the start for Laurent's adaptation. It is impossible to not discern the similarities in the opening scene of each play. Shakespeare wrote of the Capulets and the Montague's feud - Laurent wrote of the skirmish between the Jets and the Sharks, rival adolescent street gangs. It was a marvel on its dbut, especially because it did not attempt to feature any particular theatrical aspect. It is doubtful if without West Side Story there could have been later musicals with such vociferous social consciences. Cabaret (Appendix 1 - B) combines high drama, realistic if unconventional morality, and strong characters with astounding melodies. It was based on the play I Am a Camera by John van Druten. John Kander, the composer of Cabaret pushed the music into serious moral and musical terrain. With the emergence of popular music threatening his career as a theatre composer he took his chances and tried a new style of musical. When popular music seemed to stop caring about theatre music, People who wrote for the theatre stopped writing for the market. The musical naturally became more experimental. # Set in the Kit Kat club where the cabaret encourages you to leave your troubles behind and believe that life is beautiful. This musical confronts the era of Nazism in Germany, even including a Nazi song, Tomorrow belongs to me. In 1966, the Holocaust was still very fresh in everyone's mind. The story follows the life of Sally Bowles, an English girl, working in the Kit Kat club. The emergence of the Nazi partys power is charted alongside the story of Sally. The musical was no longer singing about how wonderful life is but actually challenging a complex, poignant political era. It was an intelligent musical that was not solely about entertaining but also about thinking. By setting it in such a provocative era a huge step towards political musicals was being taken. Never before had Broadway tackled such a sensitive subject. Cabaret also used the theatrical...
