History of Musical Theatre

Catalog description

This course introduces the elements of music and drama, different styles of dance, and various forms of musical dramas, which influenced the creation of musical theatre in the early 20th century. A survey of musicals, beginning with the landmark work, SHOWBOAT (Kern and Hammerstein), traces the various styles of musicals from the 1920s to modern day. Students are introduced to composers, lyricists and playwrights, who defined the evolution of musical theatre. The course includes attending live productions. Prerequisite: None.