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A jukebox musical is a collection of songs--connected by an artist, era, or theme--that present a story. There are several types of jukebox musicals in theatres today, but the history of the jukebox musical is pretty closely aligned with the advent of musical theatre. Early ballad operas, such as John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, used popular tunes of the day in the story. In the nineteenth century, melodramas (while they might have original music) used a similar formula, and incorporated popular music that audiences were familiar with into the story. This guide will explore the development of the jukebox musical, highlighting important examples throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Terminology

• Ballad opera: a theatrical entertainment popular in early 18th-century England, taking the form of a satirical play interspersed with traditional or operatic songs.
• Melodrama: a popular form of entertainment during the nineteenth century with a formulaic plot and stereotypical stock characters.
• Revue: a light theatrical entertainment consisting of a series of short sketches, songs, and dances, typically dealing satirically with topical issues.
• Star vehicle: a production designed especially to show off the talents of a particular performer.
• Tin Pan Alley: the body of composers and publishers who wrote, performed, and produced popular music during the first half of the twentieth century.
• Vaudeville: a type of popular entertainment popular chiefly in the early twentieth century, featuring a mixture of specialty acts, such as burlesque comedy and song and dance.

Key Dates & Events

• 1954 - The film White Christmas is released, which compiled the music of Irving Berlin to tell the story of two song-and-dance duos at a Vermont ski lodge
• 1976 - Side by Side by Sondheim premieres
• 1989 - Return to the Forbidden Planet is an early example of using 1950s and 1960s pop to create a musical score
• 1999 - Mamma Mia! debuts, and becomes one of the most commercially successful musicals to date
• 2005 - Jersey Boys premieres, using a documentary style to present the story of the formation, fame, and breakup of The Four Seasons
• 2006 - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is one of the first jukebox musical adaptations from film
• 2006 - Rock of Ages
• 2010 - Million Dollar Quartet
• 2013 - Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
• 2018 - Jagged Little Pill premieres, and the following year earns 15 Tony Award nominations