ARTS IN CONTEXT FROM THE STAGE TO THE CLASSROOM

2018–2019 EDITION | 1 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome ...... 3 An Act of God...... 4 Leslie Odom Jr...... 5 The Capitol Steps...... 6 Chinese Warriors of Peking...... 7 Sedition...... 8 Ballet Folklórico de México...... 9 Mariinsky Orchestra...... 10 ...... 11 Gabriela Montero...... 12

| 2 | WELCOME A letter from the creator of this resource

This resource was designed to aid students and instructors to better define curricular links in our programming and to connect those ideas to the classroom. The Lied Center, housed on a college campus, takes seriously its educational obligation to give UNL students the opportunity to enhance their scholarship through the arts. As a student, I believe the Lied Center has contributed extensively to my well-roundedness, not only as a , but as an engaged citizen and lifelong learner.

With this resource, we hope to create informed audience members, recognizing that preexisting knowledge directly and positively augments the performance experience. Likewise, we acknowledge the importance of engaging in post performance reflections with peers, and we encourage classroom instructors to facilitate conversations in that regard. Interpretations of art are endless. Cultivating a diversity and openness of thoughts is practice. And it is exactly this kind of practice we hope to inspire and encourage.

The arts play a crucial role in the wellbeing of humanity. They give us an outlet for expression, a path- way to beauty and a chance to construct a deeper sense of self. With arts programs across the coun- try threatened, many educators are seeking new spaces in which the arts can heighten broad areas of academic inquiry, while simultaneously contributing to the well-roundedness of their students. This guide was built for that very reason.

The education arm of the Lied Center is committed to active learning outside of the classroom. As a student, I feel extremely fortunate to have access to a world-class performing arts center on my campus, and beyond that, I am grateful for the opportunities given to me from various Lied Center performances and engagements.

The 2018-2019 Season at the Lied Center for Performing Arts is almost here, and I am beyond thrilled to offer this resource to instructors, students and scholars of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With this resource, we invite you to extend your learning beyond the walls of the classroom and into the Lied Center. We look forward to seeing you at a performance!

Cooper Creal Erin Poor Education Programs Intern Director of Education and Lied Center for Performing Arts Community Engagement Vocal Performance Major Glenn Korff School of Music 2020 at the Lied Center [email protected] (402) 472-3215 | 3 | CONNECT This performance intersects meaningfully with courses AN ACT OF GOD in these programs/departments: SEPT. 26–OCT. 14, 2018 Acting (NEBRASKA REP) Anthropology Classics & Religious Studies Communication Studies Costume Design The one with the first and Dance English last word on everything has History finally arrived to set the record Medieval & Renaissance Studies Music straight. After many millennia, Philosophy Political Science and in just 90 minutes, God Psychology Sociology (assisted by devoted angels), Technical Theatre Theatre answers some of the deepest Voice questions that have plagued mankind since Creation. An EXPLORE • Read more about what to expect from this New Act of God is a hilarious and York Times review of the show. refreshing story that pleases • Learn more about the process of turning a series of tweets into a book, then into a Broadway the masses. musical on their website.

| 4 | CONNECT AN EVENING WITH This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments:

Acting LESLIE ODOM JR. African & African-American Studies q Anthropology FRIDAY, OCT. 5, 2018 7:30 PM Communication Studies Composition Singer, actor and storyteller Dance English Leslie Odom Jr., is best known Entrepreneurship Ethnic Studies for his portrayal of Aaron Burr Filmmaking and New Media History in the original Broadway cast of Jazz Studies Hamilton, which won him the 2016 Leadership Music Tony Award® for Best Leading Music Technology Musical Theatre Actor. Currently a concert singer, Piano Sociology Leslie Odom Jr. is equally at home Voice singing jazz, musical theatre and popular music. Blessed with a EXPLORE • Learn how Leslie Odom Jr. came to be Aaron Burr rich and smooth voice, Odom in Hamilton in this article. makes his Lied Center debut • Read about his inspirations, his perseverance and his setbacks in this interview. featuring songs from his jazz • Read about failure and taking risks in Leslie’s self authored book, Failing Up. albums and, of course, Hamilton. • Dig deeper into Hamilton in this scholarly article.

| 5 | CONNECT THE CAPITOL STEPS This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments: FRIDAY, OCT. 19, 2018 q 7:30 PM Acting Advertisement For more than 30 years, Anthropology Communication Studies the Capitol Steps have been Composition Economics reaching across the aisle English History to put politics and scandal Journalism Law to music in bipartisan Marketing Management spoofery. Armed with a Music never-ending supply of fresh Political Science Psychology material from our elected Public Relations Sociology officials, the Capitol Steps Theatre continue to put the ‘mock’ in Voice democracy, with their latest EXPLORE production Orange is the • Read more about the Capitol Steps in this article. • Listen to the Capitol Steps on NPR’s All New Barack. Songs Considered.

| 6 | CONNECT CHINESE WARRIORS This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments:

OF PEKING Acting Anthropology SUNDAY, OCT. 21, 2018 q 4:OOPM Asian Studies Classics & Religious Studies Communication Studies This artistic and breathtaking Cultural Anthropology Dance production features ancient Design & Technical Theatre Ethnic Studies martial arts disciplines Geography History competing in the Chinese capital International Studies of Peking during the Ming Medieval & Renaissance Studies Modern Languages & Literatures Dynasty. The Chinese Warriors Philosophy Psychology of Peking brings history to life, Religious Studies Sociology as it accurately portrays the Theatre gradual transformation of martial arts in practice to martial EXPLORE arts as performance through • Works of art and essays from the Ming Dynasty at The Met. remarkable acrobatics and live • CNN’s guide to Martial Arts in China. • Ancient China: A History of the Ming and stage combat. Qing dynasties.

| 7 | CONNECT This performance intersects meaningfully with courses SEDITION in these programs/departments:

Produced by Angels Theatre Company Acting Anthropology SUNDAY, OCT. 21, 2018 q 4:OO PM Center for Great Plains Studies Classics & Religious Studies Communication Studies Sedition is a play that examines a Criminal Justice Educational Administration specific moment in the history of English Ethnic Studies the University of Nebraska when Geography History tensions arose between faculty Journalism Law and administration surrounding Modern Languages & Literatures the topic of free speech. Written Philosophy Political Science by the grandson of a professor Psychology Sociology dismissed from the University for Theatre verbalizing his lack of support for the U.S. involvement in WWI, EXPLORE • This American Life’s episode regarding free speech this brilliant play reflects on on UNL’s campus. • Article from the University’s archives regarding the the past while simultaneously Loyalty Trials. • Gain historical context by exploring this document resonating with our present. about the Espionage Act of 1917.

| 8 | CONNECT BALLET FOLKLÓRICO This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments:

DE MÉXICO Acting Anthropology TUESDAY, OCT. 30, 2018 q 7:30 PM Communication Studies Cultural Anthropology Dance Classically trained Mexican Design (Textiles, Merchandising, & Fashion Design) ballerina Amalia Hernandez Design & Technical Theatre Ethnic Studies yearned to find a way to showcase Geography History her Mexican heritage through International Studies Latino & Latin American Studies dance. After traveling through Modern Languages & Literatures Mexico and learning the traditional Music Philosophy indigenous dances of native tribes, Psychology Sociology she decided to weave her classical Theatre training with her newfound love of indigenous dance by creating her EXPLORE • Read more about the accurate cultural history new company: Ballet Folklórico de of the performance in this review by The New York Times. México. It is now one of the most • Discover the ambition and the creativity that created the company in this article about the celebrated folk ensembles in the dance pioneer and founder of Ballet Folklórico, world, combining dance, music Amalia Hernandez. • Learn more about the history of dance in and breathtaking costumes. this dissertation.

| 9 | CONNECT MARIINSKY This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments:

Communication Studies ORCHESTRA Cultural Anthropology SUNDAY, OCT. 26, 2018 q 7:00 PM Design & Technical Theatre English European Studies History One of the world’s top 15 symphony International Studies Modern Languages & Literatures orchestras, the Mariinsky Orchestra Music with renowned conductor Valery Philosophy Psychology Gergiev, performs its first-ever Lied Sociology Theatre Center concert. Highlights for this grand concert include: Mahler’s EXPLORE triumphant Symphony No. 5, • Learn more about the centuries-long history of Mariinsky by visiting their website. Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon • Experience the music before the show by reading of a Faun and Rachmaninov’s these program notes. • Read more about the history of the Prelude to the Paganini Variations with piano Afternoon of a Faun here. soloist Denis Matsuev. • Discover the life of Mahler here.

| 10 | CONNECT SPAMALOT This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments: NOVEMBER 2-3, 2018 Acting Anthropology The Tony Award®-winning Best Musical, Classics & Religious Studies Communication Studies ’s Spamalot, begins its Costume Design search for the Holy Grail in the fall of Dance English 2018. This outrageous musical comedy History Medieval & Renaissance Studies is lovingly ripped off from the film classic Music Monty Python and the Holy Grail with a Philosophy Political Science book by and music and lyrics by Psychology the GRAMMY® Award-winning team of Sociology Technical Theatre Mr. Idle and John Du Prez. Spamalot tells Theatre the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of Voice the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer EXPLORE • Learn more about what to expect at the show by rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and show- reading this New York Times review. stopping musical numbers are just a few • Hear from members of the original Broadway cast talk about how they began their journey with reasons why Spamalot is one-of-a-kind! Spamalot in this NPR interview.

| 11 | CONNECT GABRIELA MONTERO, This performance intersects meaningfully with courses in these programs/departments:

PIANO Anthropology q Chicano Studies TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 2018 7:30 PM Communication Studies Composition English World-renowned Venezuelan pianist Design and Technical Theatre and activist Gabriela Montero has History International Studies garnered critical acclaim for her Jazz Studies visionary interpretations. At the age Modern Languages and Literatures Music of 15 months, Montero was given a Music Technology toy piano to play with in her crib, and Piano Political Science following she quickly began to pluck out Sociology the notes of the Venezuelan national Voice anthem. Now celebrated for her Women’s and Gender Studies improvisations, Montero is known for taking suggestions from the audience, EXPLORE • Listen to some of Montero’s legendary improvisations effectively creating an intimate and in this NPR interview. meaningful performance for all. • Learn more about her advocacy in this CNN article.

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