Broadway and Music of the Theatre

Subject MUSI20053 (2016)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2016.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 2 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Summer Term, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 04-Jan-2016 to 14-Feb-2016
Assessment Period End 26-Feb-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 08-Jan-2016
Census Date 15-Jan-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 05-Feb-2016


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 24 hours
Total Time Commitment:

170 hours

Prerequisites:

None

Corequisites:

N/A

Recommended Background Knowledge:

N/A

Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit.

Coordinator

Assoc Prof Michael Christoforidis

Contact

Peter Hurley

phurley@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

A survey of the range of music theatre from the lighter entertainments to the more ambitious works regarded as Music Theatre, but often staged by opera companies today. The subject starts with the origins of the music theatre in light opera and traces the development through Vaudeville, Revue and Musical Comedy through to mainstream West End and Broadway. This subject examines how these works frequently reflect social and cultural realities of their times.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this subject students should have gained:

  • an enhanced understanding and critical awareness of the social, cultural and political forces which shape the writing, production and performance of Music Theatre
  • an enhanced knowledge of the history and development of these forms of art and entertainment from the late nineteenth century to the present day
  • an enhanced capacity to undertake independent research and present it as a scholarly essay.

Assessment:
  • Four journal entries of 250 words each, to be submitted in weeks 2-5 (20%)
  • 10 minute oral class presentation in the second half of the semester (20%)
  • 1 hour listening-based test at the end of the semester (20%)
  • 1500-word essay due in the examination period (40%)
Prescribed Texts:

A reading pack will be available for purchase from the Bookroom before the commencement of the semester.

Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On completion of this subject students should have an enhanced:

  • capacity to apply new concepts to their critical interpretation of familiar and new information and experiences
  • capacity to interrogate the ways in which personal biography influences interpretation of a performance
  • ability to produce scholarly writing using contemporary sources and conventions

Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Graduate Diploma and Certificate Elective subjects
Performance/ Composition/ Musicology/ Ethnomusicology Specialisation (B-MUS Version 5 only)
Related Breadth Track(s): Popular Music

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