Open Forum

Hello all,

I am thrilled to have been given the go-ahead with a pilot program studying the history of American Musical Theater to Fifth Graders.  I will work with them twice a week for an entire school year, culminating in a presentation of scenes.  I have the support of our dance teacher for one of my sessions and music teacher for the other.  

What would you list as your  "must-include" musicals/numbers?

Thanks,

Karen

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Karen Butler
Drama Teacher
New York NY
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So many answers to this! I'd definitely say something from Oklahoma! is a must. Great representation of the Golden Age musical and the original show to include the dream ballet idea. A lot of this is personal taste, but I'm a big fan of shows like: (in no particular order)

Fiddler on the Roof

Lion King

Wicked

My Fair Lady (On the Street Where You Live, I Could Have Danced All Night)

Camelot

Chorus Line (One (reprise), I Hope I Get It, What I Did For Love, The Music and the Mirror)

Kiss Me, Kate (Kiss Me Kate, Another Openin' Another Show, Too Darn Hot)

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Phantom of the Opera (Music of the Night, Angel of Music, All I Ask of You, Point of No Return)

Cats (Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, Memory)

Pal Joey

Finian's Rainbow (How Are Things in Glocca Morra?, Old Devil Moon, Look to the Rainbow)

Anything Goes (Anything Goes, You're the Top, Blow, Gabriel, Blow)

Mame (Mame, We Need a Little Christmas, Bosom Buddies)

Gypsy (Everything's Coming Up Roses, Let Me Entertain You)

Miss Saigon (Last Night of the World, Bui Doi, Sun and Moon)

West Side Story (Jet Song, America, Maria, Gee Officer Krupke, A Boy Like That)

I tried to keep in mind the age ranges. The shows without specific songs (I think) are amazing all the way through.

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Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
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There was a great series on PBS about the American Musical:  Timeline | Broadway: The American Musical | PBS

If you go to the website, there's a great listing of sort of the essential shows along the way.  Also, the film was great because it actually gave a lot of behind the scenes stuff.  I'm actually going to purchase the set with my back to school money to use next year!

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Jennifer Simmons
Lexington SC
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Excellent recommendations so far! 

'Oliver' is also an excellent choice for possible inclusion, and great for the age range.

Also found this book in the library a few weeks ago. It might also be 'subjective' but it does have an excellent range of musicals from the 20th century, some of which I hadn't heard of. Might be a good resource, one that I'm planning to use when I start teaching Musical Theatre at the high school. :) 

Broadway Musicals, Revised and Updated: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time

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Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Hillsborough County Schools
Ruskin FL
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