and musical comedies of the era, they have yet to achieve the recognition of many of their more famous counterparts. This study examines several of their works in an effort to re-evaluate Caldwell, Donnelly, and Young as writers for the musical theatre and uses their works to better understand the nature and conventions of the American musical at the beginning of the twentieth century. I have collected all known extant scripts by Caldwell, Donnelly, and Young and analyzed them as musical plays: their structure, dialogue, song placement, interaction of music and plot, and overall dramatic effectiveness. I also consult vocal scores, production reviews, and contemporary interviews with the artists involved to paint the most complete picture of each show possible. Some of these shows are still produced by opera and light opera companies today; others have languished in archives since their original productions. This study aims to bring these nearly forgotten writers back into the spotlight while challenging prevailing conventional narratives about the early American musical theatre.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Theatre

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Peck, Ellen Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kim Lee, Esther

• Literature, American

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3399026

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86500