The American Musical MUS 379K (Unique Number: 21340) T D 357T (Unique Number: 25425)
Spring 2018 T/Th, 2:00-3:30pm MRH 2.610
Professor: Hannah Lewis Office: MRH 3.738 E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: Thurs. 9:30-10:30 (please notify me in advance), or by appointment
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. Focusing on seven musicals – Show Boat (1927), Oklahoma (1943), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), West Side Story (1957), A Chorus Line (1975), Into the Woods (1987), and Hamilton (2015) – we will examine musical styles alongside broad cultural themes associated with the musical, including artistic collaboration, race and representation, gender, immigration, the role of dance, and adaptation or translation across media. We will additionally take advantage of UT’s resources on campus, by attending the touring Broadway production of School of Rock at Texas Performing Arts and meeting with company members, and by exploring the archival collections at the Harry Ransom Center on two separate occasions. This course is not intended to be a comprehensive survey, but rather a window into the musical’s power to reflect and shape any given historical moment and to push artistic boundaries.
Research and writing are crucial components of the course. Prose is your vehicle for creative and intellectual expression. At intervals throughout the semester, you will be editing one another’s writing. Focus intently on your writing; the investment will yield results. Your final research project will give you the opportunity to conduct substantial original research on a topic of your choice. We will explore how strengthening research and writing skills can not only enrich our understanding of musical theater and its place in American culture, but also can affect our musical and theatrical activities outside of the classroom.
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 § 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 § understand the unique challenges of adaptation from stage to screen § strengthen research and writing skills, and understand how in-depth historical research can enrich our experience as performers and/or audience members
WRITING FLAG:
This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
COURSE MATERIALS:
Readings:
Most readings are available as PDFs under “Files” on Canvas. Additionally, I recommend that you purchase the following libretti, available on Amazon: § American Musicals 1927-1949: The Complete Books & Lyrics of Eight Broadway Classics § Into the Woods § A Chorus Line § West Side Story
You may also wish to purchase the piano/vocal scores for any of the shows we are studying. Scores and libretti are additionally on reserve in the Fine Arts Library.
Viewing/Listening Assignments:
Viewing materials are located on reserve at the Fine Arts Library. Some are additionally available to stream for free through the Library-subscribed service Swank. You must screen the viewing assignments on your own time BEFORE coming to class. 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 essay prompts. Please check the site regularly.
2 ASSIGNMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS:
Grade breakdown: 20% Attendance, Class Participation, and Discussion Leading 20% Short Blog Posts on Readings 10% Paper I: Song Analysis (1000 words) 10% Paper II: Review of School of Rock (1000 words) 10% Revision of Either Paper I or Paper II 30% Paper III: Final Research Paper (~8-10 pages) 5% for proposal, outline, and draft 5% for in-class presentation 20% for written paper
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
Attendance and Participation:
You are expected to attend all classes, 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 late assignments will be accepted.
We will work in class on many of the details pertaining to the written assignments; therefore, it is crucial to your success in the course that you make attendance a priority.
Discussion Leading:
Once during the semester, you will lead your fellow students in classroom discussion on one of the week’s readings. You will work alone or with a partner, generating questions and circulating them in advance of class, then facilitating class discussion for 10-15 minutes. More details will be provided in class.
Blog Posts:
In order to jump-start our class discussion, you will be expected to post on the course blog (under “Discussions” on Canvas) by 9:00pm the evening before class. Select one secondary reading, and identify what you think the author’s thesis, or research “question,” is. In a few sentences to a paragraph (about 200-300 words), describe the author’s thesis, methodology, and approach. Then provide your own research question that the reading leaves open for you. You must post one original post each week (every two classes), and you must also respond to someone else’s post once a week (at least 1-2 sentences). Responses to someone else’s post should comment on whether you agree or disagree, and why. Blog posts are required, and will be graded pass/fail. Late posts will not receive credit.
3 Written Assignments:
Song Analysis Paper (1000 words): due Friday, 2/9 (5pm) We have worked on how to write about and discuss music, both through close analysis and within the broader context of a show. For this paper you will write a 1000-word song analysis, choosing a single song from a Broadway show or Hollywood musical not on the syllabus. Papers should at minimum contextualize the song under consideration, offer specific analysis of the music and lyrics, and discuss selected readings as they pertain to issues that the song raises for you. More details will be provided closer to the deadline.
Review Paper (1000 words): due Friday, 3/2 (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. 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 1000-word review of the touring production of School of Rock. You must attend School of Rock at Bass Concert Hall, between February 13-18. (Information at https://texasperformingarts.org/season/school-of-rock-broadway-austin- 2018. Plan ahead and purchase your tickets early!) Familiarize yourself with the show 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. You must bring your ticket stub to class after you attend the performance.
Revision of either Song Analysis Paper or Review Paper: due Thursday, 3/8 (5pm) Select one of your two papers, and, taking my feedback into account, revise the paper. Even strong papers have room for improvement, and the grade will be determined based on the extent of the revisions made and the degree to which you took my feedback and the feedback of your peers into account.
Final Paper (8-10 pages): due Friday 5/4 (5pm) You will write a final research paper on a topic of your choice related to American Musical Theater. The paper may contain a creative component as long as it is approved by me in advance. You will be required to hand in a detailed paper proposal with a preliminary bibliography and outline, as well as a complete draft, before the final paper is due. Additionally, you will present your findings in the last week of class. More details will be provided closer to the deadline.
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 from any of the shows on the syllabus, let me know. I encourage in-class performances, and if you choose to perform it will count toward your participation grade.
4 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 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 § Laptops are permitted for note taking and referring to the readings. I reserve the right to prohibit the use of laptops if they are being used for other purposes during class. If I catch unauthorized laptop use during class, you will receive an absence for that class meeting. § 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.
5 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.
6 SCHEDULE: [Note: Syllabus and assignments subject to change. Any updates and changes will be announced in class and on Canvas.]
WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION
Tues. 1/16: American Musicals and their Cultural Meanings: An Introduction Listening (in class): § “I’m Just Wild About Harry” from Shuffle Along (1921)
Thurs. 1/18: The Musical’s Origins: Tin Pan Alley and Operetta Reading: § Mast, Introduction (1-6) and Ch. 3 (25-38), in Can’t Help Singin’ § Joseph P. Swain, “Introduction,” in The Broadway Musical (1-15) 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)
WEEK 2: SHOW BOAT (1927)
Tues. 1/23: The Show and its Cultural Spheres Reading: § Geoffrey Block, “Show Boat: In the Beginning,” in Enchanted Evenings (19-40) § Stephen Rathbun, “High Class Musical Play has Premiere at Ziegfield,” NY Sun, 28 December 1927 § “‘Show Boat’ Proves Fine Musical Show,” NY Times, 28 December 1927 § Frank S. Nugent, “A Bravo for Universal’s Splendid Film Edition of ‘Show Boat,’ at the Radio City Music Hall,” NY Times, 15 May 1936 Listening/Viewing: § Show Boat (1936 film adaptation) § Show Boat Studio Cast Recording (On Spotify): “Cotton Blossom”
Thurs. 1/25: Race and Representation Reading: § Lynnette G. Geary, “Jules Bledsoe: The Original ‘Ol’ Man River’” The Black Perspective in Music 17/1-2 (1989) (27-54) (excerpts) § Will Friedwald, “Ol’ Man River,” in Stardust Melodies (105-141) (excerpts) § Todd Decker, “Colored Chorus Curtains,” in Show Boat: Performing Race in an American Musical (100-122) Listening: § “Ol’ Man River” (Bledsoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auU1GZJpT5A) § “Ol’ Man River” (Robeson: on Spotify)
7 WEEK 3: SHOW BOAT (1927)
Tues. 1/30: The Legacy of Minstrelsy Reading: § Richard Crawford, “Blacks, Whites, and the Minstrel Stage,” in America’s Musical Life: A History (196-220) § 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” (on Canvas)
Thurs. 2/1: Restaging Show Boat Reading: § Richard Breon, “Show Boat: The Revival, the Racism,” TDR 39/2 (1995) (86-105) § David Richards, “Classical Music With a Change in Focus,” NY Times, 3 October 1994 § Marc Warren, “‘Show Boat’: A Production to be Proud of,” Afro-American Red Star, 8 October 1994 Viewing: § “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” (1994 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdkWyH7qGdE) § “Ol’ Man River” (1994 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oIjzGXw5rQ)
WEEK 4: INTERLUDE: WRITING AND RESEARCHING
Tues. 2/6: Song Analysis Peer Feedback Full draft of your Song Analysis Paper due in class (for peer feedback) Reading: § “Researching,” “Research Papers,” “Thesis Statements,” “Revisions,” and “How to Edit Your Own Essay” Handouts on the UT Undergraduate Writing Center website (http://uwc.utexas.edu/handouts/)
Thurs. 2/8: An Introduction to Library Resources Reading: § Explore Fine Arts Library Website (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/fal/about) and UT Music Research Guide (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/subject/music)
Friday 2/9, 5pm: Song Analysis due (to be uploaded on Canvas)
WEEK 5: SCHOOL OF ROCK (2015)
Tues. 2/13: Adapting from Movies Reading: § TBA Viewing: § School of Rock (2003) (dir. Linklater) Listening: § Original Cast Recording (on Spotify)
Thurs. 2/15: Visit by School of Rock Company Members to Class Post questions for company members to Canvas by Wednesday at 5:00pm
8 WEEK 6: INTO THE WOODS (1987)
Tues. 2/20: Sondheim and the Fairy Tale Musical Reading: § Sondheim, “Into the Woods” in Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions, (81-90) § Jim Lovensheimer, “Stephen Sondheim and the musical of the outsider” in Cambridge Companion to the Musical (205-219) Viewing: § Into the Woods (1990 American Playhouse TV production)
Thurs. 2/22: Adaptation from Stage to Screen Reading: § S. F. Stoddart, “Happily…Ever…NEVER” in Reading Stephen Sondheim (209-220) § Raymond Knapp, “Fairy Tales and Fantasy” in The American Musical and the Performance of Personal Identity (excerpt: 159-162) § Stephen Holden, “The Quest for Storybook Endings in a Scary but Magical World,” New York Times (December 24, 2014) Viewing: § Into the Woods (2014 film version)
WEEK 7: SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)
Tues. 2/27: Representing Hollywood: The Self-Reflective Film Musical Reading: § Peter Wollen, Chapter 3, Singin’ in the Rain (52-66) § Jane Feuer, “The Self-reflective Musical and the Myth of Entertainment,” in Genre: The Musical (159-174) § New York Times review of Singin’ in the Rain Viewing: § Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Thurs. 3/1: The Female Voice on Screen Reading: § Marsha Siefert, “Image/Music/Voice: Song Dubbing in Hollywood Musicals,” Journal of Communication 42/2 (1995) (44-64) § Susan Smith, “Vocal Theft and Betrayal in Singin’ in the Rain,” in The Musical: Race, Gender and Performance (70-72) Viewing: § Singin’ in the Rain final scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wI4jJq98tU
Friday 3/2, 5pm: Review Paper due (to be uploaded on Canvas)
WEEK 8: INTERLUDE: VAUDEVILLE
Tues. 3/6: Group Tour of the Vaudeville! Exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center Reading: § Henry Jenkins, Chapter 3, What Made Pistachio Nuts? Early Sound Comedy and the Vaudeville Aesthetic (59-95)
Thurs. 3/8: NO CLASS Revision of Paper I or II due; Final Paper Topic/Proposal due (on Canvas)
9 SPRING BREAK: MARCH 12-17
WEEK 9: OKLAHOMA! (1943)
Tues. 3/20: The Show and its Cultural Spheres Reading: § Joseph P. Swain, “Second Maturity,” in The Broadway Musical (81-107) § St. James Theater Playbill for original Broadway production of Oklahoma! § Reviews of the original Broadway production Listening/Viewing: § Oklahoma (1955 film version) § Oklahoma! 1979 Cast Recording (On Spotify): “It’s a Scandal; It’s a Outrage!” and “Lonely Room”
Thurs. 3/22: Oklahoma! and the Integrated Musical Reading: § Geoffrey Block, “Integration” in Oxford Handbook (97-110) § Gerald Mast, “As Corny as Kansas in August,” in Can’t Help Singin’ (excerpt: 201-209)
WEEK 10: OKLAHOMA! (1943)
Tues. 3/27: World War II, Identity, and Empire Reading: § Andrea Most, “We Know We Belong to the Land” in Making Americans (101-118) § Warren Hoffman, “Playing Cowboys and Indians” in The Great White Way (excerpt: 56- 66) § Nicole Brodeur, “‘Oklahoma’ seen in a new light,” Seattle Times, 20 February 2012 (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/oklahoma-seen-in-a-new-light/) Listening: § “Lonely Room,” “The Farmer and the Cowman,” “Oklahoma” (on Spotify)
Thurs. 3/29: Dancing the Story: De Mille and the Dream Ballet Reading: § Liza Gennaro, “Evolution of Dance in the Golden Age of the American ‘Book Musical’” in Oxford Handbook (45-61) § Agnes De Mille, “Beautiful Morning,” in Dance to the Piper (245-256) Viewing: § “Dream Ballet” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D1loAVwiMc) Outline, Provisional Thesis, and Annotated Bibliography Due
WEEK 11: A CHORUS LINE (1975)
Tues. 4/3: A Chorus Line as Concept Musical Reading: § Joseph P. Swain, “The Frame Story as Musical,” in The Broadway Musical (333-345) § Clive Barnes, “A Tremendous ‘Chorus Line’ Arrives,” NY Times, 22 May 1975 § Walter Kerr, “A Hit That Was Made by the Public,” NY Times, 1 June 1975 Listening: § A Chorus Line Original Cast Album (On Spotify; follow along with scores on Canvas and read libretto)
10 Thurs. 4/5: The Ensemble Cast and Individual Identity Reading: § Warren Hoffman, “A Chorus Line: The Benetton of Broadway Musicals,” in The Great White Way (143-166) § Bruce Kirle, “A Chorus Line and the ‘Me’ Generation,” in Unfinished Show Business (150-155) Listening: § TBA
WEEK 12: WEST SIDE STORY (1957)
Tues. 4/10: Bernstein on Broadway Reading: § Geoffrey Block, “The Very Model of a Major Musical,” in Enchanted Evenings (245-273) § Leonard Bernstein, “Excerpts from a West Side Story Log” in Readings on WSS (43-45) § “West Side Story Sets a New Standard for Stage Musicals” in Readings on WSS (110-113) Viewing: § West Side Story (1961 film version)
Thurs. 4/12: Ethnic Coding Reading: § Elizabeth Wells, “West Side Story and the Hispanic” in Echo § José Sandoval-Sanchez, “A Puerto-Rican Reading of the America of West Side Story,” in José, Can You See?: Latinos On and Off Broadway” (62-82) § Elizabeth Mehren, “A School’s Cancellation of West Side Story Stirs Debate,” in Readings on WSS (156-159) § Bruce M. Penniman, “There Is a Place for West Side Story,” in Readings on West Side Story (160-162) § Review UWC handouts Listening: § “America,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Gee, Officer Krupkee” (on Spotify) Final Paper Draft Due
WEEK 13: WEST SIDE STORY (1957)
Tues. 4/17: Adaptation from Stage to Screen Visit to the Harry Ransom Center Reading: § Arthur Knight, “The Movie Version of West Side Story Exceeds the Stage Version,” in Readings on WSS (121-124) § Stanley Kauffmann, “An Exceptional Yet Disappointing Film Musical,” in Readings on WSS (125-128) § Pauline Kael, “West Side Story Is a Highly Overrated Movie,” in Readings on WSS (129-135) Listening: § pay attention to the differences between the stage and screen versions of “Gee, Officer Krupke,” “Cool,” and “I Feel Pretty”
11 Thurs. 4/19: 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) § Arthur Laurents, Mainly on Directing, 157-172 § West Side Story Playbills Viewing: § “Prologue” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxoC5Oyf_ss) § “Dance at the Gym” (2009 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mPHV0ia2WA) § “America” (2009 revival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJdMqZKG7ic)
WEEK 14: HAMILTON (2015)
Tues. 4/24: History Meets Hip Hop 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/) Listening: § Hamilton Original Broadway Cast Recording (On Spotify)
Thurs. 4/26: Representation, New Audiences, and the Future(s) of Musical Theater Reading: § James McMaster, “Why Hamilton is Not the Revolution You Think it Is,” http://howlround.com/why-hamilton-is-not-the-revolution-you-think-it-is § Lyra D. Monteiro, “How to Love Problematic Pop Culture,” https://medium.com/@intersectionist/how-to-love-problematic-pop-culture- 4f9ab9161836 § Other reading TBA Viewing: § “Immigrants (We Get The Job Done)” music video from The Hamilton Mixtape (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_35a7sn6ds)
WEEK 15: PRESENTATIONS
Tues. 5/1: Presentations
Thurs. 5/3: Presentations
Friday 5/4 (5 PM)— FINAL PAPER DUE (ON CANVAS)
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