Getting to Know Rodgers and Hammerstein: Education And
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GETTING TO KNOW RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN: EDUCATION AND ADAPTATION IN 21ST-CENTURY PERFORMANCE A THESIS IN Theatre Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS by GABRIEL J. LIVINGSTON B.A., University of Central Missouri, 2018 Kansas City, Missouri 2020 © 2020 GABRIEL J. LIVINGSTON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED GETTING TO KNOW RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN: EDUCATION AND ADAPTATION IN 21ST-CENTURY PERFORMANCE Gabriel J. Livingston, Candidate for the Master of Arts Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2020 ABSTRACT Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II forever changed the face of American musical theatre when Oklahoma! opened on Broadway in 1943. This collaboration is often cited by historians as the first fully-integrated book musical on the Broadway stage. Their collaboration produced such hits as Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. While the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein continue to be commercially produced, 21st-century audiences may consider their works problematic. A critical examination of the text unveils inauthentic representations of non-white characters, misogynistic gender stereotypes, overt cultural appropriation, and questionable representations of slavery and domestic violence. While a 21st-century audience may be attuned to these unsavory elements, a dramaturgical perspective produces a deeper understanding. Through various adaptation and educational efforts, the place of Rodgers and Hammerstein on the 21st-century stage may be secured. In examining the recent production history of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, as well as educational models for the study of problematic literature, the fixtures of American musical theatre may be better understood. iii APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the Conservatory have examined a thesis titled “Getting to Know Rodgers and Hammerstein: Education and Adaptation in 21st- Century Performance” presented by Gabriel J. Livingston, candidate for the Master of Arts degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Felicia Hardison Londré, Ph.D., Committee Chair Department of Theatre William A. Everett, Ph.D. Department of Music Julie Rae Mollenkamp, Ph.D. Department of Theatre University of Central Missouri iv CONTENTS ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION: A Bright Golden Haze on the Meadow .................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: Characters Carefully Taught .............................................................................. 7 CHAPTER 2: How Do You Solve a Problematic Musical? ................................................... 23 CHAPTER 3: When You Know the Notes to Sing ................................................................ 80 CHAPTER 4: As a Teacher, I've Been Learning .................................................................. 110 CONCLUSION: Ten Minutes Ago ...................................................................................... 158 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 160 VITA ..................................................................................................................................... 171 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Felicia Londré not only for bringing me to UMKC, but also for teaching me what it means to be a student, a scholar, and a good steward of the theatre. Thank you to William Everett for his expertise in the study of musical theatre, and his willingness to play an integral role in my education. Thank you to Frank Higgins for pushing me outside of my comfort zone and thank you to Tom Mardikes for his continued mentorship. I must also give thanks to the faculty that trained me in my undergraduate career at the University of Central Missouri. First and foremost, I owe so many opportunities and successes to the fierce mentorship of Julie Mollenkamp. Thank you to Richard Herman, John Wilson, Ashley Miller-Scully, Aaron Scully, Jan Glover, Tori Depew, Michael Benson, Angie Benson, Kayla Jestila, Darlena Ciraulo, and Jeff Peltz. Thank you to these professors from the David Henry Hwang Society—William C. Boles (Rollin College), Martha Johnson (University of Minnesota), and Esther Kim Lee (Duke University)—for providing me with valuable resources on Flower Drum Song and the latest (October 2019) Soft Power manuscript. Thank you to Dalton Pittenger, drama teacher at Smithville High School, who played an integral role in my educational research of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and provided me with scripts from the “Getting to Know” series. Thank you to Jeff Church and Amanda Kibler at the Coterie Theatre, for their willingness to speak to me regarding the intersection of musical theatre and education. Finally, a warm thank you to my family, friends, and my study buddies—Mary Allison Joseph, Sarah Jean Haynes-Hohne, Dakotta L. Hagar, and Tiago Donato. Without their continued support, this project would not have been possible. vi DEDICATION To all the teachers, who make invaluable contributions to our world. vii INTRODUCTION A Bright Golden Haze on the Meadow The dawn of the modern American musical casts a bright golden haze on the meadow. The curtain rises on an old woman churning butter and a cowboy begins to sing. When Oklahoma! opened on March 31, 1943, post-World War II audiences found new hope in the musical’s earnest celebration of the down-home American spirit. Further, the musical’s songs advanced the plot, the book scenes told a serious story, and the dances furthered the plot in an innovative way. Oklahoma! is often regarded as the first integrated book musical, and while other historians give the distinction to Show Boat (1927), the two musicals have one factor in common—Oscar Hammerstein II. Both Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had illustrious careers with other writing partners before their 1943 collaboration. Prior to Oklahoma! Hammerstein wrote the lyrics for musicals such as Rose- Marie (1924), The Desert Song (1926), and Music in the Air (1932), while Rodgers wrote the music for musicals such as On Your Toes (1936), Babes in Arms (1937), and Pal Joey (1940). When their prior partnerships dissolved, Rodgers and Hammerstein found themselves adapting Lynn Riggs’ Green Grow the Lilacs (1930) for the musical stage, the rest is history. During their partnership, Rodgers and Hammerstein brought Oklahoma, Carousel (1945), Allegro (1947), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), Me and Juliet (1953), Pipe Dream (1955), Flower Drum Song (1958), and The Sound of Music (1959) to the stage. Additionally, the pair penned State Fair (1945) and Cinderella (1957) for the screen. The musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein have since become cornerstones of American culture. 1 Timeless tunes such as “Getting to Know You,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Some Enchanted Evening” have been indelibly etched into the American songbook. The musicals enjoy a long life through their Academy Award nominated film adaptations, numerous revivals, and school and community productions. In making the theatrical rounds, one hears anecdotes such as “I played Ado Annie in my middle school production of Oklahoma!” or “I played Captain Von Trapp in high school.” Personally, I have appeared in school productions of Cinderella and The Sound of Music. While parents and grandparents have fond memories of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals in production, the same may not be true of the new generation of theatregoers. In today’s socially-conscious era, the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein may be considered problematic. Previous productions of Carousel were noted for its soaring score and the musical’s preoccupation with spirituality. At the time of its 2018 Broadway revival, Carousel was primarily being talked about in terms of its depiction of domestic violence. The King and I has always been known for its score and lavish productions, never failing to garner enthusiastic applause when Anna and the King traverse the stage in their sweeping polka. The musical has since been criticized for its inauthentic portrayal of King Mongkut; the 1956 film adaptation being banned in Thailand. South Pacific has always taken a political tone, first performed for a generation not far removed from the second World War. While the musical has always condemned prejudice, the libretto presents a narrow view of the Tonkinese inhabitants of the South Pacific islands. In examining these major musicals, several issues are noted. However, the major musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein have had an undeniable influence on the modern American musical. In the new age of social justice, 2 how can we confront the mid-century morals of Rodgers and Hammerstein while celebrating the sublime theatre they created? In chapter one, I examine the morality inherent to the Hammerstein librettos. Known for his sentimentality and optimism, Hammerstein’s work is imbued with “cockeyed” optimism. Dramaturgically speaking, Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals feature the “wise woman” character type. Throughout the canon, characters such as Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!, Nettie Fowler in Carousel, and Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music,