What the heck happened to musicals?

How did we go from this...

To this...

Gone are the days when a musical required talented singers and dancers. Now all a musical needs is flashy lights, costumes and loud music to drain out the singing voices.

Acting doesn't seem to be a skill needed to star in this genre either. Musical Stars such as Ginger Rogers and Shirley Temple have been recognized as some of the greatest actresses of their time. Today musical stars like Ashley Tisdale and Demi Lavato would do better off at acting school. 

 These days as long as someone has a nice face and can hit a few notes, they are golden. With all the voice modification available, raw talent is not an essential for musicals. 

Not to mention the camera. If you look at an old musical, you will notice that when a performer is dancing, the camera will not leave their sight. There are no dramatic cutaways or different angles. For me, this is good because it lets the viewer see the full routine and appreciate the talent. Moving the camera in every different direction works as a device to create distraction and illusion. 

As Fred Astaire said "Either the camera will dance, or I will."

The songs and their content have changed as well.  For example in the classic musical Singin in the Rain the songs are easy to hear, and articulated well. The dancing and music does not overpower the lyrics. This is far off from most musicals today. For example in the 2010 musical Burlesque, viewers do not even now what the lyrics are saying because they are too busy watching the half naked women singing them. 

Contrary to what people may think, gaudy costumes, pretty faces, and upbeat music is not necessary for the success of a musical. 

Look at the famous scene from Top Hat. It is a simple number, with no superfluous characteristics. There may not be loud singing or sexy costumes, but the incredible talent of Fred Astaire is apparent. In short, that is the point of a musical. 

It's up for you to decide. Below is a clip from the musical Singin in the Rain. Underneath that clip is a song from the musical Burlesque. Notice the differences and see what you think.