We examine the roots, development and evolution of American Musical theatre from multiple perspectives, focusing on the pivotal moments of development over the past 150 years. The American Musical has had an incalculable effect on the formation of American identity; in its combination of European, Jewish and African-American influences, (and to a lesser degree, Asian and Latino heritage, identity formation and cultural struggles), the American Musical both reflects and re-creates American identities and evolving ideas of citizenship and belonging. By studying the historical, cultural, political and sociological threads that contribute to the larger landscape in which musicals are created, performed and received, we gain insight into the values they embody and challenge. We also study the aesthetic elements of music, ‘book’, production and performance to gain a deeper appreciation of the American Musical as a consummate art form. Additional topics include changing views of gender; antecedents of the American Musical, including European operetta, revue, burlesque, minstrelsy, vaudeville; integrated book vs. the concept or “fragmented” musical; new voices and new forms, up to including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton.
- Instructor: Ellen Kaplan