XIDS 2100 Arts & Ideas - American Musical
Theatre (3 Credit Hours)
Instructor: Mr.
Office Rm 202C
Office Hours: Monday and Friday 8-10 and Tuesday and
Thursday 8:30-11
Scene Shop Office Hours
Everyday from
Also by individual appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is an overview of
the interdependent and interdevelopmental character of movements in the arts
and historical/philosophical ideas. A
fine or performing art is always represented as one of the disciplines
considered in every section. Students
will be required to attend two live artistic events (plays, recitals, concerts,
etc) during the course of the semester.
Satisfies core area C1. This
section (American Musical Theatre) traces the evolution of the American Musical
from its European beginnings to the present.
Emphasis is on the multi-disciplinary nature of musical theatre. Final project is required.
TEXT/COURSE MATERIALS:
Kislan,
Richard. The Musical: A Look At The American
Class
notes based upon lecture and the occasional handout.
COURSE DEGREE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The
student who successfully completes this course will demonstrate:
A.
An understanding of the history & evolution of
the American Musical.
B.
The ability to differentiate between various types
of musical theatre.
C. Knowledge of the component parts of musical
theatre.
D.
A clearer understanding of careers in
musical theatre.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1)
Two written examinations (drawn from Kislan text
& class notes) will be given.
2)
The student must submit a written review of one
live musical play attended during enrollment in this course and one other live
musical event. These reviews should
follow the format detailed below.
3)
Students will be required to participate in a
final project as detailed below.
FINAL PROJECT:
Due on the date shown below. NO
PROJECTS WILL BE ACEPTED LATE. IF YOU
ARE GOING TO BE ABSENT ON THE DUE DATE, DO IT EARLY!
Option #1 Group Musical Theatre Number:
must include acting, singing, and choreography; students must provide
accompaniment; must include acting scene leading into or immediately following the
song. Time: 3-6 minutes
Option #2 Student pairs function as
composer/lyricist. Students take a
preexisting story and add or interpolate existing songs. At
least one song must be original!
Students will make a final presentation of 5-10 minutes discussing the project. Include examples of songs, pictures, and
other important information. Power Point
is especially helpful here.
Option #3 Solo Song: must include
acting, singing, dancing; student must provide accompaniment; must include
acting scene leading into the song. Time: 5-10 minutes.
Option #4 Final Research Paper. 5-7 pages in length. MLA format, 12 pt font, citations. Must discuss a particular musical, composer,
choreographer, or other phenomenon NOT PREVIOUSLY COVERED IN THIS CLASS OR AT
LEAST NOT COVERED IN SUFFICENT DETAIL. If you choose a composer, you should only
choose composers of American Musical Theatre! (Hint: Mozart did not write
Cats!) You may also compare/contrast two composers, two choreographers, two
major musicals, etc. Do not simply give me a synopsis of a show. This is a research assignment.
EVALUATION
2 Exams 100 points
Final Project 100 points
Performance Critiques 100 points
Total
Points 300
Based upon the total amount of points possible, the
grading scale is as follows:
A = 300-270
B = 269-240
C = 239-200
D = 199-170
COURSE POLICIES:
Students are strongly encouraged to attend each class session. Students are not to enter the class during a visual presentation of any kind. If you must be late, please wait until the performance is completed to enter the classroom.
CRITIQUE FORMAT
Your
critique should utilize MLA format and, at the very least, answer the following
questions: What meaning did you receive from the work of art? Was the performance successful? Why?
What did you especially like about the performance, what did you
dislike? Why? Were any social issues
dealt with in the piece? Most importantly, what role did the music play in the
show. In other words, how did or did not
music help to drive the plot of the show. Do
not offer plot synopsis! Instead,
comment on the production values (acting, singing, multidisciplinary nature of
the work, design, etc.).
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week One It’s All Greek To Me
August 23 Introduction
- The Philosophy of Musical Theatre
Chapter
1 – European Forms in Early
August 25 Con’t
. (Auditions for Fall Semester Theatre
Productions)
August 27 Chapter 1
(cont.) European descendants: Ballad Opera, The
Beggar's Opera (1728), Comic Opera
Week Two Poor Wandering Ones…
August 30
Comic Opera (cont) Gilbert & Sullivan, H.M.S.
Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado.
September 1/3 The Pirates of
September
6 Labor
Day—No Class
September 8/10 Early Forms of Musical
Theatre in
Week Four The Big
September
13/15/17 Chapter
3 Vaudeville, Jolson
Week
Five I’m The
Kid With All The Candy
September 20
George M. Cohen.
September 22/24 Yankee Doodle Dandy
Week Six For Men Only
September 27 Chapter 4
Burlesque The Black Crook; Evangeline;
September 29
Extravaganza & Spectacle
October 1 Chapter
5 Revue. George Whites Scandals; The
Ziegfeld Follies
Chapter
6 Comic Opera & Operetta in
Week
Seven The
“Ole’ Man” comes rollin’ along
October 4 Chapter 7 The Mature Musical - Jerome
Kern. The Princess Theatre Shows; Showboat (1927) Structure of Showboat.
October 6/8 Show
Boat
Monday,
October 11 Mid-Term
Examination
Week Eight Strike Up The Band!
October 13 The
Great Age of Broadway - The Gershwins, Vincent Youmans, Cole Porter
October 15 no
class- The Georgia Theatre Conference
October 18 Girl Crazy or Strike up the Band
Week Nine Brand New State!
October 20 Chapter 8 Rodgers &
Hammerstein. Richard Rodgers; Rodgers
& Hart; Oscar Hammerstein
October
22/25 The Sound of Movies
October
27 Composer/Lyricist
Collaboration; Lerner & Lowe
October 29 The
Great
Week
Eleven “I Can’t
Stand Him”
November
1/3 /5 Singin' in
the Rain
Week Twelve Rock
On!
November 8/10/12 The
Rock Musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber &
Week
Thirteen The
Wheels of a Dream
November
15 New Works of Importance Ragtime, Parade
Libretto
study on Parade
November 22 Revivals!
Rise
of the Contemporary Opera (Miss Saigon,
Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Cats)
Week
Fourteen Bring in
the Wolf…
November
29 Chapter 9 Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods (Video)
Video:
Act 1 Sunday in the Park with George
Week
Fifteen …and Take
out the Cats
December 6/8/9 Present
Final Projects and Review for Final
December 13 at 8:00 – 10:00 am Final Exam