ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

THEATRE ARTS :: HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLANS - STUDYING THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE

HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLANS - STUDYING THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE

 

Submitted by Ann Moye

Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools

 

Lesson Title:

Studying the American Musical Theatre
Grade Level or Course:

Theatre Arts III
Time Allotment:

six ninety minutes periods
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:

1.03 Understand and use the functions of characters in plays such as foil, protagonist, antagonist, incidental and agent of fate.

1.04 Learn and relate how the central dramatic question shapes a play.

1.06 Research playwrights' lives and/or work.

2.06 Understand and participate in ensemble.

3.04 Demonstrate, discuss and write about the components of technical theatre: scenery, costume, makeup, lighting, sound, and props.

4.01 Analyze a play as a director.

5.01 Read and research a play; view a production of the play and evaluate.

6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of theatre as synthesis of all arts.
Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12 for other content areas:

English Language Arts:

1.02 Articulate insightful connections between life and literature, and consider the historical significance.

2.02 Examine and explain how culture influences language

4.01 Interpret meaning for an audience
Alignment with NC High School Exit Exam:(check domain and write objective number(s)

__x__ Communication 4

__x__ Processing Information 11

_____ Problem Solving

_____ Using Numbers and Data
Lesson Objective(s):

  • Students will gain a greater appreciation for musical theatre given the opportunity to view a live or a taped rendition of a Broadway musical.

  • They will be able to see how the voice and body work together as a unit to produce such a show.

  • Themes and characterization techniques will be explored.

  • Advance level students will discover the group dynamics necessary to produce such a performance.

  • Students will be able to articulate their critical looks at professional acting considering voice, costuming, setting and ensemble work.

  • Finally, students will see that literature serves as a bases for articulating common themes/concerns or problems in society.
Materials/Equipment Needed:

Videos of Broadway shows, paper, pen ,TV, space for work/performance, and

evaluation forms for assessment and self evaluation
Lesson Procedure:

Day 1: Introduce lesson to students explaining the impact or effect of musical theatre.

Permit students to select the musical which they will research after

Having been divided into groups for this study.

Make specific assignments to each group member specifying his/her

Responsibility or focus while watching the video or live performance.

Day 2: Begin showing or watching the musical.

Each student will perform his special task while watching the show.

Day 3: Share the findings and your particular assignment in small group.

Group will prepare their presentation for the entire class.

Day 4: Small groups will share with the entire class.

Day 5: Groups will then select a small segment from the show to present to the class. They will then share why this is a meaningful excerpt.

Day 6: Teacher does the formal evaluation that may be written or a visual representation of the musical.
Assessment:

Each student will create a playbill that represents all aspects of the musical that he or she has studied.
Special Considerations:

Only serious students who wish to learn more about theatre should undertake this assignment. New York seems so far away, and they only see is the glitter of the stage. An in depth study will clarify the tremendous amount of work which goes into a musical production.

 

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