THA 123A: American Musical Theater
Friday 9:00 – 11:50
Slosberg 211
Ryan McKittrick
Useful resources and websites:
· Broadway: The American Musical (PBS series): http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/
· The American Musical and the Transformation of National Identity (to accompany the book ordered for class): http://epub.library.ucla.edu/knapp/americanmusical/
· Appendix B in The American Musical and the Transformation of National Identity provides thorough listings of plot summaries, recordings, and films of selected musicals
Films listed on syllabus are available on the course LATTE site
January 12th: “Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!”
January 19th: Early American Musical Theatre: Minstrelsy, Vaudeville, Burlesque, and Revue
Assignments (by January 19th):
· Read “Forms of Musical Theatre” in The Musical (hereafter referred to as “Kislan”)
· Read “Nineteenth Century European Roots: Models and Topics,” “Early American Developments: Minstrelsy, Extravaganza, Pantomime, Burlesque, Vaudeville” and “American Song through Tin Pan Alley” in The American Musical and the Formation of National Identity (hereafter referred to as “Knapp”)
Recommended:
· Read The Black Crook
· Watch Part I of Broadway: The American Musical (Give My Regards to Broadway: 1893-1927)
· Films: The Great Ziegfeld, Ziegfeld Follies, Funny Girl, Funny Lady, and Bamboozled
January 26th: Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, and Show Boat
Assignments (by January 26th):
· Listen to 1988 Studio Cast recording of Show Boat
· Read “Jerome Kern,” “The Book,” “Lyrics,” and “The Score” in Kislan
· Read chapter on Show Boat in Knapp
· Watch 1936 and 1951 films
Recommended:
· Watch Part II of Broadway: The American Musical (Syncopated City 1919-1933)
February 2nd: George Gershwin and Porgy and Bess; and A.R.T./Broadway production adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks
Assignments (by February 2nd):
· Read Porgy and Bess
· Read chapter on Porgy and Bess in Knapp
· Watch Trevor Nunn 1993 production of Porgy and Bess
Recommended:
· Watch Part III of Broadway: The American Musical (I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ 1929-1942)
· Listen to 1989 EMI recording or 1977 RCA recording of Porgy and Bess
February 9th: Cole Porter and Kiss Me, Kate
Assignments (by February 9th):
· Read Kiss Me, Kate
· Listen to 1996 recording
· Watch 1953 film with Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel
Recommended:
· Watch De-Lovely (a film about Cole Porter)
February 16th: Rodgers and Hammerstein and the making of Oklahoma! and South Pacific
Assignments (by February 16th):
· Read Oklahoma!
· Read “Rodgers and Hammerstein,” “Dance,” “Design,” “The Book,” “Lyrics” and “The Score” in Kislan
· Read chapter on Oklahoma! in Knapp
· Watch 1955 film of Oklahoma!
· Read South Pacific
· Watch South Pacific film
· Listen to 1997 recording of South Pacific
Recommended:
· Listen to 1980 RCA recording of Oklahoma!
· Watch Part IV of Broadway: The American Musical (Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ 1943-1960)
March 2nd: Bernstein, Robbins, Laurents, and Sondheim: West Side Story
Assignments (by March 2nd):
· Read West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet
· Read chapter on West Side Story in Knapp
· Scene or paper due in class March 9th
Recommended:
· Listen to 1985 recording conducted by Bernstein
March 9th: Fiddler on the Roof and in-class scene presentations (Scenes or papers due in class)
Assignments (by March 9th):
· Presentation or paper
· Read Fiddler on the Roof
· Read chapter on Fiddler in Knapp
· Watch 1971 film of Fiddler on the Roof featuring Topol
· By March 18th: See Brandeis Theater Arts Department production of Into the Woods
Recommended:
· Listen to 1986 recording with Zero Mostel or 2004 recording with Alfred Molina
· Watch Part V of Broadway: The American Musical (Tradition 1957-1979)
· Read Tevye’s Daughters, by Sholem Aleichem
· Watch Tevye
March 16th: Stephen Sondheim: Company and Into the Woods
Assignments (by March 16th):
· Read and watch Company and Into the Woods
· Read “Sondheim” in Kislan
· Listen to Original Cast Recording of Company and Into the Woods
· By March 18th: See Brandeis Theater Arts Department production of Into the Woods
March 23rd: Sweeney Todd and Brandeis production of Into the Woods
Assignments (by March 23rd):
· Read Sweeney Todd
· Watch Sweeney Todd film with Angela Lansbury and original Broadway cast
April 13th: Kander and Ebb, Hal Prince, Bob Fosse and the making of Cabaret; and Chicago
Assignments (by April 13th):
· Read Cabaret and Chicago
· Read chapter on Cabaret in Knapp
· Watch 1972 film version of Cabaret with Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem, and Joel Grey
· Watch Chicago
Recommended:
· Listen to original Broadway cast recording of Cabaret
April 20th: Michael Bennett, Joseph Papp, and A Chorus Line
Assignments (by April 20th):
· Read A Chorus Line
· Listen to Original Cast recording of A Chorus Line
· Watch film of A Chorus Line
Recommended:
· Watch Part VI of Broadway: The American Musical (Putting it Together 1980-Present).
April 25th Rent and Hamilton (BRANDEIS FRIDAY)
Assignments (by April 25th)
· Read and watch Rent
· Read and listen to Hamilton
· Final paper due in class April 25th
Requirements
Scene presentation or paper 25% Due in class March 9th
Production history final research paper 40% Due in class April 25th
Attendance, participation, in-class quizzes 35%
If you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented disability,please contact me and present your letter of accommodation as soon as possible.
If you have questions about documenting a disability or requesting academic accommodations, you should contact Beth Rodgers-Kay in Academic Services (x6-3470 or .)
Letters of accommodation should be presented at the start of the semester to ensure provision of accommodations. Accommodationscannot be granted retroactively.
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