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Home , At the Ballet, Edward Kleban, Nicholas Dante, Of Thee I Sing

PASSPORT TO BROADWAY

Musical Theater Workshop & Performance

Bringing the Power of Theater to a Whole New Audience

Copyright © StudentsLive, Inc. 2012 All Rights Reserved.

No part of this outline may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from StudentsLive, Inc. For the exclusive use of StudentsLive, 2012.

Study Guide Outline

Section One: Welcome and Introduction A. Welcome Letters: Amy Weinstein Jessica D. Rothman B. Mission Statement C. “Passport to Broadway” Overview D. Certificate of Completion: Standards and Sample

Section Two: Getting to Know Broadway Musicals A. An introduction to the role Broadway plays in American history and culture B. The “Broadway Medley” Shows: 1. A history and synopsis of each show featured in the medley 2. Full lyrics of each selected song from the shows with medley lyrics highlighted

Section Three: Who Makes a Broadway Musical?

A. “It Takes a Village” - an introduction to the various creative artists needed to make a musical production for Broadway B. “Words and Music” – an overview of the role of the composer, the lyricist, and the playwright C. “Putting it Together” – a discussion of the responsibilities of the director D. “Gotta Dance” - looking at the responsibilities of the choreographer E. “The Visual World” – a look at the responsibilities of the various designers – lighting, sets, costumes F. “Let’s Go On With the Show” – a brief discussion of the rehearsal process, helping to prepare students for the work they will be facing when they arrive in New York and participate in “Passport to Broadway”

Section Four: The Broadway Medley This section will be the script of the medley, with all of the narration and lyrics. Participants will be required to bring this section with them daily.

Section Five: Passport to Broadway Daily Curriculum A daily outline of goals, materials, activities, guest speakers. Participants will be required to bring each day’s section with them to their workshop/rehearsal.

Sample Of Chapter Two

Section Two: Getting to Know Broadway Musicals

The Broadway Musical is the ultimate American. What do I mean? It is, like most of us Americans, a hybrid, born of multiple influences, struggling to “make it’ in a tough, demanding world. The musical as we know it today can trace its origins to the Old World, but its birth and development is truly a New World story. Early in the development of what was to become the American nation, the Europeans who came to these shores brought with them all the traditions of their homelands, including their arts. Most of the staged musical entertainments of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were imports from Europe, including British ballad (John Gay’s THE BEGGAR’S [1728] is a prime example) and pantomimes. These were not called “musicals,” but they were great-grandparents to them.

The nineteenth century French and Viennese operettas had a strong influence on early American musicals. The French composer Jacques Offenbach brought a touch of satire to his work, while Johann Strauss II’s works were romantic comedies. In Britain at this time, the looser variety format of the Music Hall took precedence. We find elements of all three of these forms present in the contemporary Broadway Musical.

The format and structure of the American musical was clearly based upon European operetta, but its uniquely American comic soul comes from American popular entertainment. In the mid-nineteenth century, Americans reveled in Variety and Minstrel Shows, a crude reflection of the tastes and beliefs of its audiences. These grew eventually into Vaudeville, which was more upscale, and into the rowdy, sometimes rude Burlesque.

A strange hybrid entertainment called THE BLACK CROOK (1860) is often credited as the first American Musical. A last minute business arrangement between of a stage show and a ballet that had lost its theatre, THE BLACK CROOK gave American audiences their first on-stage glimpse of bare female arms and legs. It ran for forty years. The 1860s boasted the development of extravaganzas, pantomimes and musical farces. Starting in the 1870s, the brilliantly written and composed operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan were brought to American from Britain and influenced a heightening of standards for theatrical production here. At first, their work was imitated, but it did not take long for Americans to innovate and redefine what the American Musical was to be.

Imports were still popular in the early nineteenth century (operettas such as Franz Lehar’s THE MERRY WIDOW [1907] are still performed here), but, more and more, their influence could be seen in American composers such as George M. Cohan and Victor Herbert. Their shows had a distinctly American, patriotic sound and feel. By the teens, Jerome Kern, P.G. Wodehouse, and were putting believable people and situations into musicals with their Princess Theatre shows, while Florenz Ziefgeld was introducing his over-the- top stage revue, the .

By the 1920s, the musical comedies of , Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwins and others were achieving worldwide renown. Reciprocally, Englishman Noel Coward brought his intimate style of review to Broadway.

According to most theatre historians, the modern American Musical was born in 1927, with Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern’s serious masterwork, SHOW BOAT. Shortly after their success, however, the world plunged into the Great Depression. Lighthearted entertainment was called for, and Broadway did not disappoint. OF THEE I SING (1931), a political satire created by George and became the first musical to win the . Rodgers & Hart and Cole Porter also triumphed with hit shows in the thirties, ON YOUR TOES (1936) and (1934), respectively.

In the 1940s, shows such as Rodger’s & Hart’s PAL JOEY (currently in revival at Studio 54) and Weill and Gershwin’s , exemplified a more realistic American Musical. The true innovation of the decade, and a musical that would influence every musical that has followed, was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! (1943). Thematically, OKLAHOMA reminded a war-weary audience of a simpler time. Structurally, the show was the first fully integrated musical play, meaning that every song and dance helped develop character and/or move the story line forward. Other composers and playwrights caught on. 1946’s GET YOUR GUN is a good example.

The 1950s marked the beginning of what was to be known as the Golden Age of the American Musical. Great new shows, featuring good stories, great dancing and memorable music, were produced each year, and the music from these shows become popular hits. The stars of the decade were composers Rodgers & Hammerstein, (GUYS & DOLLS), and Leonard Bernstein (WEST SIDE STORY), Directors (THE PAJAMA GAME) and Jerome Robbins (GYPSY, WEST SIDE STORY, THE PAJAMA GAME) and female stars Gwen Verdon (CAN-CAN, DAMN YANKEES), Mary Martin (PETER PAN, , THE SOUND OF MUSIC0 and Ethel Merman (GYPSY).

The Golden Age continued into the 1960s, with such show as HELLO, DOLLY!, , ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, SWEET CHARITY. Musical tastes were changing, however, and the first “American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” HAIR (1968) reflected that change. The American Musical was beginning a transition.

Composer/lyricist and director Hal Prince introduced concept musicals in the 1970s. These were shows built around an idea rather than a traditional plot. COMPANY (1970), FOLLIES (1972) and (1973) succeeded, while rock musicals quickly faded into the background. The concept musical peaked with (1977), conceived and directed by Michael Bennett. By the end of the decade the battle line was drawn between serious new works (SWEENEY TODD [1979]) and heavily commercialized British mega-musicals ( [1979]).

Audiences clearly preferred mega-musicals, so the 1980s ushered in the period of the “Brit-hit” – shows imported from London’s thriving West End – (1982), LES MISERABLES (1987), and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1986) were heavy on special effects and marketing.

By the 1990s, fewer mega-musicals were winning the public (MISS SAIGON [1991] is a notable exception) and costs were so high that even long-running hits ( [1992], SUNSET BOULEVARD [1994]) were unable to turn a profit on Broadway. New stage musicals now required the backing of multi-million dollar corporations to develop and succeed (Disney’s THE LION KING [1997], and Livent’s [1998]). Even (1996) and (1997) were produced by smaller, Broadway-based corporate entities.

As the twenty-first century dawned, the American Musical Theatre saw a resurgence of funny, melodic, inventive and thoroughly American shows such as THE PRODUCERS (2001), (2001), THROROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (2002), (2002), WICKED (2003), (2003), JERSEY BOYS (2005) and SPRING AWAKENING 2006).

The Broadway Musical has always been influenced by the times, so it is safe to say that it will continue to change and grow, reflecting who and what Americans become.

1975 Conceived, Choreographed and Directed by Michael Bennett Music by Lyrics by Book by James Kirkwood and Co-choreographer: Bob Avian Scenic Design by Robin Wagner Costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge Lighting by Tharon Musser : Best Music, Best Book, Best Score (1976) Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1976)

A Time Capsule of Significant Events of 1975 v General Francisco Franco of Spain dies v Lebanon civil war begins v US orders evacuation of all Americans from Saigon. v The Altair, the first home computer is introduced v Computerized Supermarket checkouts begin to appear v Disposable razors are introduced v Catalytic converters are introduced on cars v Lyme disease first discovered v First US born Roman Catholic Saint v Jimmy Hoffa disappears v Two assassination attempts against President Gerald Ford v is bailed out of its financial crisis by federal government v 8,000 ceramic warriors discovered in China in the tomb of emperor Shih Huang-ti, ruler from 221 to 206 BC v The ' merchant ship, the SS Mayaguez, was seized in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia because of alleged contraband. The 39 crewmembers were held captive for three days, until a rescue attempt was made by President Gerald Ford that resulted in the death of 41 American marines. v The Alaska pipeline was started on March 13, 1975 and finished on May 3, 1977 and v produces more than 15% on America's oil today. v Apollo-Soyuz Mission - First joint US-USSR space mission.

A CHORUS LINE SYNOPSIS

At an audition for an upcoming Broadway production, director Zach and his assistant choreographer Larry put the gypsies (Broadway c dancers) through their paces. Every dancer is desperate for work ("I Hope I Get It"). After the first cut, 17 dancers remain. Zach tells them he is looking for a strong dancing chorus of four boys and four girls. He wants to learn more about them, and asks the dancers to introduce themselves. With reluctance, the dancers reveal their pasts. The stories generally progress chronologically from early life experiences through adulthood to the end of a career.

The first candidate, Mike, explains that he is the youngest of 12 children. He recalls his first experience with dance, watching his sister's dance class when he was a pre-schooler ("I Can Do That"). Mike took her place one day when she refused to go to class – and he stayed. Bobby tries to hide the unhappiness of his childhood by making jokes. As he speaks, the 17 dancers have misgivings about this strange audition process and debate what they should reveal to Zach ("And..."), but since they all need the job, the session continues.

Zach is angered when he feels that the streetwise Sheila is not taking the audition seriously. Opening up, she reveals that her mother married at a young age and her father neither loved nor cared for them. When she was six, she realized that ballet provided relief from her family life. Bebe adds that, as she was not a beautiful child, she was also drawn to ballet, where she could feel beautiful. At the ballet, notes Maggie, someone is always there, unlike the father she has never had ("At the Ballet").

The scatter-brained Kristine is tone-deaf, and her lament that she could never "Sing!" is interrupted by her husband Al finishing her phrases. Mark, the youngest of the dancers relates his first experiences with pictures of the female anatomy and his first wet dream, and the other dancers share memories of adolescence ("Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love"). Gregory speaks about his discovery of his homosexuality, and Diana recollects her horrible high school acting class ("Nothing"). Don remembers his first job at a nightclub, Richie recounts how he nearly became a kindergarten teacher, Judy reflects on her problematic childhood, and the 4'10" tall Connie laments the problems of being short. Finally, the newly buxom Val explains that talent alone doesn't count for everything with casting directors, and silicone can really help ("Dance: Ten; Looks: Three").

The dancers go downstairs to learn a song for the next section of the audition, but Cassie stays onstage to talk to Zach. She is a veteran gypsy who has had some notable successes as a soloist. They have a history together: Zach had cast her in a featured part previously, and they had lived together for several years. Zach tells Cassie that she is too good for the chorus and shouldn't be at this audition. But she hasn't been able to find solo work and is willing to "come home" to the chorus where she can at least express her for dance ("The Music and the Mirror"). Zach sends her downstairs to learn the dance combination.

Zach calls Paul on stage, and he emotionally relives his early career in a drag act, coming to terms with his manhood, homosexuality and sense of self. Cassie and Zach's complex relationship resurfaces during a run- through of the number created to showcase an un-named star ("One"). Zach confronts Cassie, feeling that she is "dancing down," and they rehash what went wrong in their relationship and her career. Zach points to the good- but-not-great dancing of the rest of the cast, the gypsies who will probably never get out of the line. Cassie replies, "I'll take chorus, if you'll take me!"

During a tap sequence, Paul falls injured and is carried off to the hospital: his audition is over. Zach asks the remaining dancers what they will do when they can no longer dance. Whatever happens, they reply, they will be free of regret ("What I Did For Love"). The final eight dancers are selected: Cassie, Bobby, Diana, Judy, Val, Mike, Mark and Richie. "One" (reprise/finale) begins with an individual bow for each of the 19 characters, their hodgepodge rehearsal clothes replaced by identical spangled gold costumes. As each dancer joins the group, it is suddenly difficult to distinguish one from the other; ironically, each character who was an individual to the audience is now an anonymous member of an ensemble.

ACT ONE, SCENE 1.

ONE One singular sensation, every little step she takes One thrilling combination, every move that she makes One smile and suddenly nobody else will do You know you'll never be lonely with you-know-who One moment in her presence and you can forget the rest For the girl is second best to none, son Oooh! Sigh! Give her your attention Do I really have to mention she's the one She walks into a room and you know she's uncommonly rare, very unique peripatetic, poetic and chic She walks into a room and you know from her maddening poise, effortless whirl She's a special girl Strolling Can't help all of her qualities extolling Loaded with charisma is my jauntily, sauntering, ambling, shambler One, and you know you must Shuffle along, join the She's the quintessence of making the grade This is whatcha call trav'ling! Oh strut your stuff! Can't get enough Of her, love her I’m a son of a gun, she is one of a kind! One singular sensation, every little step she takes One thrilling combination, every move that she makes One smile and suddenly nobody else will do You know you'll never be lonely with you-know-who One moment in her presence and you can forget the rest For the girl is second best to none, son Oooh! Sigh! Give her your attention Do I really have to mention she's the one