Musicals have attracted controversy for a variety of reasons. One of these is the 1968 Broadway classic Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Although touted as a “rock musical,” Galt MacDermot, the musical director, went to pains to emphasise that the music was inspired by the musical system of the Bantu tribe of South Africa, which, while being similar in feel to rock, features syncopated rhythms and unexpected beats. This break from convention offered interest but no real controversy. This was provided by the show's scenes of drug use, nudity and protest against the conflict that was raging in Vietnam.
Another musical that courted controversy was Jesus Christ Superstar. It reignited the age-old debate that has bedeviled the Christian faith since its inception, namely, was Jesus human or was he divine? Such a dialogue has proven extremely divisive over the centuries and this dynamic was harnessed by Lloyd Webber and Rice. Superstar sees the messiah as viewed from Judas' perspective, a viewpoint that in the musical firmly asserts the primacy of Jesus' humanity. The production was beset by protests in its early days, but 'by the turn of the century, the furor over the play had died down so greatly that it is now often performed by church groups, who appreciate it simply as an established secular play concerning Jesus set to music.'
It may be argued that musicals, unlike, say, pop music, fulfill the remit that says art should be thought-provoking and challenging as well as enjoyable.
Another musical that courted controversy was Jesus Christ Superstar. It reignited the age-old debate that has bedeviled the Christian faith since its inception, namely, was Jesus human or was he divine? Such a dialogue has proven extremely divisive over the centuries and this dynamic was harnessed by Lloyd Webber and Rice. Superstar sees the messiah as viewed from Judas' perspective, a viewpoint that in the musical firmly asserts the primacy of Jesus' humanity. The production was beset by protests in its early days, but 'by the turn of the century, the furor over the play had died down so greatly that it is now often performed by church groups, who appreciate it simply as an established secular play concerning Jesus set to music.'
It may be argued that musicals, unlike, say, pop music, fulfill the remit that says art should be thought-provoking and challenging as well as enjoyable.