Dutch don't dance' : the musicals of Annie M. G. Schmidt and Harry Bannink (1965-1984)

Writer-lyricist Annie M.G. Schmidt and composer Harry Bannink are generally regarded as the founders of the original Dutch musical. This dissertation explores the seven musicals they wrote between 1965 and 1984, approaching them as inherently Dutch works that explore contemporary socio-political themes and value lyric quality. At the same time, this dissertation shows how, influenced by producer John de Crane and Canadian director-choreographer Paddy Stone, the Schmidt/Bannink-musicals increasingly incorporated characteristics from Anglo-American musicals. The result is a combination of Dutchness and Broadway in both form and content. As such, this dissertation demonstrates the significance of the Schmidt/Bannink-musicals as Dutch cultural and historical heritage as well as a European expression of an Anglo-American art form belonging to a global tradition.