Lithuanian emigrants' role in the history of the American musical theatre (first half of the 20th century)
ENThis article reveals the circumstances related to the Lithuanian emigrantsí contribution to building the empire of musical theatres outside Lithuania. The Lithuanian emigrantsí cooperation with the majority of famous artists and theatres is marked. The author sheds the light on the Shubert (Shimansky) family, emigrants from Lithuania, who originated in Kudirka Naujamiestis and had a great impact on the development of the American musical theatre in the first half of the 20th century. The history of development of the musical as a genre and its traditions are also reviewed. In the 20th century 104 theatres were in control of the Shubert family. Due to their effort there were theatres established in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities in USA where such celebrities as Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Fred Astaire, Sara Bernhardt, Arthur Miller and others were employed. Al Jolson, a famous Broadway actor and singer, whose input into the history of both the musical and the cinema is undeniable, is also in the authorís focus of attention.
