Words and Music: Musical Theater in America

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This series is designed to introduce middle and high school audiences to the many aspects of musical theater. Using examples of the best that Broadway musicals have to offer, Heather Nathans, Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Maryland, talks about the history of musical theater in…

ARTSEDGE: The Kennedy Center's Arts Education Network


    • Mar 19, 2008 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 6 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Words and Music: Musical Theater in America

    Disney and Musicals

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2008 6:55


    In an odd turn, the Broadway musical - exported by Walt Disney to cartoons in the 1930s - was returned to Broadway by Disney in the 1990s. Heather Nathans, Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Maryland, explains this transition.

    Write Your Own Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2008 7:24


    In this piece, Heather Nathans, Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Maryland, is joined by Joe Stein and Sheldon Harnick, writers of "Fiddler on the Roof" and Stephen Schwartz, who wrote "Pippin," Godspell," and "Wicked" to talk about how a musical gets written.

    Musical Theater: Where To?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2008 4:57


    As the rock musical gave way to the spectacle musical, shows like "Cats," "Phantom of the Opera" and "Starlight Express" came to rely less on story and more on technology. We'll talk about the changes in musical theater in the last forty years and where musical theater appears to be headed.

    Broadway and Social Commentary

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2008 6:10


    From The Beggar's Opera to Avenue Q., musicals have commented on social issues for as long as there has been musical theater in America.

    Elements of Musical Theater

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2007 5:50


    A musical is not a cabaret show and it's not an opera - join us as we deconstruct the musical and examine the distinct elements that must be present.

    The History of American Musical Theater

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2007 7:32


    From minstrel shows and Vaudeville to the modern stage, a look at the trends and ideas that shaped American Musical theater.

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