Read:
Kenrick chapters 9, 11, 12, 13, 14
Study 2 of the following musicals:
Show Boat (1927) or Oklahoma! (1943) or South Pacific (1949)
Choose three pieces of information related to the history of musical theater you learned from the Kenrick text and write about them in essay format. Choose topics that interested you or that you want to learn more about.
For example, perhaps you were excited to learn about vaudeville, burlesque, and the life and career of Al Jolson. Describe what you learned about each of these in the Kenrick text. (Including quotes from the Kenrick text is always a good idea!) You may also wish revisit the Eigtved text from module 1 (“The Musical (Theater) as Equipment for Urban Living”) and incorporate that into your essay. Engage in some research online about the topics of your essay and incorporate that into your essay (this research may be scholarly or non-scholarly). Lastly, connect your learning to entertainment today and/or to your own experiences.
Writing should be logically organized and should conform to the rules of correct English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Students are expected to use normal font sizes and typical margins. Essays must contain an introductory paragraph that provides a “road map” to the reader and a concluding paragraph that wraps up the essay. Paragraphs should contain topic sentences and should be organized so that ideas progress logically throughout the body of the essay.
Note: As this is an advanced level study, students are expected to demonstrate sophisticated critical thinking and writing skills in all assignments. All assignments must include MLA citations and must be fully proofread.