MUS 202-01 - Topics in American Music: Broadway Theatre

4 credits (Spring)

The Broadway musical is one of America’s most important contributions to popular culture. Through live professional shows, cast albums, movies, student and community productions, and a never-ending stream of hit songs, the musical has in many ways been the soundtrack to American life for over 100 years, uniting generations, addressing social issues, and having lots of fun in the process. In this course we will explore the history of American musical theater. We will analyze selected musicals in depth, describing musical ideas in non-technical terms, and also studying genesis of each show in light of current scholarship. We will also have a unit on Production, with guest lectures by professionals in the industry. Each student will do a research project on a musical of their choice. There will also be 4 short (1-2 page) writing assignments. No musical experience necessary.

Prerequisite: None.
Instructor: Brown