Oscar Hammerstein II †Lyricist, Writer, Producer, Director Essay Example for Free

Oscar Hammerstein II Lyricist, Writer, Producer, Director EssayOscar Hammerstein II was born July 12, 1895 in New York, New York. He died August 23, 1960 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania of stomach cancer. His given name was Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein. When he entered the theatre profession, he dropped his place names and adopted the II from the grandfather for which he was named. His grandfather was a theatre builder and opera house company producer. By titling himself II he capitalized on his grandfathers success the name perception alone was a career builder.Hammerstein was always interested in the theatre. His father, although a theatrical producer himself, did not want his son to go into the family business. He made him promise never to do anything as foolish as to consider making the theatre your livelihood. Become a lawyer. Youd be big(p) at it and its also one of the more secure professions I know of. Getting to roll in the hay Him Biography of Oscar Hammerst ein II Hugh FordinAs per his fathers wish, Hammerstein entered capital of South Carolina University as an English major. He was an watch over student and was involved in many extra-curricular activities one of which was the Varsity Show. This was where Hammerstein met Larry Hart and the man with whom he would later on collaborate, Richard Rodgers. At the time of the initial meeting, Rodgers was only a fourteen year old boy whose old brother Morty was a member of Hammersteins fraternity. Although his father had passed away, Hammerstein felt compelled to honor his fathers wishes and entered Columbia law school. He finished his Bachelors degree during his first year of law school.During his arcsecond year of law school, Hammerstein was so disenchanted with the law he asked his uncle Arthur, a successful producer of musical comedies, for a job. He was engage as an assistant stage manager. After witnessing his nephews theatrical ability, Uncle Arthur hired him as a permanent member of the staff.Soon after having been hired by his uncle, he began an apprenticeship with Otto Harbach. What began as an apprenticeship turned into a twenty year collaboration and produced Hammersteins first Broadway success Always You. all over the course of his career Hammerstein would collaborate with many different composers notably, Jerome Kern, Vincent Youmans, Rudolf Friml and Sigmund Romberg. Hammersteins some successful collaboration would be with the man he had met during his varsity show days at Columbia University, Richard Rodgers.The collaboration with Richard Rodgers began in the early on 1940s with their adaptation of the play Green Grow the Lilacs. This became okeh and changed Broadway forever. Oklahoma revolutionized the Broadway theater by consolidation the music and book. Previously only Show Boat and Pal Joey, respectively a Hammerstein and a Rodgers production, had utilise songs to further the baloney along. Oklahoma not only used the songs as an integral p art of the story but it also incorporated American ballet. The opening was different only one person on stage with an offstage voice singing as the curtain opened. The female chorus didnt await until 45 minutes into the play. The chorus girls where covered in period dress. There were no star vehicle numbers. No song in this musical play was written to become a popular hit. Oklahoma changed the American musical theatre and gave Hammerstein, who had been battling a career slump, a new burst of energy for the most successful period of his career.