The questions are due on Wednesday and you will have them back on Thursday, which is Valentine's Day. The tasks are due on Friday, Feb. 15.
ADA 3M/4M
February 8, 2013
Theatre Genres: Reflections of Society and Culture
MUSICAL THEATRE
The example of musical theatre we are using for this unit is
West Side Story, which won numerous awards as a Broadway Musical and
later as a Hollywood film. While many
musicals are considered lighter entertainment, West Side Story deals
with serious issues.
- List
three of the things the opening dance sequences establish for the audience
as the film version begins. (K/U: 3 marks)
- Read
the lyrics to “When You’re a Jet”. According
to this song, why do boys join gangs? (K/U: 2 marks)
- The
Puerto Ricans discuss why they came to America and whether it’s better for
them in the ‘land of opportunity’ or ‘back there’. At one point, Anita calls the leader of
the Jets a ‘polack’, while her lover is a ‘spic’—and complains that people
of any other ethnic background are accepted as Americans while they are
not. What does this show of
American society at that time? From
you perspective and experience, has this shifted/changed? Explain your viewpoint, citing the tv,
movies, theatre and/or other media sources upon which it is based. (I
– 5 marks)
- “Officer
Krupke” is a favourite song from
this musical. In a few short
verses, it deals with the issue and problems of juvenile delinquency. What social
agencies/services/institutions does it cover? Does it blame, explain, or simply shine
a light onto the issue to make us think?
(I – 5 marks)
- Creative Choices: Pick A or B: Rubrics
for each course to follow—although you are choosing from the same options,
your evaluation is based on the individual course expectations. J
A.
Imagine you are developing a musical for a
Romeo-and-Juliet story set in Dryden High School. Write a song lyric that establishes a
situation or explores a problem central to your version of the story. (You may wish to set it to one of the West
Side Story tunes for optimal effect….or another show-tune melody.)
B.
Write a script for a two character scene that could be considered
‘missing’ from West Side Story. It can
be set prior to, during, or after the events of the existing musical. It should reveal character and/or develop
situation. Write it in proper script
format.
Information on the Stratford Festival production of The Mikado, directed by Norman Campbell, 1984. We will watch portions of this in class. Pay particular attention to the staging of this musical and the use of simple set and props.
