THEA322

This course is an exploration of the unique art form that is the American musical theater. From its beginnings in the 19th century to the current Broadway season, this course will explore seminal productions of American musicals, the artists involved with those productions, and its influences and legacies. By studying how the works reflect the intellectual, social, political and religious life of cultures defined by place and time, students will consider these musicals as complex, layered markers of American popular culture and historical context. We will also focus on how the dissemination of the musical form through film has affected the role of the musical in American culture.