Pre-Shutdown Broadway Musicals: Motifs and Leitmotifs

Abstract

When Broadway shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, 2020, there was a wide variety of musicals playing in Times Square, both proven hits and newer works looking to find their place. This paper dives into the music and orchestrations of several of these shows: what lyrical, melodic, chordal, and thematic recurrences pop up and what do they symbolize? Read through to get a practical sense of both motifs and leitmotifs, or musical phrases utilized to represent different characters, ideas, and emotions.