Music 255 - AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATER

This course offers a survey of 20th-century American musical theater. Musical theater has often been considered an expression of particularly American dreams, but what is it telling and saying about us? We trace the genre's musical and dramatic development and explore its representation and commentary on issues such as race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. We analyze music and librettos as well as read some of the many recent scholarly publications on this genre. Musicals considered include Show Boat, Porgy and Bess, The Cradle Will Rock, Oklahoma!, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Rent and Wicked. (E)