THEATRE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Theatre of the United States is based in the Western (European) tradition. The American theatre is over 200 years old. The birth of professional theatre in America began in 1752 with the opening of the Dock Street Theatre. It had a company of actors (all from Europe) and a repertoire of plays popular in London at the time, including Hamlet, Richard III, the Merchant of Venice and others.
Throughout the 19th century, theatre culture was associated with hedonism and even violence, and actors (especially women), were looked upon as little better than prostitutes. In the late 19th and early 20th century vaudeville was popular in the theatre world. Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment when each performance consisted of separate and unrelated acts grouped together. Acts included popular and classical musicians, dancers, comedians, magicians, illustrated songs, athletes and so on.
Eugene O’Neil	One of America’s principal contributions to theatre art is the development of the “musical” which is of truly American origin. ‘Oklahoma’ was the first American musical. However no truly outstanding American playwright appeared before the 20th century. The first important American playwright of serious non-musical drama was Eugene O’Neil. Other well-known American playwrights include Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and others. Thornton Wilder Tennessee Williams Edward Albee
Earlier styles of theatre such as minstrel shows and vaudeville acts have disappeared from the landscape, but theatre remains a popular American art form. Drama is even taught in high schools and colleges, which was not done in previous eras, and many become interested in theatre through this. Modern American theatre is heavily connected with American literature, films, television, and music.
	New York City is the theatre centre of the USA. The New York theatre world is divided into two parts. One centers around Broadway (one of the city’s most important streets) where almost all large commercial theatres are located. Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 large professional theatres with 500 seats or more located in New York. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. Most Broadway productions are musicals and sophisticated drama or comedies featuring one or
two highly paid stars. Broadway productions (which are rather elaborate and expensive) entertain millions of theater-goers. Seeing a Broadway show is a common tourist activity in New York. The other New York theatre division is off-Broadway theatres which are found throughout the city in buildings, offices and stores. Sometimes there is no raised stage then the cast performs in the centre of the room, surrounded on all sides by the audience. Off Broadway shows often provide a more experimental, challenging performance than is possible in the larger Broadway theatres. Some Broadway shows, however, such as the musicals Hair, Little Shop of Horrors and others began their runs Off Broadway and later transferred onto Broadway.

Music in My Life

“Music is the universal language of mankind.” (Longfellow)

People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music, they dance to music and they learn to play musical instruments. We turn to music in joy and sorrow. Music expresses our most beautiful and sincere feelings, it inspires and enriches us, helps usunderstand ourselves better and makes our lives brighter.

Various kinds of music are popular with the public: classical and popular music, folk music and jazz, rock and roll, heavy metal, rap, rave and so on. As for me I am fond of classical music. Of course classical music is complicated and exclusive art but it gives the listener an incredible delight and inspiration. Classical music penetrates deep into our hearts and souls, enriches our inner lives and makes us happier. To tell you the truth, when I am in a good mood I prefer pop music or dance music. I am keen on dancing and singing that is why pop and dance music help me relax and gain new energy.

Music brings me pleasure, fills my life with great expectations of joy and happiness, when I play the piano (the guitar, the accordion, …). Moreover I sing in the chorus and even try to compose music. I believe that without music my life won’t be as interesting as it is now.

Among lots of superstars these days, there is one person (group) who (which) I’d like to speak about. It is ________________

Sometimes I attend music halls and concerts, when popular groups and singers perform there. Not long ago I was at ____________________

Frankly speaking, my dream is to visit Eisteddfod Festival in Wales (Slavyanskiy Bazar in Vitebsk, The Notting Hill Carnival in London…) _________________

	Ballet Ballet began in Italy and France during the Renaissance and is still an important art form in Western culture. ...(1)... Ballet dancers all over the world also try different ballet forms.
	Folk Dance Folk dance is usually traditional and performed by members of a community or nation. For example, English Morris dance, and North American square
dance. ...(2)... Folk dances are usually group dances that are taught by one generation to another. Today, well-known folk dances are often performed for audiences, for example, the Irish Riverdance.
	Popular Dance Popular or social dances often come from folk dances, although they are usually popular for only a short time. ...(3)...Until the eighteenth century, social dances were only held in palaces or the homes of aristocrats. However, in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, social dancing became more popular.
Ballroom dancing, which was a formal dance in a large room, became popular in Europe and North America. Central European folk dances, such as the waltz and polka, changed and became the most popular examples of ballroom dances.
	In the United States the mixing of immigrant cultures produced new forms of dance, such assquare dancing and tap dancing. Before the First World War, new ballroom dances came to Europe from America, for example Fox Trot, Tango, Rumba, Cha-Cha.The Argentine Tango was made internationally popular by Carlos Gardel through his songs and films. From the start of the twentieth century, African -American rhythm and movements also became part of popular social dance: in the 1920s the
Charleston; in the 1930s and 1940s the jitterbug; then the rock 'n' roll dances of the 1950s. …(4)… Dancing in couples returned in the 1970s 1980s with 'disco' music. ...(5)... This acrobatic form of solo dancing began in the poorer parts of American cities.