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Theater in the Mid to Late 20th Century
When Sondheim began his professional career after earning his degree, the 1950s theater scene was in a period of change. With the ending of World War II and the Second Red Scare, the theater had to make adjustments in what was deemed as entertainment. Sondheim joined the industry just in the middle of that adjustment. Successful shows at that time included Carousel, Kiss Me Kate, Annie Got Your Gun, etc. One of the first Broadway projects he worked on was Gypsy which follows the life of burlesque entertainers just at the decline of Vaudeville. From then on, Sondheim was the one to catapult the industry into a field away from light-hearted entertainment into a theater which sought to ask questions that delve into the darkest and deepest parts of the human psyche. He also was fond of shows that had social critiques such as Cabaret. Theater at this time, and still to this day, was a luxury. People could only attend shows if they had the means to splurge on tickets. Also, studying the arts was entirely off the market for those who were not well-off or socially connected. Sondheim himself recognizes the elitism in the theater world but refuses to describe it as pretentious saying that it is just a factor of the world he lives in. [1,6]
American Culture in the Mid to Late 20th Century
At the time of Sondheim's emergence in Broadway, World War II ended five years prior, but more major wars were underway. The Korean War began in 1950, the Vietnam War, five years later, and the Cold War was already underway in the late 40s. Anxieties were high among the American population, and the greatest concern was of nuclear threats. There was an overall push towards patriotism along with senses or paranoia and hubris. The Second Red Scare was also occurring adding to the sense of chaos happening at that time. The American population turned toward entertainment as moments of escape. This entertainment was primarily found in television which exponentially increased in popularity, but theater was also included. As Sondheim's career began taking off, the country underwent continuous changes. Civil rights movements made huge strides for populations of color and women. Theater was then altered to reflect the changes made in society such as the 1968 musical Hair which reflected on popular hippie culture, and Cabaret which highlighted the effects of World War II on androgynous people and the temptations of joining the Nazi regime. This time period until the present marked a movement for social questions and critiques in all forms of entertainment which was heavily influenced through Sondheim's work. [3]
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