What musical should I teach?

For the first time since my tenure there began, the high school where I teach is offering a theatre class. Yours truly will be teaching. The first semester will be your basic overview class, while the second semester will focus on production, with students helping to put togther our production of "The Man Who Came to Dinner." I digress...my question is what musical should I use when we cover musical theatre? I already plan on showing them "Smokey Joe's Cafe" so they can get a feel for the revue/jukebox musical. As for a book show, I'm leaning toward "The Light in the Piazza." I have a copy of the PBS/Lincoln Center broadcast. I love the show, but am not sure how your typical high school student will respond to it. I really don't want to show them a movie version of a musical, though I have used Bette Midler's "Gypsy" in the past. "Into the Woods" is another possibility. I would appreciate any thoughts and comments.

personally, I would do into the woods. it is way more accessible to high schoolers than Piazza. meaning that they are familiar with the fairy tales, and will appreciate the interweaving of them all together. I think if it is an introduction course, piazza may be a bit to intermidiate for high schoolers, and may put them to sleep.

I love, love, love, piazza, but I would go with into the woods.

have you considered the george hearn sweeney todd video? they may like the blood and gore.

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when you say overview, do you mean history from Gilbert and sullivan on through the decades?

if so, consider showing them that "Broadway: the american musical" documentary. it has some really great stuff.
great documentary for class.

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I didn't tell him to perform into the woods, kid. I suggested showing the video to the kiddies.

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"I didn't tell him to perform into the woods, kid. I suggested showing the video to the kiddies. "

Talk about being rude...

My post was directed to Just John who commented on the fact that Light in the Piazza is illegal...

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I would assume it would be legal to show Piazza in a classroom -- copyright law makes several exceptions for not-for-profit exhibition of a protected work if there's an educational purpose (though you might contact PBS to double check that).

Personally, though I think there are many other choices a high school class would find more appealing, Into the Woods, Little Shop, West Side Story, Chicago, 1776 et al

And you really should consider showing excerpts of the outstanding three-part PBS "Broadway -- The American Musical Series." It gives a concise yet entertaining history of the musical theatre from its origins to the present day, with special focus on the major composers, directors, and performers who were responsible for defining the genre. Also, the last episode is about Broadway today and includes a section on Wicked (with rehearsal footage of Chenoweth and Menzel) which would likely go over very well with the girls in the class.

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Updated On: 7/24/06 at 01:09 PM

Perhaps cover a few musicals demonstrating the different types of musicals. Explain about the Golden Age Musicals and how they were writtena and then choose some modern pieces and contrast the two. Just an Idea. I recall observing a teacher covering a musical theatre unit in a class once and taught in similarly and it was quite effective.

I think the Sweeney video would be a great choice though! A murderous barber cooking people into meat pies. Come on! I would have loved to watch that in high school.

i agree with Into the Woods. MTI has some gr8 resources for their shows and there is an Into the Woods, Jr. version in the event you don't have time/resources to do the entire show.

How many students are you looking at having in class?

Best of luck.

MTI

Ok, for everyone who thinks that "Light in the Piazza" is too boring or too hard for high school students to understand, I COMPLETELY disagree. As far as showing it over ITW, I would in a second. Light in the Piazza is one of my favorite shows, and I just graduated from high school. I fell in love with the show while I was in high school, and many many many of my younger friends love the show as well. There is more to think about, and more to discuss in regards to the storyline of Piazza than in ITW. When it is all over, I believe that students will appreciate Piazza and ITW, but please know that high school students do appreciate Piazza, and it is not too "intermediate" for them. Also, the movie version from PBS is done well, and there were glimpses into backstage and characterization which would also be beneficial to this type of class, just to show how much actually goes into a production of this type.

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Do Into the Woods -- I do it with my seventh and eighth graders and they LOVE it.

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I agree that some higher energy, mainstream musicals may be best for teaching the kids so that they can maintain interest. Some people not as accustomed to the genre may need more of an introductory musical to study.

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I disagree with what way to spend a day said about piazza having more to discuss. into the woods, IMO would have a better follow up conversation because it would involve more symbolism and metaphor. all the kids could talk about what they think "the woods" symbolize to them.

they could talk about the baker's wife decisions, and how it helped and hurt her.

also, there are more characters in ITW the Piazza, so that just lends itself to longer discussions than the rather.

you can get into some great philisophical discussions with ITW that you just can't with piazza.



not bashing piazza, IMO, ITW would be better for discussions.

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