American Musicals and American Culture UGS 303 Fall 2017 T/Th, 12:30-2:00pm Lecture: MRH 2.634 Section: MRH 2.614 Unique Numbers: 62340 (Friday 9am section) 62345 (Friday 10am section) 62350 (Friday 11am section) Professor: Hannah Lewis Office: MRH 3.738 E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: Tues. 2-3:30 (please notify me in advance), or by appointment
SIGNATURE COURSE MISSION: The Signature Courses at the University of Texas at Austin will connect students with distinguished faculty members in unique learning environments. By way of this rigorous intellectual experience, students will develop college-level skills in research, writing, speaking, and discussion through an approach that is both interdisciplinary and contemporary.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: For much of the 20th century, musicals stood at the center of American culture, producing tunes and tales that became the hits of their day. They commented on the ever-shifting social and political landscape, while pushing musical, dramatic, and choreographic boundaries, all within the confines of a commercial industry. This course explores the musical artistry and cultural resonances of several iconic shows, as rendered on stage and screen, including Shuffle Along (1922), Show Boat (1927), Oklahoma (1943), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), West Side Story (1957), Pacific Overtures (1976), Rent (1994), and Hamilton (2015). We will examine musical styles alongside broad cultural themes associated with the musical, including artistic collaboration, race and representation, gender, the role of dance, and adaptation across media. This course will serve as a window into the musical’s power to reflect and shape any given historical moment.
Musical background is not required for this course. Regardless of musical skill level, you will be expected to listen closely to the works assigned for each class and to be prepared to discuss and write about the music in detail. During the semester, we will review any musical terms you will need for assignments. Together, we will listen to, analyze, and discuss musical styles, as well as the creation, reception, and impact of the musicals we study.
1 COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
§ understand the cultural context of several iconic musicals § recognize and describe influential musical and choreographic styles and identify influential works § gain deeper understanding of how the musical both reflects and shapes various identities and their voices in American culture – including gender, race, ethnicity, and class – and how these categories have shifted over time § learn about the interpretation and assessment of ideas, through an evaluation of primary and secondary sources § strengthen research and writing skills, and understand how in-depth historical research can enrich our appreciation of artistic works
SIGNATURE COURSE ESSENTIALS:
Information Literacy:
Many of the shorter writing assignments will be devoted to the nuts and bolts of research. We will spend time in class learning about library resources, discussing how to evaluate primary and secondary sources, and learning how to cite them in a research paper.
University GEM:
Students will visit the Harry Ransom Center to see archival documents related to the West Side Story film adaptation (from the Ernest Lehman Collection). Additionally, we will attend the touring production of Rent at Texas Performing Arts.
Writing:
Writing is a substantial component of the course, including one review paper, one research paper, and shorter response papers. Over the course of the semester, we will discuss the importance of written communication, as well as what makes effective writing, and experiment with writing for different formats and audiences.
Oral Communication:
The Multimedia Audio/Video song analysis podcast assignment will be developed in pairs. This assignment will give students the opportunity to practice presentation skills as well as gain experience with media. Additionally, student discussion will occur regularly, both during lecture and in discussion sessions.
University Lecture Series:
In lieu of the University Lecture Series, students are required to attend one of the two lectures at the Butler School of Music listed on the syllabus (Elizabeth Craft on 10/23 and Raymond Knapp on 12/8) and write a brief response paper on the lecture attended.
2 COURSE MATERIALS:
Readings:
Most readings are available as PDFs under “Files” on Canvas; other readings are available online. Please print them out so you can take notes on them while you read, read them in advance of class, and bring them with you to lecture and section.
Viewing/Listening Assignments:
In order to get the most out of lecture and to fully participate in class discussion, you are required to complete all viewing/listening assignments BEFORE coming to class.
You may complete the assigned viewing in any of the following ways: § Attend the scheduled screening in the Fine Arts Library § View the DVD on reserve at the Fine Arts Library § Many (but not all) of the required films are available to stream for rent or purchase on Amazon or iTunes. § You are also always welcome to purchase the DVDs. Regardless of how you watch, please make sure that your viewing experience is a focused one. Listen on headphones or good speakers (not laptop speakers), and try to watch on as big a screen as possible. Viewing is always more fun with friends, so if you cannot attend the scheduled screenings, consider planning your own smaller screening on your own time!
Listening assignments are available on Spotify and/or YouTube. You can find a link to the Spotify playlist under “Pages” on the course’s Canvas page.
Additional Materials:
I will use Canvas to post slides, handouts, assignments, and assignment prompts. Please check the site regularly.
ASSIGNMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS:
Grade breakdown: 15% Attendance and Class Participation in Lecture and Section 20% Short Response Papers and Listening Quizzes 10% Multimedia Audio/Video Project (song analysis) 15% Paper 1: Review of Rent (1000 words) 20% Paper 2: Research Paper (1500 words) 10% Midterm Exam 10% Final Exam (Take-Home)
A=94-100 B=83-86 C=73-76 F=59 and below A-=90-93 B-=80-82 C-=70-72 B+=87-89 C+=77-79 D=60-69
3 Attendance and Participation:
You are expected to attend all classes (both lecture and section), complete all reading, listening, and viewing assigned before each class, and participate in class discussion. You will be allowed TWO unexcused absences, and after that, your attendance grade will be negatively affected.
There may be occasional in-class short writing assignments, which will be factored into your participation grade. No make-up in-class assignments will be accepted.
We will work in class on many of the details pertaining to the larger assignments; therefore, it is crucial to your success in the course that you make attendance a priority.
Short Response Papers and Listening Quizzes:
There will be several brief (~1 page single-spaced) response papers due over the course of the semester. The response papers are intended to help you dig deeper into the course topics, give you a chance to practice your writing regularly throughout the semester, and help prepare you for the midterm and final. Response papers must be printed out and handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Unless you have an excused absence, no late assignments will be accepted. (Any response papers missed for an excused absence may be given an extension of up to one week, at my discretion, if I am notified in advance of the absence.) Response papers will be graded on a scale of check, check minus, or zero.
There will also be several short quizzes during section over the course of the semester. The quizzes are intended to keep you up to date on your reading and listening. For each excerpt, you will be asked to identify the composer/lyricist, the musical from which the excerpt came, and the date (within 3 years), as well as to complete short answer prompts about key concepts from the assigned listening and reading. Quizzes will only cover material covered in class since the previous quiz. There are no make-up quizzes, but I will drop your lowest quiz grade.
Multimedia Audio/Video Project: due Friday, 9/29 (5pm):
During the first few weeks of class, we will examine numerous examples of how musicals reflect or comment on the political landscape of the United States. This assignment is an opportunity for you to build creatively upon these observations. Working in pairs, each of you will take part in producing a five-minute audio or video presentation of any single song from the musicals covered so far; choose a song that has not been discussed in depth in lecture or section. Each project should at a minimum contextualize the song under consideration, offer specific analysis of the music and lyrics, and discuss selected readings as they pertain to the issues that the song raises for you. Regardless of the creative direction taken by your multi-media project, the content is of the utmost importance. Write out a script and edit your prose vigorously. But this is also a chance to let your creative impulses shine through! More details will be provided closer to the due date.
4 Written Assignments:
Paper 1: Review of Rent (1000 words): due Friday, 10/27 (5pm) By this point in the semester we have seen how opening-night reviews can shape our understanding of a new musical and its reception. The priorities (dramatic, musical, social, political, etc.) of each critic emerge amidst descriptive language conveying their experience of the show. Although reviews from the New York Times tend to dominate musical theater discourse, valuable insight also comes from the observations of those writing for less prominent publications. Now it is your turn.
For this assignment, you will write a review of the touring Broadway production of Rent. Familiarize yourself with the show as much as possible before attending. Strive to provide an informative and entertaining account of the performance, one that will vividly convey it to someone who was not in attendance. More details will be provided closer to the deadline.
Paper 2: Research Paper (1500 words): due Friday, 12/1 (5pm) For this assignment, you will select a musical from a list of shows that are not on the syllabus but could be added to one of our units. Select one song or dance sequence from the show, and write a 1500-word research paper on the song. A successful paper will be structured around a clear, original thesis and will incorporate both primary and secondary sources to build its argument. Your topic/preliminary thesis is due in class on 11/9, and your opening paragraph and annotated bibliography are due in section on 11/17. More details will be provided closer to the deadline.
Exams:
Midterm Exam The midterm exam will take place in class on Tuesday, 10/10. It will cover all shows discussed in class up to this point. Its format will include listening identification, short answer, and one longer essay question.
Notify me well in advance if you will require accommodations for the exam.
Final Exam (Take-Home): due Sunday, 12/10 (11:59pm) Instead of a timed sit-down exam at the end of the semester, there will be a take-home exam. You will be given 48 hours, but it should take you about three hours total to complete the exam.
Make-up exams or extensions will only be possible in the case of a verifiable medical or family emergency.
PERFORMANCE (OPTIONAL):
One of the best ways to get to know a show is to perform its music. If you are interested in performing songs for the class from any of the shows on the syllabus, let me know (the sooner the better). I encourage in-class performances, and if you choose to perform it will count toward your participation grade.
5 COURSE POLICIES:
Absences and Late Work § Absences: You will be allowed TWO unexcused absences, and after that, your attendance grade will be negatively affected. § Lateness: Arrive to class on time. If you are late to class three times it will count as one absence. (Please inform me or Hannah in advance if there is a reason you expect to be late frequently, i.e. if you have a class right before this one on the other side of campus.) § Late work: Late written assignments will lose one grade point per day (A to A-, etc.), and will receive a zero after one week past the deadline.
Laptops and Technology § Because they can be a hindrance to learning, laptops are not permitted in lecture or discussion section, with few exceptions (which I will discuss in class). Studies have shown that note-taking in a notebook is much more beneficial to your learning! § Phones and tablets can also be a big distraction for both you and your classmates. No tablets or phones to be used during class (including texting, facebooking, and tweeting!). Turn off your ringers before entering the classroom. You will get one warning, after which you will receive an absence for that class meeting.
Email and Communication Policy Email is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, you are responsible for reading your email for university and course-related information and announcements. You are responsible for keeping the university informed about changes to your e-mail address. You should check your e-mail regularly and frequently – I recommend daily, but at minimum twice a week – to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-critical. Email is the primary mode of communication for this course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that his/her email settings are such that (s)he can receive official email from the university, and more specifically, through Canvas. I will do my best to respond to your emails in a timely manner. Please allow a 24-hour turnaround time for course-related emails, possibly longer on weekends/holidays.
Honor Code Students are expected to uphold the University of Texas Honor Code:
The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.
6 Plagiarism According to the University of Texas Student Judicial Services, plagiarism occurs if you represent as your own work any material that was obtained from another source, regardless how or where you acquired it. For more information on plagiarism, see: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_plagiarism.php
Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student’s own work. Guidance on how to properly cite the sources you use in your essay will be given in class, so that you will be equipped to avoid unintentional plagiarism. ALL suspected cases of cheating and plagiarism will be reported to Student Judicial Services.
Students with Disabilities If you require special accommodations, you must obtain a letter that documents your disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). Present the letter to me at the beginning of the semester so we can discuss the accommodations you need. No later than five business days before an exam, you should remind me of any testing accommodations you will need. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/.
Religious Holidays By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.
7 SCHEDULE: [Note: Syllabus and assignments subject to change. Any updates and changes will be announced in class and on Canvas.]
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTIONS
WEEK 1
Thurs. 8/31: American Musicals and their Cultural Meanings Listening (in class): § “I’m Just Wild About Harry” from Shuffle Along (1921)
WEEK 2
Tues. 9/5: The Musical’s Origins: Tin Pan Alley and Operetta Reading: § Gerald Mast, Introduction (1-6) and Ch. 3 (25-38), in Can’t Help Singin’ § Alex Purcell, “Feels: The Importance of Freshmen UGS Courses,” Burnt x (http://www.burntx.com/2017/03/23/feels-importance-ugs-courses/) Listening (on Spotify): § George M. Cohan, “Give My Regards to Broadway” from Little Johnny Jones (1904) § Franz Léhar, “Love In My Heart” from The Merry Widow (1905, English adaptation 1907) § Irving Berlin, “Blue Skies” (1926) § George Gershwin, “I Got Rhythm” (1930)
Wed., 9/6, 6:30pm: Screening of South Pacific (1958), DFA 4.106
Thurs. 9/7: South Pacific (1949): Probing a Classic Reading: § Andrea Most, “‘You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught’: The Politics of Race in South Pacific,” in Making Americans, 153-182 § New York Times review of South Pacific Viewing: South Pacific (1958) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Dites Moi” § “Some Enchanted Evening” § “Bali Ha’I” § “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught”
8 UNIT 2: COMEDY AND GENDER
WEEK 3
Mon. 9/11, 6:30pm: Screening of Wonderful Town (2002), DFA 4.106
Tues. 9/12: Wonderful Town (1953): Comedy, Social Codes, and Collaboration Reading: § Carol J. Oja, “Bernstein’s Musicals: Reflections of their Time,” in Leonard Bernstein: American Original, ed. Burton Bernstein and Barbara B. Haws, 59-75, 80-83 § Elaine Tylor May, “Explosive Issues: Sex, Women, and the Bomb,” in Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era, 92-113 Viewing: Wonderful Town (2002 Concert Version, Simon Rattle, conductor) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Ohio” § “One Hundred Easy Ways” § “Conga” § “It’s Love”
Thurs., 9/14: Wonderful Town (1953): Gender Politics and the Red Scare Reading: § American Business Consultants, Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television (1950): Introduction, entries on Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Arthur Laurents, and Gypsy Rose Lee § Carol J. Oja, “Wonderful Town and McCarthy-Era Politics,” Preludes, Fugue & Riffs (Spring/Summer 2007): 6. § Winter Garden Theater Playbill (original Broadway production) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Christopher Street” § “What a Waste” § “Pass the Football”
WEEK 4
Tues. 9/19: Wicked (2003): Female Friendship and Difference Reading: § Stacy Wolf, “‘Defying Gravity’: Queer Conventions in the Musical Wicked,” Theatre Journal 60, no. 1 (2008): 1-21. Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “What Is This Feeling?” § “Defying Gravity” § “For Good”
9 UNIT 3: RACE, REPRESENTATION, AND ENTERTAINMENT
Wed. 9/20, 6:30pm: Screening of Show Boat (1936), DFA 4.106
Thurs. 9/21: Show Boat (1927): The Convergence of Nostalgia and Realism Reading: § Mast, 58-64 § New York Times and New York Sun reviews of Show Boat Viewing: Show Boat (1936 version) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Make Believe” § “Bill” § “Ol’ Man River”
WEEK 5
Tues. 9/26: Show Boat (1927): Race and Blackface Reading: § Richard Crawford, “Blacks, Whites, and the Minstrel Stage,” in America’s Musical Life: A History, 196-220 (read 196-202 closely; skim through 202-220) § Peter Stanfield, “From the Vulgar to the Refined: American Vernacular and Blackface Minstrelsy in Showboat,” in Musicals: Hollywood and Beyond, 147-156 Listening: § “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” (on Spotify) § “Galavantin’ Around” (film clip on Canvas)
Wed. 9/27, 6:30pm: Screening of The Jazz Singer (1927), DFA 4.106
Thurs. 9/28: The Jazz Singer (1927) and the Jewish Immigrant Experience Reading: § Michael Rogin, “Blackface, White Noise: The Jewish Jazz Singer Finds His Voice,” Critical Inquiry 18, no. 3 (1992): 417-453. (focus on sections 1 and 3, bring in questions about the reading) § New York Times review of The Jazz Singer Viewing: The Jazz Singer (1927) Focused Listening (on Canvas): § “Blue Skies” § “My Mammy” § “Toot, Toot, Tootsie”
Fri. 9/29, 5pm: Multimedia Audio/Video Project due
10 WEEK 6
Tues. 10/3: Shuffle Along (1921): A Black Hit on Broadway Reading: § Allen Woll, “Shuffle Along,” in Black Musical Theatre: From Coontown to Dreamgirls, 58-75 § William Bolcom and Robert Kimball, Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake, 86-141, 241 (skim through) § Reviews from The New York Times and the black press for Shuffle Along § Ben Brantley, “Review: ‘Shuffle Along’ Returns to Broadway’s Embrace,” New York Times, 28 April, 2016 (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/29/theater/review-shuffle-along-returns-to- broadways-embrace.html?_r=0) Listening (on Spotify): § “I’m Just Wild About Harry” § “Bandana Days” § “How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm”
Thurs. 10/5: Midterm Review
WEEK 7
Tues. 10/10: Midterm
INTERLUDE: RENT
Wed. 10/11, 6:30pm: Screening of Rent: The Final Broadway Performance, DFA 4.106
Thurs. 10/12: Rent (1996) and the AIDS Crisis Reading: § David Román, “Afterword: Rent’s Due,” in Acts of Intervention: Performance, Gay Culture, and AIDS, 268-284 § New York Times review of Rent Viewing: Rent: The Final Broadway Performance (2008) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Will I” § “I’ll Cover You” § “La Vie Boheme” § “Seasons of Love”
Fri. 10/13, 8:00pm: Attend Rent at Texas Performing Arts
11 UNIT 4: DEPICTING HISTORY
WEEK 8
Tues. 10/17: Pacific Overtures (1976): Sondheim Encounters Japan Reading: § Mark Eden Horowitz, Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions, 155-64 § New York Times review of Pacific Overtures Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “The Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea” § “There Is No Other Way” § “Chrysanthemum Tea” § “Someone in a Tree”
Thurs. 10/19: Pacific Overtures (1976): Musical Stereotyping Reading: § Raymond Knapp, The American Musical and the Formation of National Identity, 268-281 Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Please Hello” § “Next”
WEEK 9
Mon. 10/23, 5:00pm: Lecture, Elizabeth Craft (University of Utah)
Tues. 10/24: Hamilton (2015): History Meets Hip Hop and Contemporary Politics Special Guest: Elizabeth Craft, University of Utah Reading: § Elizabeth Craft, “Can We ‘Leave Behind the World We Know’? Exploring Race and Ethnicity in the Musicals of Lin-Manuel Miranda” (forthcoming) § Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter, “Wherein Mobb Deep is Sampled and the Immortal Biggie Smalls is Revived,” in Hamilton: The Revolution, 94-95 § Joel Eastwood and Erik Hinton, “How does ‘Hamilton,’ the non stop, hip-hop Broadway sensation tap rap’s master rhymes to blur musical lines?” (http://graphics.wsj.com/hamilton/) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “My Shot” § “You’ll Be Back” § “Right Hand Man” § “Satisfied” § “Wait For It” § “Cabinet Battle #1” § “Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)” music video from The Hamilton Mixtape (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_35a7sn6ds)
12 UNIT 5: DEFINING COMMUNITIES
Wed. 10/25, 6:30pm, Screening of Oklahoma! (1955), DFA 4.106
Thurs. 10/26: Oklahoma! (1943): Empire and War Reading: § St. James Theater Playbill for original Broadway production of Oklahoma! § New York Times reviews of Oklahoma! Viewing: Oklahoma! (1955) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” § “Lonely Room” § “Oklahoma!” (Finale)
Fri. 10/27, 5pm: Paper 1 due
WEEK 10
Tues. 10/31: Oklahoma! (1943): Agnes DeMille’s “Dream Ballet” Reading: § Agnes De Mille, “Beautiful Morning,” in Dance to the Piper, 245-256 § Mast, “As Corny as Kansas in August,” in Can’t Help Singin’, excerpt: 201-209 Focused Viewing: § “Dream Ballet” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D1loAVwiMc)
Wed. 11/1, 6:30pm: Screening of West Side Story (1961), DFA 4.106
Thurs. 11/2: West Side Story (1957): Then and Now Reading: § Leonard Bernstein, “Excerpts from a West Side Story Log” in Readings on WSS, 43- 45 § West Side Story Playbills § New York Times reviews of original Broadway production (on Canvas) and 2009 revival (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/theater/15cohe.html) Viewing: West Side Story (1961) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Jets Song” § “America” § “I Feel Pretty” § “A Boy Like That”
Fri. 11/3, in section: Visit to the Harry Ransom Center to view primary sources related to the film adaptation
13 WEEK 11
Tues. 11/7: West Side Story (1957): Gang Warfare and the Choreography of Jerome Robbins Reading: § Deborah Jowitt, “Tony Loves Maria” in Jerome Robbins: His Life, His Theater, His Dance, 265-292 § Elizabeth Wells, “West Side Story and the Hispanic” in Echo (http://www.echo.ucla.edu/Volume2-Issue1/wells/wells-article.html) Focused Viewing/Listening: § “Prologue” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxoC5Oyf_ss) § “Dance at the Gym” (2009 revival) (On Canvas) § “America” (2009 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJdMqZKG7ic) § “The Rumble” (on Spotify) § “Gee, Officer Krupke” (on Spotify)
Thurs. 11/9: Interlude: Finding and Evaluating Sources (meet in PCL) Special Guest: Sarah Brandt, Librarian for First-Year Programs Paper 2 topic and draft thesis due (in class).
WEEK 12
Mon. 11/13, 6:30pm: Screening of Fiddler on the Roof (1971), DFA 4.106
Tues. 11/14: Fiddler on the Roof (1964): Ethnicity and Universal Values Reading: § Joseph P. Swain, “The Ethnic Musical,” in The Broadway Musical, 265-294 § New York Times review of Fiddler on the Roof Viewing: Fiddler on the Roof (1971) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Tradition” § “If I Were a Rich Man” § “Matchmaker”
Thurs. 11/16: Fiddler on the Roof (1964): Jewish Immigrants, the Holocaust, and Memory Reading: § Sholem Aleichem, “Today’s Children” in Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories, 35-52 Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “Wedding Dance” § “Sunrise, Sunset” § “Yidl Mitn Fidl” (on Canvas)
Fri. 11/17 (in section): Paper 2 Introductory Paragraph/Annotated Bibliography Due
14 UNIT 6: DANCING AND THE MOVIE MUSICAL
WEEK 13
Mon. 11/20, 6:30pm: Screening of Swing Time (1936), DFA 4.106
Tues. 11/21: Swing Time (1936): Astaire, Rodgers, and Partnered Dance Reading: § Croce, The Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers Book, 99-115 Viewing: Swing Time (1936) Focused Listening (on Spotify): § “A Fine Romance” § “Mr. Bojangles of Harlem”
Thurs. 11/23: NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING)
WEEK 14
Mon. 11/27, 6:30pm: Screening of Singin’ in the Rain (1952), DFA 4.106
Tues. 11/28: Singin’ in the Rain (1952): Representing Hollywood Reading: § Mast, Can’t Help Singin’, 260-267 § Peter Wollen, Chapter 3, Singin’ in the Rain, 52-66 § New York Times review of Singin’ in the Rain Viewing: Singin’ in the Rain (1952) Focused Listening: § “Make ‘Em Laugh” § “Moses Supposes” § “Good Morning”
Thurs. 11/30: Singin’ in the Rain (1952): Singing, Dancing, and Gender Reading: § Susan Smith, “Vocal Theft and Betrayal in Singin’ in the Rain,” in The Musical: Race, Gender and Performance, 70-75 § Carol Clover, “Dancin’ in the Rain,” Critical Inquiry 21, no. 4 (1995): 722-747. (read pp. 722-744) Focused Listening: § “Singin’ in the Rain” § “Beautiful Girl” montage § “Would You?” § final scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wI4jJq98tU
Fri. 12/1, 5pm: Paper 2 due
15 WEEK 15
Mon. 12/4, 6:30pm: Screening of Stormy Weather (1943), DFA 4.106
Tues. 12/5: Stormy Weather (1943): A Showcase of Talent on the Silver Screen Reading: § Mast, 219-232 § Arthur Knight, Disintegrating the Musical: Black Performance and American Musical Film, 110-119 § Reviews from New York Times and the black press for Stormy Weather Viewing: Stormy Weather (1943)
Thurs. 12/7: Course Wrap-Up
Fri. 12/8, 1:00pm: Lecture, Raymond Knapp (UCLA)
SUNDAY, 12/10, 11:59PM: TAKE-HOME FINAL EXAM DUE (on Canvas)
16