Whenever I talk about musicals, the first thing I always say is that they are like the in-between of a play and an opera. “Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance.” (Musical | definition, history, Broadway, west end, examples, & facts | britannica) in order to get the story across. Like plays, musicals can span various genres, from romance (such as Mamma Mia!) to history (such as Hamilton the Musical). Around the 20th century, they became increasingly popular with the younger generation (myself included). Out of all three kinds of performances, Musicals are by far my favorite.
Musicals originated sometime in the 19th century, with many of their elements originating from the light opera works of “...Jacques Offenbach in France, Gilbert and Sullivan in Britain, and the works of Harrigan and Hart in America.” (Musical theatre) Now, musicals are performed all over the world, adapting to more modern themes than those of the 19th century. A few notable musicals to date include Be More Chill and Mean Girls the Musical, both set in high school but with two completely different genres and stories.