Until I read Elizabeth L. Wollman‘s The Theater Will Rock (from the University of Michigan Press), I’d thought that the history of the rock musical was a bit larger than it actually is. In her book, Wollman analyzes the the history and impact of the rock musical on “legitimate” theater, and I realized that the sub-genre of the Broadway musical started only in 1967, with Hair, with whose subtitle, “The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” the genre was named.
The book covers most of the major productions that followed, and the ones that have been original concepts can almost be counted on one hand. Such productions as Grease, Hedwig & the Angry Inch, or Rent have been rare, with performances such as Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, and Jesus Christ Superstar more the norm.
The Theater Will Rock is an excellent primer for anyone looking to get an overview of the rock musical. Most works presented here will be familiar to most readers, because, as a subgenre, the rock musical hasn’t had the chance to really blossom out like the musical as a whole. Of course, the fact that, while Hair really made a big name for itself, repeated attempts at a follow-up really didn’t get anywhere. The book’s main theme seems to be that while certain aspects of rock ‘n’ roll introduced via Hair like amplification, and different phrasing and tempo, the rock musical has not revolutionized the Broadway musical the way it was expected to.
The book proceeds chronologically, with the various innovations introduced in each chapter expanded upon in follow-up “Interludes.” These interludes further explain such things as audience (the difference between what is ok and what isn’t in theaters and concerts) or the megamusical. The book reads a bit slow, but it’s comprehensive without being exhaustive. Wollman’s book was originally published in 2006, and the paperback edition came out earlier this year, so Green Day’s recent American Idiot musical doesn’t get mentioned. It’s a pity, as one wonders what she though of a rock band’s performance at the premiere of their own theatrical production.
Listen to an interview with the author on WNYC’s Soundcheck.