Quiz
In Andrew Lloyd Webber's spectacular mega-musical 'The Phantom of the Opera', what iconic, massive scenic element dramatically crashes down toward the stage at the end of the first act?
Chapter 1
How the modern musical was born
Chapter 2
The era of the spectacular mega-musical
Chapter 3
Breaking rules and blending genres
Chapter 4
The hidden craft behind the curtain
YOUR GOAL
Master of The story of stage musicals
Ch 2 · The era of the spectacular mega-musical
schopenhauer The Mega-Musical Era
Raise the curtain, raise the curtain! The stage is coming alive tonight.
schopenhauer Disney transformed Broadway in the 1990s by turning animated films into massive theatrical events.
schopenhauer Andrew Lloyd Webber's gothic romance became the longest-running show in Broadway history using grand stage magic.
BETA
schopenhauer Match songs, actors, and trivia to discover the complete history of your favorite musicals.
Fun Fact
Cats makeup secrets: The actors in the musical 'Cats' apply their own intricate makeup, which can take up to two hours to perfect before every show.
Glossary
megamusical (noun)
A theatrical production of particularly grand scale, typically featuring elaborate staging and special effects. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 production Cats popularized this theatrical genre on Broadway and the West End.
A theatrical production of particularly grand scale, typically featuring elaborate staging and special effects. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 production Cats popularized this theatrical genre on Broadway and the West End.
Quiz
The rock musical 'Rent' is a modern adaptation of which classic Italian opera by Giacomo Puccini?
Quiz
Which British producer was responsible for bringing mega-musicals like 'Cats' and 'Les Misérables' to Broadway?
Quiz
Which musical held the record as the longest-running show in Broadway history before closing in 2023?
Quiz
What tragic event happened to 'Rent' creator Jonathan Larson just before the show's first public performance?
Quiz
Which 1980s mega-musical, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, featured actors performing entirely on roller skates?
Quiz
Which visionary director used puppetry and African masks to bring 'The Lion King' to Broadway in 1997?
Quiz
Which Disney animated film was the very first to be adapted into a Broadway musical in 1994?
Quiz
What massive, 1,000-pound prop famously plummets toward the audience in 'The Phantom of the Opera'?