Management Practice and the Role of Theory

Introduction Management is one of the most important human activities. From the time human beings began forming social organizations to accomplish aims and objectives they could not accomplish as individuals, management has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts (Chatterjee Hambrick, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Practice and the Role of Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As society continues to rely on group effort, and as many organized groups become large, the task of managers keeps on gaining importance and complexity (Gibson, Ragins Kram, 2009). Consequently, this has made managerial theory to become very critical in the management of organizations. The central thesis of this paper is that although some managers in different parts of the world could have achieved managerial success without having basic theoretical knowledge in management, it is important to emphasize the fact that managers who have mixed management theory in their day to day management practice, have had better chances of managing their organizations more efficiently and effectively to achieve both individual as well as organizational objectives. Managers of contemporary organizations therefore, ought to appreciate the important role played by theoretical knowledge in their respective organizations if they are to achieve the desired goals (Mills Margulies, 1980). In addition, there is need to promote excellence among all persons in an organization, especially among managers themselves. To address these concerns, the paper will start by first explaining what management is for purposes of conceptual clarity. It will then proceed to look at management objectives, functions, goals, and essentiality. Towards the end, different management theories and the role of theory in management practice will be examined. Definition of Management Management may be defined as the art, or science, of achieving goals through effective management of people. Considering that part of what managers do is to supervise staff, management may also be interpreted to refer to the act of making sure that people do what they are supposed to do. Managers are, therefore, expected to ensure greater productivity or continuous improvement in the way an organization performs. More broadly, management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish set objectives aims (Koontz Weihrich, 1990).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In its expanded form, this basic definition means several things. First, as managers, people carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Second, management applies to any kind of organization. Third, management is an ac tivity that has to be undertaken by managers at all levels of the organization. Fourth, the aim of all managers is to create surplus for the organization. Finally, managing is concerned with productivity and this implies effectiveness as well as efficiency. Management therefore refers to the development of official procedures that derives their importance from the need for strategic planning, coordination, directing and controlling of large and complex decision making processes. However, procedures or rules should not be seen as ends in themselves. They are simply avenues to arrive at the intended aims. Essentially, therefore, management entails the acquisition of managerial competence, and effectiveness in the areas of problem solving, administration, human resource management, and organizational leadership. Problems keep emerging all the time in the course of an organization struggling to achieve its goals and objectives and they must be solved. In the process of solving a problem it is critical for manager to clearly identify the problem, analysis it and implement the suggested remedies (Connolly, Conlon Deutsch, 1980). Administration involves following laid down procedures for the execution, control, communication, delegation and crisis management while human resource management should be based on strategic integration of human resource, assessment of workers, and exchange of ideas between shareholders and workers. Finally, organizational leadership should be developed along the lines of interpersonal relationship, teamwork, self motivation to perform, emotional strength and maturity to handle situations, personal integrity, and general management skills. Management Objectives, Functions, Goals, and Essentiality Management Objectives There are basically three management objectives. One objective is ensuring that organizational goals and targets are met with least cost and minimum waste. The second objective is to look after the health, safety and welfare of all staff. The third objective is to protect the machinery and resources of the organization, which also includes the human resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Practice and the Role of Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Management Functions To understand management, it is imperative to break it down into five managerial functions. These are; planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Planning involves selecting missions and objectives as well as the necessary actions required to achieve them. It requires decision making to choose future courses of action from among the available alternatives. Typically, plans will range from overall purposes and objectives to of the organization the most detailed actions to be taken. Practically, no real plan exists until a decision has been made. By arriving at a decision, an organization is, in essence, agreeing to make a commitment o f human as well as material resources. In other words, before a decision is made, all that exists is a proposal and a not a real plan. People working together in groups to achieve set goals must have roles to play. Generally, these roles have to be defined and structured by someone who wants to make sure that people contribute in a specific way to group effort. Organizing, therefore, is that part of management that involves establishing an intentional structure of roles for people to fill in an organization. Intentional in that all tasks necessary to accomplish goals are assigned to people who can do them best. Indeed, the purpose of an organizational structure is to help in creating an environment for human performance (Ng Sears, 2012). However, designing an organizational structure is not an easy managerial task considering that many problems are encountered in making structures fit situations, including both defining the kind of jobs that must be done and finding the people to d o them. Staffing involves filling, and keeping filled, the positions as depicted in the organization structure. This may be done by identifying work force requirements, having an inventory of the people available, and recruiting, selecting, placing, promoting, appraising, planning the careers of, compensating, and training or otherwise developing both candidates and current jobholders to accomplish their tasks effectively and efficiently. Directing has to do with influencing people so that they will contribute to organization and group goals. It has to do predominantly with the interpersonal aspect of management. The most important problems to managers arise from people’s desires and attitudes as well as their behavior as individuals and in groups. Effective managers therefore, need to be effective leaders as well.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Controlling is the act of measuring and correcting activities of subordinates to ensure that events conform to stipulated plans. It measures performance against goals and plans, shows where negative deviations exist and, by putting in motion actions to correct deviations, helps to ensure that plans are accomplished. Although planning must precede controlling, plans are not self achieving (Toor Ofori, 2009). Plans guide managers in the use of resources to accomplish specific goals and to ensure that activities are checked to determine whether they conform to the plans. Persons who are responsible for results that differ from planned actions have to be located and necessary steps taken to improve performance. Therefore, by controlling what people do, managers are able to control the organizational outcomes. Finally, coordination is the essence of managing so as to achieve harmony among individual efforts toward the accomplishment of group goals. Each of the managerial functions discu ssed earlier is an exercise contributing to the aspect of coordination. Considering that individuals often interpret similar interests in different ways, and their efforts toward mutual goals do not automatically agree with the efforts of others, it becomes important for the manager to reconcile the differences in approach, timing, effort, or interest, and to ensure that individual goals are harmonized to contribute to organizational goals. Although these management functions concern the internal environment for performance within an organization, managers must operate in the external environment of an organization as well. Clearly, managers cannot perform their tasks well unless they have an understanding of, and are responsive to, the many elements of the external environment that affect their areas of operations. These external elements include economic, technological, ethical and social as well as political elements. Management Goals First and foremost, the logical and publicly desirable aim of all managers in all kinds of organizations, whether business or non-business, should be a surplus. Managers must therefore establish an environment in which people can accomplish group goals with the least amount of time, money, materials, and personal dissatisfaction or in which they can achieve as much as possible of a desired goal with available resources. The second goal or aim of all managers is that they must be productive. As a matter of fact, government and the private sector generally recognize the urgent need for productivity improvement. Productivity improvement is about effectively performing the basic managerial and non-managerial activities. Simply defined, productivity is about the output-input ratio within a time period with due consideration for equality (Barling, Christie Turner, 2008). Lastly, productivity implies effectiveness and efficiency in individual and organizational performance. Effectiveness is the achievement of objectives while effici ency is the achievement of the ends with the least amount of resources. Management as Practice Managing, like all other practices is an art. It generally refers to the act of operating based on the reality and not assumptions. By making reference to existing knowledge, research has demonstrated that managers can perform in a more efficient manner. It is this knowledge that constitutes science. However, the science of management is fairly crude and inexact (Fleet, 1994). This is true because the many variables with which managers deal are extremely complex. This not withstanding, the use of existing knowledge will certainly make the practice of management better. Without making reference to the available management theories, managers are bound to make mistakes that may easily be avoided. It is therefore extremely essential for management practitioners to use the available pool of knowledge to improve performance at all levels of the organization (Ghoshal, 2007). The pool of knowledge is what is commonly referred to as theory. For practical purposes, all managers must develop three sets of skills namely; conceptual, technical, and human (Peterson Fleet, 2004). Conceptual skills allow the manager to develop relationships between factors that other people may not see. Managers who have well developed conceptual skills are able to apply different management theories to the same situation. For a manager to be technical, it implies that he or she is able to act professionally. Professionalism demands that the manager performs his or her duties within established procedures, rules and regulations. Any behavior that compromises the manager’s professional etiquette is certainly bound to interfere adversely with the organization’s productivity. Lastly, a manager should be able to see members of the organization as human beings who have needs and psychological feelings and emotions. These needs and feelings must be positively harnessed for the good of the o rganization. Motivation of the employees, therefore, becomes a critical factor in increasing productivity. The Importance of Management in any Organization Managers are charged with the responsibility of taking actions that will make it possible for individuals to make their best contributions to group objectives. Management therefore applies to small as well as large organizations, to profit and not for profit organizations, to manufacturing and service industries. However, a given situation may differ considerably among various levels in an organization or various types of organizations (Umstot, 1980). The scope of authority held may vary and the types of problems dealt with may be considerably different. To obtain results, all managers must establish an environment for effective group endeavor. Even though all managers carry out managerial functions, the time spent for each function may differ. It is typical for top level managers to spend more time on planning and organizing tha n lower level managers. On the other hand, directing takes a great deal of time for first line supervisors (Rousseau McCarthy, 2007). The difference in the amount of time spent on controlling varies only slightly for managers at various levels. The manager is, therefore, the dynamic, life giving element in every single business. Without the leadership of the manager, resources meant for production remain mere resources and never become production (Pfeffer Fong). In a competitive economy, the quality and performance of the managers determine the success of a business and by extension, its survival. Management Theories Contemporary theories of management tend to account for and help interpret the rapidly changing nature of today’s organizational environments. Some of these theories are discussed as follows. Scientific Management School This theory was started by Frederick Taylor who considered the inefficient movement of men and women as a national loss. Taylor was convinced that science offered the best solution to human injustice. According to Taylor, the management approach described above offered no opportunity for improving performance. He was therefore, convinced that system had to change. Taylor’s strongest positive legacy was the concept of breaking a complex task down into a number of subtasks, and optimizing the performance of the subtasks. His suggestions were, however, met with so many criticisms. Classical Organizational Theory School In this category of management theory are the works of Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory and Henri Fayol’s administrative theory. According to Weber many people had to change tact and embrace new approaches to management. He was convinced that the humanistic style of management was eventually going to be done away with in favor of the new technically oriented styles of management. Behavioral School This was invented by Elton Mayo and his associates after they performed experiments that appea red to disprove Taylor’s beliefs. The origin of the behavioral school of thought is the human relations movement that was a result of the Hawthorne Works. Other categories include the systems approach, situational or contingency theory, chaos theory, as well as the team building theory. The Role of Theory in Management Practice Typically, every single managerial act rests on assumptions, generalizations, and hypotheses. This is to say that managerial actions are generally based on theory. Theories generally are closely linked to the way people perceive the experiences gathered over time (Stoner, Freeman Gilbert, 2003). It is a systematic grouping of interdependent concepts and principles that give a framework to, or tie together, a significant area of knowledge. Scattered data, for example, are not information unless the observer has knowledge of the theory that will explain relationships (Homans, 1958). There are a variety of approaches to management analysis, the mass of r esearch, and the number of differing views have resulted in much confusion as to what management really is, what management theory and science is, and how managerial events should be analyzed (Koontz, 1980). There is a body of opinion that says that management theory evolved during and after Second World War and has only been studied in depth since then. For better organizational performance, it is important for managers who apply theory to management to blend principles with realities. Generally, as soon as managers know about theory, they will have the capacity to anticipate future problems that may occur in the enterprise. In the field of management, then, the role of theory is to provide a means of classifying significant and relevant management knowledge. For example, in the area of designing an effective organization structure, there are several principles that are interrelated and that have a predictive value for managers (Hood, 2003). The theory of management is grouped into the five functions of management. There are basically three main reasons for studying management theory. First, theories provide a stable focus for understanding what is experienced. By and large, a theory provides criteria for what is relevant (Pitts, 1980). Second, theories enable us to communicate efficiently and thus move into more and more complex relationships with other people. Third, theories present a challenge for people to keep learning about the world and hence devise innovative ways to tackle problems encountered (Kalev, Shenhav Vries, 2008). There are also other important considerations for studying management theory. Among many others, it will help a manager to view the interrelationships between the development of management theory, behavior in organizations and management practice. A good understanding of the development of management thinking will also help a manager to understand the key principles that underlie the entire management process and hence be able to perform effectively. With a good knowledge of the available history, a manager will be able to understand the nature of management as well as organizational behavior. Finally, management theories are interpretive and evolve in line with changes in the organizational environment. Generally, theory provides a sound basis for carrying out any action. However, if action is to be effective, the theory must be adequate and appropriate to the task and to improved organizational performance. In other words, it must be a good theory. Conclusion A central part of the study of organization and management is the development of management thinking and what might be termed management theory. The application of theory brings about change in actual behavior. Managers reading the work of leading writers on the subject might see in their ideas and conclusions a message about how they should behave. This will influence their attitudes towards management practice. While organization as practice is art , organized knowledge about management is science. The development of management theory involves the development of concepts, principles, and techniques. Many theories about management exist and it is important for managers to combine their practice with theory for greater performance. Each approach or theory has its own characteristics and advantages as well as limitations. In some cases, it may be necessary to integrate different management theories. Finally, it is also important to recognize the fact that an organization is an open system that operates within and interacts with the environment. When the systems approach to management is used, inputs from the external environment and claimants is captured, processed and an output generated. It therefore follows that a manager who makes serious attempts to translate theory into reality is bound to increase productivity more than a manager who chooses to use the trial and error approach. Reference List Barling, J., Christie, A. Tur ner, N., 2008. Pseudo-Transformational Leadership: Towards the Development and Test of a Model. Journal of Business Ethics, 81 (4): 851 – 861. Chatterjee, A. Hambrick, D. C., 2011. Executive Personality, Capability Cues, and Risk Taking: How Narcissistic CEOs React to Their Successes and Stumbles. Administrative Science Quarterly, 56: 202 – 237. Connolly, T., Conlon, E. J. Deutsch, S. J., 1980. Organizational Effectiveness: A Multiple-Constituency Approach. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 211 – 217. Fleet, D. D. V., 1994. Contemporary Management. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. Ghoshal, S., 2007. Bad Management Theories are Destroying Good Management Practices. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4(1): 75 – 91. Gibson, D. E., Ragins, B. R. Kram, K. E., 2009. The Handbook of Mentoring at Work: Theory, Research, and Practice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 54: 158 – 161. Homans, G., 1958. Social Behavior as Exchange. America n Journal of Sociology, 62: 597 – 606. Kalev, A., Shenhav, Y. Vries, D. D., 2008. The State, the Labor Process, and the Diffusion of Managerial Models. Administrative Science Quarterly March, 53: 1 – 28. Hood, J. N., 2003. The Relationship of Leadership Style and CEO Values to Ethical Practices in Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 43 (4): 263 – 273. Koontz H., 1980. The Management Theory Jungle Revisited. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 175 – 187. Koontz, H. Weihrich, H., 1990. Essentials of Management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Mills, P. K. Margulies, N., 1980. Toward a Core Typology of Service Organizations. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 255 – 265. Ng, E. S. Sears, G. J., 2012. CEO Leadership Styles and the Implementation of Organizational Diversity Practices: Moderating Effects of Social Values and Age. Journal of Business Ethics, 105 (1): 41 – 52. Peterson, T. O. Fleet, D. D. V., 2004. The Ongoing Legac y of R.L. Katz: An Updated Typology of Management Skills. Management Decision, 42 (10): 1297 – 1308. Pfeffer, J. Fong, C., 2003. The End of Business Schools: Less Success than Meets the Eye. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(1): 78-95. Pitts, R. A., 1980. Toward a Contingency Theory of Multibusiness Organization Design. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 203-210. Rousseau, D. M. McCarthy, S., 2007. Educating Managers from an Evidence-based Perspective. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 6(1): 84 – 101. Stoner, J. A. F., Freeman R. E. Gilbert, D. R., 2003. Management. New Delhi, India: Prentice-Hall of India., 5 (2): 189 – 201. This essay on Management Practice and the Role of Theory was written and submitted by user Rihanna Key to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Minorities in Broadway Musicals Essay

Minorities in Broadway Musicals Essay Minorities in Broadway Musicals Essay Minorities in Broadway Musicals Essay Broadway musicals have become a real brand. Hollywood stars then participate in local productions; and theater lovers eagerly read in the newspapers some reviews of new plays. The famous theatre was started as a minstrel show and the first theatre. The Role of Minorities in Broadway Musicals The minstrel theatre as a genre of the American origin appeared, according to researchers, between the 18th-19th centuries. All roles in the Minstrel Show were performed by men, originally being the white troupe of actors (Stempel 24). A basis of the plot was a comic presentation of the life of blacks and their owners. In the theatre of minstrels several types of characters have developed: a dressed in rags laborer, a simpleton, a dandy African-American and a rogue African-American. The African-American women were portrayed satirically stupid, but very sensual (Lewis 55). Finally, the genre in all its components was formed by the middle of the 19th century. In this regard, a remarkable creative activity of D. Emmett and his Virgin of Minstrels have to be mentioned (Betz, Carnes, and American Council of Learned Societies 207). The first part of his show was a song and some musical numbers, the performance of which was accompanied by a playful dialogue. In the second part, Olio, there were the scenes from the life of African dances (Lewis 59). The third part is a view similar to the ballad opera. And the reception was a brilliant use of intelligence of the city, which was to act as a theatre of minstrels. Before the troupe entered the city, the actor reconnaissance learned in advance all the local gossips and topical issues. Then, much to the delight of spectators, this information was used in a humorous satirical aspect, in the third part (Hischak 85). The show was a success! Of the particular importance to the American culture, there was the musical legacy that kept the theatre of minstrels. It has turned out that many African songs have come from Scottish and English songs. However, in the final version, they are a synthesis of the European and African musical thinking (Stempel 32). They have become a fount of creative American composers in the 20th century. It should be noted that in the heyday of the genre, to the end of the nineteenth century, many minstrel troupes were accompanied by a speech sound of the orchestra (Betz, Carnes and American Council of Learned Societies 210). African-Americans were not considered by a minstrel theatre with its art. Moreover, presented in grotesque images, it evoked their contempt and resentment, although performers ridiculed not only blacks imitating them and white masters, but also the white masters depicting them boastful, haughty and often short-sighted (Green 76). Nevertheless, the image of a minstrel buffoon was received with resentment especially by the generation of the 1930s-1940s during the struggle of American blacks for their human rights (Betz, Carnes and American Council of Learned Societies 215). At the present stage, these types of characters are present in the concert programs, for example, in the famous musical dance show River dance of 1996 and 1999 years. Several parts were addressed specifically to this heritage of the American culture. The major elements of the initial Broadway shows were revues. Revue is a genre of the French origin, the peculiarity of which is similar to vaudeville. This pop display consists of parodies, comic numbers, songs, and dances. However, the vaudeville revue is used for a typical thematic unity of design and music (Betz, Carnes and American Council of Learned Societies 205). A special role in the promotion of this genre in the American theatre scene was played by a director and producer F. Ziegfeld (Suskin 153). His productions have determined the face of Broadway theatre shows for many years. An undoubted advantage of revue Ziegfeld was a harmonious blend of the French and American elements in the representation, the reliance on high professionalism of all performers, directors and composers. The researchers of F. Ziegfeld’s creativity have noted that this was a highly paid work of all project participants. In the genre of the revue, such composers as I. Berlin, George Gershwin, W. Herbert, J. Kern, and others were working (Suskin 36). A significant impact upon revue was caused by cinema, especially the emergence of the sound cinema. The musical revue absorbed ability to combine the most diverse and seemingly incompatible elements including jazz (Hischak 56). Another significant part of Broadway shows was operetta. This genre originated in Europe in the middle of the 19th century. However, operetta was popular thanks to such European composers like Johann Strauss, Offenbach, and others. In America, this genre enjoyed a great success. In addition, the existence of the feature of European operetta in America gets a name change to operettas. For example, the operetta Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss was titled as The Merry Countess and displayed in 1912. Later, it appeared to be performed in 1929, under the title Amazing Night. As the researchers have noted most Americans of the last century drew creativity of British operetta’s composers. Much popularity was gained by the products of V. Gilbert and Sullivan A. Her Majesty’s Frigate that was formed in 1878 and then The Mikado in 1885 (Suskin 19). Under the influence of European and American operettas, there The First Team Brighton Patrolled by JS Kraus, Desert by D. Buck in 1880, and The Little Tycoon by Spencer W. in 1887 appeared. The heyday of American operetta’s composers is associated with the names of R. Coven, G. Cracker, G. Lauders, Romberg B., Prick-Bertha, and others (Suskin 55). The Americans imitated the European operetta, its romanticism and exoticism. Nevertheless, the theatricality definitely attracted, but did not meet the needs of modern times and the needs of the society. Reality, topical satire and humor, connectedness with the American reality are the elements that were necessary and interesting to the American public. So the answer to the problem, opposed to other genres and the operetta, was a musical, which absorbed all the best from its predecessors. It is important to mention the role of jazz in the musical. Jazz and musicals were the brainchildren of one time basis and the musical language of performances in the 20th century becoming jazz. However, in its pure and original form, jazz could not be used in a musical score. It is well known that the core of jazz is rhythm and improvisation. The latter one was not possible to dynamically pull, which musical is. Improvisation in jazz is a free and creative artist’s statement, which cannot be constrained by time. The most important thing is to express an idea. The musical is a surprisingly dynamic performance where the effectiveness is very significant. So the musical language of the genre comes primarily by jazz rhythm, harmony, the style of performance as instrumental and vocal, characteristic sounds, wind and percussion instruments. The names of the composers of the American musical, which was synthesized in its work elements of jazz, symphonic thinking, pop songs are well known. Their works constitute the wealth of the musical culture. They are Arlene G., Berlin I., Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin and others (Suskin 4). The history of the musical genre spans a century. This original creation has been much associated with the existing culture in the American theatrical genres like revue, vaudeville, and operetta. Thus, the first two decades of the 20th century were marked by a gradual growth of the economic welfare of the country. They have generated the extraordinary demand for entertainment genres contributing to the growing popularity of jazz. But, as the researchers note, subjects were superficial. They were dominated by the operetta to a greater extent. A significant step towards the formation of a new genre, i.e. the musical, was done by Showboat by J. Kern in 1921 and A Connecticut Yankee by R. Rogers in 1927. The latter one was based on the novel written by Mark Twain (Filichia 45). They differed from the earlier performances as they seriously had affected the depth of the problems in conjunction with brightness, dynamic and spectacular views. The third decade of the 20th century was a very difficult period for the American theatre due to the economic crisis of 1929 in the United States. Many theaters were closed due to the fact that the ticket to the cinema was much cheaper than theatrical. Operettas, revues, and musicals have become a fertile basis for the film industry. The musical continued as a genre and changed qualitatively, enriching some social problems to its topical nature. For example, such satirical musicals by Gershwin as Grand Orchestra in 1930 and Of Thee I Sing in 1931 ridiculed the corruption of those ones in power, the electoral system, and some political machinations. In the same vein, there are the musicals Facing the Music by E. Berlin in 1932, Johnny Johnson by K. Weill in 1936 and many others devoted to this topic (Filichia 117). The trend towards some more diverse musicals has continued in the 1940s. It covered the following themes: folklore and legends of the African Americans, i.e. Cabin in the Sky by V. Duke; a psychoanalysis Lady in the Dark by K. Weill; the Civil War in Annie, Take the Gun by E. Berlin, the World War II in In the South Pacific by R. Rogers, and the American image during the pre-industrial era were depicted in Oklahoma by R. Rogers (Stempel 318). In parallel with the expansion of musical themes, there was an improved form. At this time, in the American musical, the significant role of sculpture and dance dominated the performance, for example, in the musical On Pointe by R. Rogers. In the 1950s-1960s, in the fate of the musical genre, there were truly stellar. Its themes expanded the boundaries that had been formed; and the expressive musical emerged. At this time, the genre was characterized by the high professionalism of its creators. The international fame on the stage was later acquired in cinematography performances. Among the most popular ones there are My Fair Lady by Frederick Loewe of 1956, The West Side Story by Bernstein L. of 1957, The Sound of Music by R. Rogers in 1959, Hello, Dolly by J. Herman in 1964, Cabaret by J. Kander in 1966 and many others (Suskin 10). However, the 1960s became the time of the crisis beginning for the musical genre. The coming era of the rock movement brought the new problems, i.e. acute, civil, social and topical. The musical entertainment with its predominantly oriented themes became temporarily irrelevant. The development of the Broadway Theatre does not stop even today. Theatres are looking for some new solutions and approaches to provide viewers for the Broadway show. Nowadays Broadway is a synonym for the commercial theatre, the embodiment of the proverbial American dream. Now, there are only 26 theatres compared to 80 ones in the 1920s. Much has changed, including the cost of performance. Before the war, the play cost has been $10 thousand contrary to the contemporary price of $10 million (Stempel 456). However, for the money, the viewers get the enchanting sight: the amazing scenery, catchy melodies; choreography of the highest level, beautiful voices, dynamics, colors, and etc. The artists’ work flat out completely; they play with passion, being uninhibited and free, demonstrating the high level of professionalism. The last performance should not differ from the premiere: people pay for tickets a lot of money. The flowering of the modern musical is associated with the name of the composer Lloyd Webber, a director Trevor Nunn and a producer Cameron Mackintosh. It all started with the grand success of the play Cats, based on the Book of P ractical Cats written by Thomas Elliott. It had been lasting in the Broadway Show Theatre for 18 years and took place in the Winter Garden. Over the years, there were completely 3 of the principal performers replaced. The themes have changed and tended to have more open views and disclose problems that there were earlier. There is a great impact on Broadway of the creative efforts of sexual minorities, especially in the performances with homosexually (Benton 59). But among them there is the only noteworthy performance of Minetta Lane Theatre called Jeffrey. The subtle humor and skills of its creators were able to defeat the prejudice of the audience. The rest of the presentation of this kind, including the sensational show Whoop-Dee-Doo, are the lack of professionalism and the poor pictorial means that resemble amateur theatricals. The best remake of the year in this thematic network is called The Normal Heart, staging Larry Kramer. Her first appeared on Broadway a quarter century ago. This play addresses the problem of the emergence of the AIDS in New York City and the problems of sexual minorities (Benton 148). The performance and its recognized problems are still relevant. In the same category, the musical award went to Anything Goes by Cole Porter (Benton 103). One of the beginners of the open demonstration and protection of rights of sexual minorities was Mae West. The first starring role on Broadway was in her own play, which she called Sex. Despite the terrible criticism, the tickets for the show were sold out very quickly. The opponents of her play yet have achieved the result that the show was discontinued. West with her troupe was arrested. She was accused of moral indecency, and, on 19 April 1927, she was sentenced to ten days in jail. However, she was released after 8 days for the good behavior. This episode of her life brought Mae only benefits, as her popularity has grown rapidly. Her next play Hitch was not less controversial, as it covered a homosexual theme and talked about the work of Karl Heinrich Ulrich. The play was a huge hit on the stage, but it was staged only in New Jersey. It was banned on Broadway. Mae was one of the first ones being not afraid to talk openly about sex. She was also was one of initiators of the movement for the rights of sexual minorities. Speaking about the contemporary Broadway shows, they have diverse programs that cover a number of social, political, gender, professional, sexuality and other themes. The composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim said that he decided to turn his protagonist of the popular 1970s’ musical Company into a gay. This was reported by The New York Times. The author of the original version of the musical is currently working on its transformation along with the director John Tiffany. The latter one created the musical Once. The first private screening of the show took place on 18 October 2013. After this, the representatives of the company Roundabout producing the show will determine the further fate of the musical. Roundabout often holds similar displays for the company’s management, after which they cancel a number of productions. All changes in the musical will be based on a sexual orientation change of the protagonist named Bobby. Bobby dating many girls will turn into many young guys in the new version. The main theme is the protagonist’s inability to create a family and his fear of commitment in a relationship will remain unchanged. It is still a musical about family ties. Just the marriage in 2013 looks very different than that in the 70s. They are not dealing with the issue of gay marriage as such, but on the question of relations in the new version, they look from a different point of view. This was the main idea of the interview with Sondheim in The New York Times. The composer has noted that he rewrites the musical, but just a little, correcting some dialogues and monologues. live CHAT The action in the musical Company, which was released for the first time on Broadway in April 1970, is set in New York and describes the relationship of several couples and their friend Robert (Bobby). He dates to many women, but cannot marry. Critics and audiences have repeatedly speculated that Bobby is not able to start the family because he is a hidden gay. However, Stephen Sondheim and his collaborator George Firth always rejected this version. The original production of Company has withstood more than 700 shows on Broadway. It was awarded 15 nominations for the major American theatre award Tony and won in six categories, including the Best Musical. The musical libretto was translated into several languages. The show actions place in Brazil, Singapore, Germany, Italy and other countries. Their versions of the play were done by many well-known theatre and film directors, including Sam Mendes. Broadway has a long history of its development. It presents an example of the greatest birth of the most amazing theatrical shows in the world. Theatre actors and actresses dream to be able to sing on its stages and perform in its plays. Broadway Shows are of the great interest for the tourists all over the world. At the same time, it is one of the spectators of the social, political and economic changes in the society and the whole country. Social problems and tendencies have been reflected in the plays since its beginning. It started with minstrel shows and the African-American problem and developed to a wider approach to the problems of sexual and other minorities. The spectators of the show can see the show and get to know more about the particular culture and its history. As a matter of fact, Broadway is a live history of the whole nation and the whole country.

'(...) time has emerged as one of the central issues that need to be Essay

'(...) time has emerged as one of the central issues that need to be grappled with in contemporary fiction'(Morrison). Discuss t - Essay Example The title brings out the long time yearning for freedom that the slaves were fighting for. The story being a counteraction on memory allows the reader to seek an intervention in the events of history. This acts as an exploration of the objective of slave narratives in giving history a new meaning and enables the reader to imagine the perspective of history in terms of the present situation. July’s narration of the life in slavery enables the audience to feel the extent of miserable life that they were subjected to. She expresses her statements in a manner that depicts the hatred she has for the whites. She enters into a love affair with the plantation master but the relationship later ends .Levy makes the reader realize the transition between the past and the present. The Long Song informs the descendants of the victims of slavery about the hostile environment which their ancestors had lived in. Levy received many letters of gratitude from the descendants of Emily Godwin who n ever new their slave ancestry. The never change; they permanently stick to be what they are at the time of their occurrence (Levy 2010, pp.321). This means memories can never be rubbed away. Somebody might wish to go off to some world to where nobody can reach. They wish to go to a place, which time does not pass. Unfortunately, such a place does not exist in this world. One might be continuously getting frustrated by the world’s grief, which moves as a function of time and not as a function of somebodies wishes. Time terrifies by the fact that it is a passing factor. One is forced to believe, sincerely, sitting and doing nothing does not really make time to have a break. It even adds the reality of having done nothing. It is rather determined to rush and make history. Years, decades and centuries pass, time increasingly goes longer. The moments keep changing, you wonder if the centuries, decades, years, months, weeks, days, minutes and seconds were spent in the most efficien t and productive ways they possibly could. A continuous rapid transition of what happens today to history that goes forever, a thought that things appear and disappear. Whatever remains of experience continue to take to the traditions to be taken as traditions of different communities. People tend to act in the ways of their ancestors, possibly as a sign of showing them respect. People’s self-consciousness flow in the direction of what happens in the past, the capture and destruction of existing memories by history has received revelation, like the ancestral bond of identity had been dismantled and occurrences ending as if the experience was self-evident. In the book, â€Å"The Long Song† (2010), the essay is trying to reveal the part played by neo-slaves narratives in coming up with and bringing a significant change in history. This is done to close the gap of time by enabling the audience to visualize the past in terms of the present events. The genre has been writte n in the post-abolition era to assert the meaning of historical value of the story about slavery and restore the conscience of slaves as being human beings like anybody else. In this case, history is never used to judge slaves’ rights. The slaves living in Jamaica had a hard experience in the