I can't really stress the aspect of storytelling in musical theatre enough. Musical theatre, just like most plays in and of itself, is basically storytelling, just with music to drive it along. Unless it's something like SIX, which is a concert-style show focused on King Edward VIII's wives talking about their marriages to him, or some other show with music focusing on specific ideas or emotions, I can safely say that most musicals follow a plotline.
You don't necessarily need a narrative (or a linear one even) to impact the audience. But you do need to make them think. You can have the fluffy Alice in Wonderland Looking Glass type theatre every now and again, but you need the thought-provoking stuff just as much.
Even if it's not as in-your-face, there are many ways to tell the story in a musical. This post aims to explore contemporary storytelling techniques in musical theatre and hopefully inspire you when you write your own piece.
The Evolution of Musical Theatre Storytelling
The evolution of storytelling in musical theatre reflects the changing societal times. Initially rooted in classical narratives like in Ancient Greece, it focused on grand themes and archetypal characters as we can see in genres such as Commedia dell'Arte and masques thanks to the Renaissance. As social and political shifts occurred, narratives adapted to contemporary issues, resonating more with audiences. Key milestones include integrated scores and narratives like in Wagner operas that enhanced emotional engagement, and the rise of character-driven plots. This prioritized personal stories and complex characters over spectacle, enriching the overall storytelling experience (the Ziegfeld Follies definitely still utilized spectacle). A Doll's House, a realist play by Henrik Ibsen, is a good example of this (it's not a musical though).
Nowadays there's much more of a use of multimedia and technology in storytelling,
with incorporating projections, visual effects, sound and innovative sets. There's more of a focus on the journey of a character, and they seem more multi-dimensional. I've also noticed these days especially in the 2020's more of an emphasis on marginalized voices in theatre in pieces such as A Strange Loop and Real Women Have Curves, which can not only force the audience to shift perspectives because they're being introduced to a new one, but make them aware of life experiences that do exist outside of their bubbles (what I strive to do in my art).
As you see in the gallery above, these unconventional narratives (among others) broke and still break traditional storytelling molds. The episodic structure, like in TV shows, can be used in theatre as well, with each scene being its own contained thing in the larger scheme of the play (Groundhog Day could be a good example of this because each scene is the same day starting over multiple times in a loop, but the main character still develops as a person even if time doesn't). Dan Harmon's story circle reminds me of the plots of some medieval romance dramas that don't follow the linear plot structure. And the play Constellations and the musical Company are great examples the non-linear one in the lower right corner as they both have alternative timelines or meander back and forth in time.
And then you have your unexpected plot twists that will violate people's expectations of what to expect in a storyline. You could have heard a pin drop in the whole auditorium at the end of Hadestown when I watched it some years ago (no spoilers allowed).
The Role of Music in Storytelling
A lot of times I've been asked what the point of doing a musical is versus a straight play. They both can lead the story along. But what a musical does that the subtext of a straight play does from the understanding of reading between the lines is that songs can be used to express the emotions of a character that speaking words alone couldn't. And in terms of driving the plot along, we see the development of the character, but what comes to mind for me is the songs between scenes/acts during performances in Ancient Greek times that foreshadow what's to come. A motif attached to a character or location or feeling can help us follow what's going on (I've used groovy spaceship music during a character's weed hallucinations, which then cuts off when he returns to reality, for example). As far as the genres in musicals are concerned these days, do I need to specify how much they've evolved? If I say musical theatre you'll automaically think Sondheim or Cole Porter or Rodgers and Hammerstein. But thanks to newer musical styles like the jazz and folk in Hadestown, the RnB and rap in Hamilton, and the electronic stuff in Be More Chill, I can happily say that the use of contemporary music trends makes the piece more relatable to modern audiences. That's part of why they're so popular, besides being modern reimaginings of folk tales and history and touching on topics we can relate to today.
And there are plenty of ways to engage your audience besides having music they can relate to. Musicals generally break the fourth wall because it's not like you randomly break out into song during the day (unless you're me). But if you use the songs well to evoke empathy and other emotions, that can create the audience investment into the characters. When we performed my show This is Not a Bill, we had the African-American spirituals scattered throughout the show as the enslaved couple moved their way towards freedom. But even more than the talkback sessions afterwards was us asking the audience about what they feel the couple should do during the Fugitive Slave Act after they sang "Oh! Freedom"was where I saw the most tears. That's the power of music.
Examples of Successful Storytelling in Musical Theatre
The following are some notable contemporary musicals that have impacted me because of the innovation of their storytelling, and are also pretty popular:
Hamilton: its historical narrative innovation where it's a white story but played by actors of color (Alexander Hamilton is West Indian so yeah it makes sense). And then don't get me started on the music. It was apparently done as such so that the history lesson could land well with modern audiences.
Dear Evan Hansen: besides its exploration of mental health like in Next to Normal and Jagged Little Pill, the set is made up of screens that project cellphone message apps.
Hadestown: folk music, jazz and the reimaging of a classic Greek myth.
Company: my musical theatre professor assigned me "Another Hundred People" and so I decided to watch the show when it came to Boston. I didn't know this until I sat down to write this article, but the play follows a what-if timeline into the future (and various vignettes that don't relate to each other but do relate to the theme of the show) and then jumps back to the original starting point.
Hairspray: I just had to. It was the musical that started it all for me, being a black girl and all. And probably makes more sense now that I'm a classically-trained black girl who listens to Joanna Newsom.
Conclusion
Storytelling plays a crucial role in contemporary musical theatre, serving as a powerful vehicle for conveying emotions and connecting with audiences. And while not all forms of musical theatre have a narrative, some of the best ones do and so implementing one can be a way to commentate on societal issues and life themes that our audience can relate to. Because that's the point of theatre and art in general - to make known all the things, beautiful and ugly, in our world and challenge the audience with awareness. So my encouragement to you is to continue to create, and to tell your story...you really never know who is going to be changed for the better because of what you do.
Stay educated,
Alexia