What musical number did Jerome Kern advocate for integrating into the storyline?

What musical number did Jerome Kern advocate for integrating into the storyline?

• A. Songs should carry the action of the play and represent the characters' personalities.
• B. Songs should be standalone and not affect the plot.
• C. Songs should be used only as background mood music.
• D. Songs should be limited to the final act.

Answer: (A)

In musical theater, songs can either drive the story and reveal who the characters are, or they can exist as separate moments that don’t affect the plot. Jerome Kern argued for the former, that songs should carry the action of the play and reflect the characters’ personalities. This integrated approach is seen in Show Boat, where numbers are woven into scenes to advance the plot and deepen understanding of the characters and themes, rather than just providing entertainment. Choosing options that treat songs as standalone, purely mood-setting, or confined to the final act misses that connection between music and narrative. Music serves as a tool for storytelling and character development, not merely decoration. So, the best description is that songs should carry the action and represent the characters.

In musical theater, songs can either drive the story and reveal who the characters are, or they can exist as separate moments that don’t affect the plot. Jerome Kern argued for the former, that songs should carry the action of the play and reflect the characters’ personalities. This integrated approach is seen in Show Boat, where numbers are woven into scenes to advance the plot and deepen understanding of the characters and themes, rather than just providing entertainment.

Choosing options that treat songs as standalone, purely mood-setting, or confined to the final act misses that connection between music and narrative. Music serves as a tool for storytelling and character development, not merely decoration. So, the best description is that songs should carry the action and represent the characters.