Rogers & Hammerstein - dream sequences

[EllyMack]

Silly question, and since I did a whole module on the American musical at uni, I really ought to know this, but why do the film adaptations of R&H's musicals always seem include a dream/ballet sequence? I watched Flower Drum Song for the first time at the weekend and yep - another dream sequence!



Were these sequences included in the stage versions?

[Steve Crook]

name='EllyMack']Silly question, and since I did a whole module on the American musical at uni, I really ought to know this, but why do the film adaptations of R&H's musicals always seem include a dream/ballet sequence? I watched Flower Drum Song for the first time at the weekend and yep - another dream sequence!



Were these sequences included in the stage versions?

The one in Oklahoma! was certainly in the stage version.



They did often have a dark passage in what was otherwise a light, happy musical.

I had to remind someone recently of the You've Got To Be Carefully Taught number about racism in South Pacific



Steve

[TimR]

Yes, they are in the stage productions. Definitely.



I dislike most musicals intensely but the women in my family and their families love them. They LOVE them. So I have sat through many on screen and on stage. And those dream ballets are definitely part of the R&H musicals. I think they were popular in the 40s and 50s.



They are at least six hours in length, by my watch . And that's just the ballets. The one in Carousel is near the end.

[Freddie Freeloader]

BBC - Proms - 22 August 2010



Highly recommended.... the original orchestral movie versions are being performed.



If it's anything like last year's MGM prom it will be spectacular.

[will.15]

The purpose for the ballet scenes is Rogers and Hammerstein were trying to get as far as possible from standard musical comedy conventions, instead of the then standard chorus girls. The only way you could include ballet in a musical not set in the ballet world was as a dream sequence.