Final answer:
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were the composer and lyricist team that dominated the Golden Age of musical theatre in the 1940s-1950s, best known for productions like Oklahoma! and Show Boat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The composer and lyricist team that dominated the Golden Age of musical theatre in the 1940s-1950s was Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.
This period was marked by unique developments in musical theatre, with works combining serious social issues with engaging musical and dramatic elements.
The duo's first major hit, Oklahoma!, set a new standard for musical theatre with its integration of storyline, music, and dance. Their productions like Show Boat and Oklahoma! combined various storytelling techniques and serious social themes, helping to define the Golden Age of Musical Theatre.
In contrast, musicals such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and Stephen Sondheim's collaborations in works like West Side Story marked different eras and styles within the broad realm of musical theatre.