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The Rock Musical & Concept Musical Era
The 1970s
The 1970s were a decade of tension in American musical theatre, caught between sticking to familiar traditions and trying to keep pace with a changing cultural landscape. The 70s were defined by political activism, social reform, and bold experimentation across culture. The end of the Vietnam War, the rise of feminism and environmentalism, and political moments like Watergate and the gay rights movement marked a shift toward individual expression and collective action. Meanwhile, music, film, and fashion embraced experimentation, with rock, disco, and iconic artists like Fleetwood Mac and Queen reshaping the sound and spirit of the era.
Pop culture was evolving quickly, but Broadway struggled to keep up. Despite these widespread changes and a few musicals attempting innovation, most of the musicals of the 1970s “...stuck firmly to the songs-and-scenes layout that had for so many years been standard in the musical theater. (Additionally)...The story of the piece progressed through its forward-going stages (and) musical numbers which mostly had some relevance to the story or its characters”(Gänzl and Findlay, 2022).
This structure gave audiences a sense of consistency but also highlighted Broadway’s resistance to change. While rock music was embracing distortion pedals and political lyrics, many musicals clung to romantic ballads and typical choreography. Broadway was not evolving at the same speed as the world around it, which left many productions feeling out of touch. As a result, Broadway’s presence in American life began to fade. The music that once defined the stage and topped charts no longer resonated as strongly with the public.
“Most Americans were not paying attention to the musical theatre anymore. Rock and disco were the predominant sounds in popular music, and neither genre had more than a token presence in most Broadway scores. Musicals had become a sort of subculture, and the potential sales for cast albums fell so low that major labels stopped recording them altogether” (Kenrick, 1996).
Without a strong cultural momentum behind it, musical theatre became a niche interest rather than a mainstream force. As a result of losing one of their biggest promotional tools, hit cast albums, musicals were increasingly shut out of the popular music market, further isolating them from the average American listener. Some began to feel the discontent and began to chart a new path. Artists like Stephen Sondheim, embraced the decade’s complexity, using the stage to explore psychological depth, fragmented storytelling, and darker musical themes that spoke to the mood of the time. Michael Bennett, Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban also began to revolutionize Broadway with A Chorus Line.
Fun Fact: I used to do theater at the studio Melody Libonati, Sandy from Grease in this ad, owns!
The success of A Chorus Line can be largely attributed to its creator, Michael Bennett, who took a new approach by blending together staging, music, lighting, choreography, and real dancers’ personal stories. Rather than relying solely on flashy sets or complex plots, Bennett created a raw, honest theatrical experience that deeply resonated with audiences.
The opening sequence, “I Hope I Get It,” immediately showcases this emotional focus, as dancers share their fears and dreams in a Broadway callback, and culminates in them standing in a line holding their headshots, showing both their individuality and vulnerability.
In A Chorus Line and the Musicals of Michael Bennett (St. Martins Press, NY 1989), author Ken Mandelbaum writes – ‘This moment – one of the show's most celebrated…marks the entire evening’”(Mckay, 1998). Bennett’s approach was revolutionary because every design element was used to reinforce the show’s central themes of struggle, ambition, and originality.
Beyond this, A Chorus Line also mirrored the socio-political changes happening in the 1970s. Issues of race, sexuality, and identity were central topics in American life, and Bennett incorporated these realities into the show, making it speak authentically to real-world struggles and emotions. The show did not directly lecture on these issues, but rather, they were naturally woven into the characters’ lives and stories.
Overall, A Chorus Line captured the spirit of a decade that valued individuality and visibility, and brought audiences back to Broadway during a difficult economic period.
“When A Chorus Line closed on April 28, 1990, it had racked up an astounding 6,137 performances… (and) grossed almost $150 million on Broadway alone” (Hoffman, 2014).
In contrast, despite high expectations and a large financial investment (one of the most expensive musicals), the 1972 Broadway Musical, Via Galactica, failed both critically and commercially. Confusing storytelling, lack of the score’s appeal, and large technical missteps led it to the point of no return.
It opened at the Uris Theatre in 1972 with hopes of becoming Broadway’s first sci-fi musical. It starred Raul Julia and Irene Cara, and was directed by Peter Hall. The production featured floating trash ships, anti-gravity trampolines for choreography, and a futuristic plot set 1,000 years into the future. However, audiences found the show confusing, static, and emotionally distant, leading to a seven-performance run with poor reviews.
"Everything that was meant to make Via Galactica move immobilized it” (Kerr, 1972). It led to “Regret. Heartache. Failure. A very public failure….After a decade in the works, it lasted a fleeting seven performances” (George, 2011).
Beyond its creative misfires, Via Galactica also had difficulty during its performances that further damaged its credibility. Spaceships got stuck over the orchestra, actors fell through the trampoline-based stage, and the wireless microphones infamously picked up signals from the local police precinct.
Rather than a groundbreaking event, Via Galactica turned into an embarrassing spectacle. Its failure made it clear that as Broadway entered the 1980s, success was not a given based on spectacle and talent alone, but also needed the human elements to resonate with audiences.
“None of the special effects could make up for the lack of what draws us to the theater in the first place: story characters we care for, pathos” (George, 2011).
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