The birth and history of Broadway and musical shows is quite an extensive and interesting one. It began as Vaudeville, the voice of the city, allowing people to experience the forbidden; may it be sex, women, the human body, language, or promiscuous clothing, all of it was suddenly exhibited on stage for the world to see. New York City was the birth place of musical theater and the birth of a new era in entertainment and popular culture. Being a true New Yorker myself, I am truly proud and thankful for being immersed in such a cultural melting pot.
The main documentary film we watched on Broadway, explains it as an American musical. After learning who the historical founders and primary contributors to Broadway were, I found it extremely interesting to find that they were immigrants from all over the world. This is truly how the United States was primarily built and founded on; the idea of bringing people from all walks of life together to live in harmony. Racial boundaries were also broken and contributed greatly in striving towards ending racism and ethnic stereotypes.
Art and freedom of expression also truly came into play during the Broadway vaudeville era. It broke free from conservative art forms and let musicians, dancers, costume artists, and all contributors, express themselves in ways they never thought possible. This was truly a time for freedom and happy living.
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