The University of Oklahoma College of Fine Arts Department of Musical Theatre

MTHR 3143-01 Musical Theatre History Instructor: Email: Office: Shawn Churchman shawnchurchman@ou.edu Carpenter Hall 208

Meets: M-W

1:30 2:45

Where: Dale Hall 0218 Phone: 405-325-0538

Course Description: A lecture/discussion class surveying the development and history of American musical theatre. Historical background of events and developments contributing to the creation of this artistic form will be reviewed leading to the beginnings of the musical theatre form as we know it in the late 19th century. Emphasis will be placed on the most important composers, lyricists, directors, choreographers and performers from musical theatre history with special emphasis on major periods and works from each. A good deal of time will be spent watching DVDs of musical performances, listening to CDs, and examining lyrics and text with the purpose of developing a critical eye and personal aesthetic. Indeed, throughout the semester emphasis will be placed on discussing why a musical/author/composer has been deemed great. Course Objectives: 1. To become acquainted with the major historical periods, movements, and individuals involved with the development of the American musical theatre. To develop and then write effectively describing your own aesthetic regarding musical theatre. To demonstrate the ability to analyze and critique a musical production based on concepts and information presented and discussed in class.

2. 3.

Text: Strike Up the Band: A History of American Musical Theatre by Scott Miller (Heineman Press) Attendance: You are allowed two absences, excused or unexcused, each absence after that point will lower your attendance grade by 5%. If you are 15 minutes tardy to class you will be considered absent. PLEASE NOTE: almost every class period there will be DVD viewing, quite often entire musicals. If you do not come to class there is no way to make up the viewing you have missed and the material covered in the viewing WILL BE on exams. I WILL NOT ENTERTAIN OFFICE HOURS FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES. If however you have an excused absence with a note, we can meet to discuss class. You are required to attend one performance of On the Town here at OU, presented by the School of Musical Theatre April 25 28th. The 25th will be FREE. If you cannot attend that performance, student tickets are $10.00. If you do not attend, you cannot write a review of the performance, thus earning a zero on that assignment. Final Exam: Friday May 10th 8:00 10:00am Grading: There will be eight equally weighted graded assignments, whether it be a quiz, writing assignment, or attendance. Each grade will be graded with a top possible score of 100. The scale is as follows: Grading Scale: 630 - 700 A 560 - 629 B 490 - 559 C 420 - 489 D Below 420 F

Under no circumstances will grades be discussed via email or phone . Office hours are posted and appointments must be made.

An assignment will be considered late if it is not turned in during class time. This means, no slipping under office doors! All assignments must be typed, stapled, and proof-read. I will grade on content of written assignments as well as the grammar and spelling. On written assignments, I prefer if they are front and back . I will not accept handwritten or unstapled work. Any assignment not meeting these criteria will be returned to student for redoing and will be considered late. Office Hours: M-W 2-5; T-TH 10:30-noon. I am rarely in my office so do not drop by . Simply email me for an appointment and Im glad to meet with you. Extra Credit: You will receive 10 points of extra credit if you attend one of the following regional theatre productions of a musical. You may not earn more than 30 points in one given semester. You must bring your program with your ticket stapled to it to receive the credit. DO NOT email me and ask how to get tickets. Go to the websites and figure it out. The following are eligible productions: Some Enchanted Evening at the Lyric Theatre: January 30-February 16 Jekyll and Hyde at the Civic Center in OKC: January 15-20 West Side Story at the Civic Center Theatre Center: April 23 - 28 Hello Dolly at the Sooner Theatre: April 5-14 OU Policies: Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact the Instructor personally as soon as possible so accommodations necessary to ensure that full participation can be established and educational opportunities facilitated. Each student should acquaint her or his self with the Universitys codes, policies, and procedures involving academic misconduct, grievances, sexual and ethnic harassment and discrimination based on physical handicap. These codes, policies and procedures can be found in the University of Oklahoma General catalog. It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide without penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required class work that may fall on religious holidays. 1/14 Introductions. Look at syllabus and discuss. What is developing your aesthetic? How do you write critically? Become an educated theatre goer? Lecture: The nuts and bolts of a musical. Viewing Project: American Masters: Vaudeville; Broadway The American Musical PBS special Assignment: Wikipedia bio of George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin 1/16 Lecture: What came before the Broadway Musical? The beginnings. Irving Berlin. Assignment: Read Overture and Chapter One of Miller; Wiki of Jerome Kern Lecture: An Era Exploding - The Princess Shows; Tin Pan Alley; Jerome Kern Further Readings or viewing options American Masters: Vaudeville DVD, Irving Berlin: A Daughters Memoir by Mary Ellin Barrett, Irving Berlin American Troubadour by Edward Jablonski, Tin Pan Alley: The Composers, the Songs, the Performers and their Times by David A. Jasem Assignments: Wikipedia bios on George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin; Chapter Two of text. 1/21 Lecture: Lecture: I Want to be Happy the 1920s; The Gershwins; No No Nanette Viewing Project:Broadway The American Musical PBS special Further Reading Options: The house that George built : with a little help from Irving, Cole, and a crew of about fifty by Wilfrid Sheed, George Gershwin : his life and work by Howard Pollack; Jerome Kern by Stephen Banfield; The Rodgers and Hammerstein encyclopedia by Thomas S. Hischak; Catalog of the American musical: Musicals of Irving Berlin, George & Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart, by Tommy Krasker 1/23, 28, 30 VIEWING PROJECT: SHOW BOAT Discuss writing reviews

Assignments: Read Chapter 3; Wiki bio of Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart 2/4 Exam #1 Chapters 1, 2, and Showboat

2/6, 11

Lecture: Chapter 3 Anything Goes Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart Viewing Project: Broadway The American Musical PBS special, the 1930s Lecture: Chapter 3 The 1930s cont. Politics and musical theatre: Of Thee I Sing, Porgy and Bess, The Cradle Will Rock; Discuss theatre criticism and critical writing. Viewing Project: Broadway The American Musical PBS special, the 1930s Further Reading and Viewing Options: The Cradle Will Rock, directed by Tim Robbins, Furious Improvisation: how the WPA and a cast of thousands made high art out of desperate times, by Susan Quinn; Delovely, directed by Irwin Winkler Assignment: Wyk of Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein

2/13, 18

Lecture: Chapter 4 - Oh, What a Beautiful Morning: The 1940s Viewing Project: Broadway The American Musical PBS special; The Dream Ballet from Oklahoma; Various performances Assignment: Read Chapter 5; Wyks of Frank Loesser, Meredith Willson, Jule Styne, Lerner and Loewe, Jerome

Robbins Further Reading and Viewing Options: Rodgers and Hammerstein by Ethan Mordden 2/20 3/11 Lecture: Chapter 5 Somethings Coming: The 1950s Viewing Project: My Fair Lady by Lerner and Loewe Assignment: Wyk of Jerry Herman, Bock and Harnick 3/13 3/25, 27, 4/1 Exam: #2 Chapters 3, 4 , 5 Lecture: Chapter 6 The Conventional 60s and UnConventional 60s Assignments: Wyks of Kander and Ebb, Bob Fosse Viewing project: Broadway The American Musical PBS special; Cabaret, Hair Assignments: Wyks of Stephen Sondheim, Harold Prince - Read Chapter 7 Viewing project: Cabaret by Kander and Ebb 4/8 4/10 Lecture: The 1970s The Concept Musical; Sondheim and Prince Assignments: Wyks of Michael Bennett Lecture and Viewing: Broadway The American Musical PBS special A Chorus Line; Chicago Assignment: Read Chapter 8; Wyks Andrew Lloyd Webber Review of Cabaret due on 4/10 4/15 4/17, 22 Exam # 3 Chapters 6, 7 Lecture: Chapter 8 The British Invasion; Is Broadway Dead? The Mega-Musical Viewing: Broadway The American Musical PBS special 4/24, 29, 5/1 Lecture: Chap 9, 10 The Modern Era

4/25 5/1 5/10

Performance of On the Town Review of On the Town Due Final Exam