Spring 2015 TH 497A (CRN 14780) American Musical Theatre MWF 10-10:50 King Hall 216 Jim Bartruff KI 201G jbartruf@emporia.edu 620.341.5704 Textbook MUSICAL THEATRE: A History by John Kenrick. (Continuum, 2008) BROADWAY: The American Musical, a film by Michael Kantor. (PBS, 2004) Assignments. 1. Listening blog (50 points) 2. Musical Theatre field trip (50 points) 3. First exam (100 points) 4. Midterm (100 points) 5. Research project (100 points) 6. Final exam (100 points) Grading Scale. A 93-100% 465-500 C 73-77% 365-389 A- 90-92% 450-464 C- 70-72% 350-364 B+ 88-89% 440-449 D+ 68-69% 340-349 B 83-87% 415-439 D 63-67% 315-339 B- 80-82% 400-414 D- 60-62% 300-314 C+ 78-79% 390-399 F 0-59% 001-299 Attendance statement. Absences affect your progress through the course. You will begin the semester with 50 attendance points. Each absence or tardy will deduct 5 points. Course outcomes. Develop a better understanding of the history of the American musical theatre by tracing its major developments from its origins to the present day. Recognize major musical works by notable composers. Recognize major works by notable librettists and lyricists. Understand the similarities and differences between various musical styles including opera, operetta, revue, musical comedy, musical theatre, etc. Express your critical evaluation of musical theatre in performance. LISTENING BLOG. Each of you will listen to the following original cast albums and submit a brief comment on the course blog to document your experience. Showboat Anything Goes Company Oklahoma! West Side Story Crazy for You
Course policies All assignments are due on the day they are assigned--at class time. Late assignments may or may not be graded. But you must turn them in to pass. All written assignments must be typed or electronically transmitted. If you arrive late to class, you will be considered absent. Early departure from any class will also count as an absence. Bring your book, something to write with and note paper to each class. Participation in school plays/activities will not excuse you from class work. We will follow ESU s Dishonesty Policy at http://www.emporia.edu/acadaff/dishonesty.htm Disability statement. Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability Services and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that classroom and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. All communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the professor will be strictly confidential. Faculty-Initiated Student Withdrawal Procedure. Students should be aware that your instructor follows the university s policy of faculty-initiated student withdrawal. It reads as follows: If a student s absences from class or disruptive behavior become detrimental to the student s progress or that of other students in the class, the faculty member shall attempt to contact the student in writing about withdrawing from the class and shall seek the aid of the office of Vice President of Student Affairs to help insure contacting the Student. The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs shall provide the student information about the existing appeals procedures. Upon receiving a written report from the faculty member, the Vice President of Student Affairs may initiate a student withdrawal from the class. None of the above implies or states that faculty members are required to initiate the student withdrawals for excessive absence. [Policy and Procedures Manual 43.11] Some Recommended Internet resources. Google the site name for a URL. Blue Gobo Playbill.com The Broadway League Rodgers and Hammerstein Library Broadway World Samuel French Musicals Internet Broadway Database Spotlight on Broadway Musicals 101 Tams-Witmark Music Theatre International TheatreMania.com Musical Theatre History Resources Theatre Talk ESU syllabus attachment <http:// www.emporia.edu/regist/enroll/syll.html> You can download a copy of this syllabus from <http://www.emporia.edu/~bartruff>
Course Calendar TH 497 Spring 2015 January 21 CLASSES BEGIN. This class will not meet. 23 KCACTF Region Five Festival in Minneapolis, MN (January 19-25) 26 Course introduction and pre-test. Assign research projects. INTRODUCTION (Pages 11-17) 28 Chapter One: Ancient Times to 1850 (18-34) Excerpts from Ballet and Opera 30 Chapter Two: Continental Operetta (35-49) Offenbach and Strauss February 2 Chapter 3: American Explorations, 1624-1880 (50-74) The Black Crook. 4 Chapter 4: Gilbert and Sullivan (75-94) Excerpts from The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance 6 Kantor film Give My Regards to Broadway (1893-1927) 9 Chapter 5: The Birth of Musical Comedy (95-110) American Masters: History of Vaudeville 11 Chapter 6: A New Century (111-133) Cohan and Ziefgeld 13 Review Chapters 1-6 16 FIRST Exam. 18 Kantor Film Syncopated City (1919-1933) 20 Chapter 7: American Ascendance (134-155) Jerome Kern 23 Chapter 8: Al Jolson (156-167) and SHOWBOAT 25 Chapter 9: The Jazz Age (168-206) Berlin, Gershwin and Porter 27 Presentation of research projects. March 2 Chapter 10: Depression Era Miracles (207-237) Kurt Weill and Rodgers & Hart 4 Kantor film I Got Plenty o Nuttin (1931-1942) 6 Review Chapters 7-10 9 MIDTERM exam. 11 Chapter 11: A New Beginning (238-264). 13 Kantor film Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin (1943-1959) SPRING BREAK. No classes. (March 14-22) 23 The legacy of Rodgers and Hammerstein 25 Chapter 12: Broadway Takes Stage (265-297). The rise of the choreographer. 27 Kantor film Tradition (1957-1979) 30 Chapter 13: Rock Rolls In (1960-1970) (298-317) April May 1 HAIR, RENT, SPRING AWAKENING, ONCE 3 Presentation of research projects 6 Chapter 14: New Directions (318-341) Sondheim, Bennett and Fosse 8 Kantor film Putting It Together (1980-2004) 10 Presentation of research projects. 13 Chapter 15: Spectacles and Boardrooms (342-369) 15 Andrew Lloyd Webber - CATS and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 17 Cameron Mackintosh - LES MISÉRABLES 20 Presentation of research projects 22 Stephen Sondheim and lyrics - SWEENEY TODD and COMPANY 24 The Film musical - THE MUSIC MAN and WEST SIDE STORY 27 Frank Loesser - GUYS AND DOLLS. 29 Kander and Ebb - CABARET and CHICAGO 1 Chapter 16. Musical Comedy Returns (370-382) 4 Presentation of research projects. 6 Disney on Broadway and The Making of Wicked 8 Final review 13 Final Exam (10:10 a.m.)
TOPICS FOR RESEARCH PAPERS PEOPLE George Abbott Bock and Harnick Fanny Brice Mel Brooks Gower Champion George M. Cohan Agnes demille Bob Fosse Rudolf Friml George and Ira Gershwin Savion Glover Oscar Hammerstein II Lorenz Hart Victor Herbert Jerry Herman Al Jolson Jones and Schmidt Kander and Ebb Jerome Kern Michael Kidd Frank Loesser Lerner and Loewe Beatrice Lilly Lindsay and Crouse Maltby and Shire Rouben Mamoulian Ethel Merman David Merrick Zero Mostel Cole Porter Robert Preston Harold Prince Jerome Robbins Paul Robeson Bill Bojangles Robinson Richard Rodgers Sigmund Romberg Billy Rose Lillian Russell Stephen Schwartz The Shubert Organization Noble Sissle Stephen Sondheim Sam and Bella Spewack Susan Stroman Julie Taymor Sophie Tucker Tommy Tune Gwen Verdon Thomas Fats Waller Andrew Lloyd Webber Kurt Weill Bert Williams Florenz Ziegfield SHOWS Annie Get Your Gun Anything Goes Assassins Babes in Arms Babes in Toyland The Black Crook Cabaret Candide Cats Chicago A Chorus Line Company The Cradle Will Rock Damn Yankees Dreamgirls Evita Fanny The Fantasticks Fiddler on the Roof Good News Guys and Dolls Gypsy Hair Hello, Dolly! The King and I Kiss Me Kate Lady in the Dark Les Miserables The Lion King Little Johnny Jones Mame Man of La Mancha The Music Man My Fair Lady The New Moon No, No Nanette Of Thee I Sing Oklahoma! On Your Toes Pay Joey Phantom of the Opera The Pirates of Penzance Porgy and Bess The Producers Ragtime 1776 Show Boat The Sound of Music South Pacific Spring Awakening Sweeney Todd West Side Story Ziegfield Follies
SPRING 2015 Performing Arts Events in our region Emporia State University Theatre Jim Bartruff, Director of Theatre (620) 341-6378 http://www.emporia.edu/theatre The Treehouse Effect (original) March 4-7 Karl C. Bruder Theatre As You Like It (Shakespeare) April 21-26 RQ Frederickson Theatre Emporia Arts Council Melissa Windsor, Executive Director (620) 340-6473 http://www.emporia.com/eac 815 Commercial The 5 Browns February 5, 2015 Granada Theatre Kelley Hunt February 15, 2015 Granada Theatre Clarinetest Narek Arutyunian March 12, 2015 Heath Recital Hall Russian National Ballet "Don Quixote" April 30, 2015 Albert Taylor Hall Kansas State University Theatre Kate Anderson, director (785) 532-6428 http://www.k- state.edu/sctd/theatre Bustown Feb 5-7, 12-15 Chapman Theatre Hansel and Gretel (opera) March 5-7 McCain Auditorium Spring Dance '15 March 27-28 McCain Auditorium McCain Series at Kansas State University (Partial listing. Curtain time for most events is 7:30 p.m.) (785) 532-6428 http://www.k- state.edu/mccain/ Sister Act February 6 Million Dollar Quartet April 13 Don Qixote: Russian National Ballet April 26 Michael Feinstein: The Sinatra Project May 10 KU Theatre Lawrence Dennis Christilles, Artistic Director (785) 864-3982 http://www.kutheatre.com Flora, the Red Menace April 10-12, 14-16 Inge Memorial Theatre The Marriage of Figaro April 24, 26, 30, May, 2 Crafton- Preyer Theatre Lied Center of Kansas (Partial listing) 1600 Stewart Drive - Lawrence (785) 864-2787 http://www.lied.ku.edu Bernadette Peters in Concert March 24 Broadway Diva Million Dollar Quartet April 11 Broadway musical Pilobolus Dance Theatre April 25 Dance and shadow Topeka Civic Theatre 3028 SW 8 th Avenue (785) 357-5211 http://www.topekacivictheatre.com Hands on a Hard Body February 27 March 28 The Great Gatsby April 17 May 2 Here on the Flight Path May 29 June 20 The Wizard of Oz July 10 August 15 Broadway in Wichita Wichita Theatre League (866) 314-7687 www.theaterleague.com Sister Act February 3-5, 2015 Century II Buddy (The Buddy Holly Story) March 2-4 Century II Chicago March 31- April 2 Century II
Broadway Across America Kansas City Music Hall/Kauffman Center (800) 776-7469 http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com The Book of Mormon February 24 March 8 Music Hall Once March 24-29 Kauffman Center Chestnut Fine Arts Center 234 N. Chestnut, Olathe, KS (913) 764-2121 www.chestnutfinearts.com Always a Bridesmaid Jan 22 Mar 8, 2015 4 HS friends Good Old Mountain Music March 19 May 3 Bluegrass, country, gospel Harriman- Jewell Series (Partial listing) (816) 415-5025 http://www.hjseries.org Giselle (Russian National Ballet) January 18, 2015 Kauffman Theater Acis & Galatea (Mark Morris Dance Group) February 6 Kauffman Theater Savion Glover and company perform STePz April 25 Helzberg Hall Coterie Theatre Crown Center, Kansas City (816) 474-6552 http://www.coterietheatre.org The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane January 27 March 1, 2015 To Whom It May Inspire March 3 8 Touring production Dr. Suess' The Cat in the Hat March 31 May 17 A Year With Frog and Toad June 16 August 2 Kansas City Ballet Devon Carney, director (816) 931-2232 http://www.kcballet.org New Moves February 6 14, 2015 Bolender Center Giselle March 13-22 Kauffman Center Dances Daring (then and now) May 8 17 Kauffman Center Kansas City Repertory Theatre Eric Rosen, director (816) 235-2700 http://www.kcrep.org Hair! March 20 April 12 Spencer Theatre Lyric Opera of Kansas City Ward Holmquist, director (816) 471-7344 http://www.kcopera.org Silent Night February 21, 25, 27, March 1 Kauffman Theatre Tosca April 18, 22, 24, 26 Kauffman Theatre New Theatre Restaurant Richard Carrothers and Dennis Hennessy (913) 649-7469 http://www.newtheatre.com Forever Plaid February 19 May 3 Hairspray May 7 July 12 The Addams Family July 16 September 20 Quality Hill Playhouse J. Kent Barnhart, executive director (816) 421-1700 http://www.qualityhillplayhouse.com That's Entertainment: The MGM Years January 16 February 15, 2015 Broadway and Back February 27 March 29, 2015 What They Did for Love: Bacharach and Hamlisch April 17 May 17
Spinning Tree Theatre Michael Grayman, Artistic Director (816) 569-5277 http://spinningtreetheatre.com Black Pearl Sings March 5-22, 2015 Just Off Broadway Theatre Fiddler on the Roof April 23 May 10 Just Off Broadway Theatre Starlight Theatre Denton Yockey, producer (816) 363-7827 http://www.kcstarlight.com 50 Shades! The Musical Parody February 10-15 Indoor stage Million Dollar Quartet May 22-24 National Tour Camelot June 9-14 National Tour Annie June 19-21 National Tour Pippin June 30- July 5 National Tour Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella July 7-12 National Tour Mary Poppins July 24- August 1 Starlight Theatre Production Cirque Eloize id September 8-13 National Tour University of Missouri Kansas City Tom Mardikes, Chair 816.235.6222 http://umkctheatre.org The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane January 27 March 1, 2015 Coterie Theatre Rocky Horror Show February 27 March 8 Grant Hall Theatre Omaha (NE) Performing Arts Orpheum Theatre (402) 345-0606 http://www.omahaperformingarts.org Camelot January 27 Feb 1, 2015 Pippin March 3 8 Motown March 25 29 Mamma Mia! April 24 26 Once May 12 17 Tulsa Performing Arts Center John E. Scott, director (918) 596-7111 http://www.tulsapac.com Camelot (National Tour) March 3-8 Chapman Music Hall Phantom of the Opera (National Tour) April 15-25 Chapman Music Hall Million Dollar Quartet May 26-31 Chapman Music Hall