Lesson Overview:

This lesson focuses on specific formative steps contributed by Rodgers and Hammerstein to the development of American musical theatre. Students research specific Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals and explore why these theatrical productions were and are so popular.

Length of Lesson:

Six 45-minute periods

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• gain appreciation of how two creative artists with different backgrounds in their musical theater experience and composition style can work together to become a legendary musical theater production team.
• draw comparisons between the themes and forms of the loosely constructed "lighthearted" early musicals and the substantive "book" and more cohesive development of Oscar Hammerstein II’s musical production Show Boat.
• gain insight into ways a musical can be unified into a cohesive production.
• become acquainted with several legendary Broadway musicals created by Rodgers and Hammerstein II.
• recognize aspects of the identification between themes and forms of musicals and the cultural climate of a time period.
• exercise collaborative problem-solving techniques.
• broaden research experience in diverse media.
• strengthen process skills of reading, writing, and explicating.

Instructional Plan:

Activity A

Initiate a discussion in which students express their personal definition of what makes a musical a musical, and what they consider to be the most pleasing entertainment factor of a musical. As a preliminary step to help energize the discussion, ask students to write a brief response to a musical they have participated in, attended, or viewed on film. For students who might not have had any previous experience with a musical, ask them to assess a TV show or concert they have seen that has singing and/or dancing, and comment on what they found most pleasing. Introduce into the discussion the question of what students think would work against a musical being a success.

Activity B

As an all-class assignment, ask students to research on the Web and in print media Richard Rodgers' early musical, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's Show Boat. Some students might wish to view a video of Show Boat.

Clarify that each student will need to take notes on the data they can find about the questions on the accompanying Early Musicals Research Guide.

Divide the class into working pairs. Ask each pair to draw from their individual notes to develop a written comparison of the two musicals. Ask them then to prepare an argument for which musical they would consider to be the most successful, supporting their choice with specific examples from a variety of performance aspects. Share the arguments in class discussion, or in informal debate mode with selected teams from volunteer advocates of each of the two musicals.

Invite students talented in music to select a song from each of the two musicals to perform for the class.

Culminate the activity by summing up and comparing for students the historical record of popular success each of the two musicals has enjoyed. Call attention to details of the acclaim given Show Boat in its first run, and the fact that it has had a recent revival on Broadway.

Activity C

To punctuate conclusions reached in Activity B., consider raising the question of what differences can be observed in the musical expressions of the two composers. What aspects of their talents would work for them in forming a team? How would they have to negotiate their personal styles to collaborate on a successful musical score? Ask for a few student volunteers to research and give a brief class presentation on the personal backgrounds of the two composers, particularly their involvement in college musicals.

Activity D

Stanley Green, in his book, The World of Musical Comedy, shares the reaction of Oscar Hammerstein to the accusation that he and Richard Rodgers often radiated sentimentality in their musical scores and lyrics. 'There is nothing wrong with sentiment," responded Hammerstein, "because the things we are sentimental about are the fundamental things in life…"

Initiate a session in which students probe what Hammerstein meant by "fundamental things in life." Encourage students to individually identify, on paper, three or four things they consider "fundamental things in life." Ask them then to jot down words and/or phrases that come to mind in thinking about each thing on their list. Assign them to do a brief in-class free-write of one of the "fundamental things" on their list.

Follow with a call for volunteers to share some of their lists or free-writes. Ask students to share opinions on which samples could provide good material for a music score or song. Encourage students interested in music to develop a vignette of instrumental music or song from one or two of the identified samples.

If any students in the class have had music theory, ask them to discuss the implications for tonality when projecting "fundamental things," perhaps using one or two of the student writing samples to demonstrate their points.

Activity E

Divide the class into collaborative working units. Assign each unit to research in Web, print media, and where possible, video, and audio media, one of the following Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals:

• Carousel
• The Sound of Music
• Flower Drum Song
• South Pacific
• Annie Get Your Gun
• The King and I

Ask students, in exploring the above sources, to make written summaries of their responses to the questions in the accompanying Group Research Guide. Advise students to keep individual copies of the summaries to be used for follow-up assignments.

Before sharing and comparing student responses to the assigned questions in class discussion, consider assigning an in-class essay in which students develop their conclusions about one of the questions on the handout. Advise them to build their essay with specific references to their assigned selection.

Activity F

If time allows, build in a performance component as a follow-up to the above Rodgers and Hammerstein II musicals researched. Encourage students with a music background to sing one of the key songs from the musicals researched, or share an instrumental vignette, perhaps embedding their selections of music in a brief role playing of a dramatic high point in the script.

Assessment:

Evaluate students’ performance based on the following criteria:

• level of serious and cooperative participation in research and collaborative assignments
• level of discernment in contributions from research and to collaborative work
• substantive contributions to class discussion and special projects
• range and depth in analysis
• organization, meaningful substance, rhetorical skill, and poise in formal oral presentation
• alignment of written performance with writing process rubric
• willingness to volunteer for special activities
• general level of engagement in all activities and assignments

Sources:

Print:

• Green, Stanley. The World of Musical Comedy, Fourth Edition. New York: Da Capo Press, Inc., 1980.
• Sennett, Ted. Song and Dance: The Musicals of Broadway New York: Friedman/Fairfax, 1998.

Media:

• Kern, Jerome. Show Boat Cast Recording. New York: Sony, 1993.
• Rodgers, Richard. A Connecticut Yankee (Cast Recording). New York: Polygram Records, 2001.
• Sidney, George (director). Show Boat. Los Angeles: Warner Studios, 1951. (VHS recording).

Authors:

• Jayne Karsten, English, Grades 9-12
  The Key School
  Annapolis, MD US