Traces the creative evolution of the stage musical from its 19th-century origins to current Broadway hits—from popular entertainment to an important theatrical art. Examines this unique and original art form from multiple perspectives—historical, cultural, political, and aesthetic. Offers students an opportunity to develop insights into the concepts and methods of such pioneering composers, lyricists, and theatre artists as Gilbert and Sullivan, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.