Musical Theatre:
A New Form of
Music Education
Mr. Marc Monroe
Nelson County High School
Bell Ringer
Thursday September 28
Imagine you have been asked to put
together a 30 minute musical revue for
your school for National Music Week.
The only requirement your principal has
given you is that all the music must be by
American composers. Compose a
possible song-list for this event.
Thursday – September 28
• Bell Ringer
• Announcements
• Meet with Peer Tutors
• Compare/Contrast Exercise
Homework…
Read Chapter 12
and discuss some
attributes of a
“good” director
Producing a Musical…
• Where do I start!?!
• With collaboration…
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Drama Teachers – Artistic Director
Choir Directors – Musical Director/Vocal Coach
Band Directors – Conductor/Orchestra
Art Teachers – Set Design
Family Consumer Science – Costumes
Vocational/Ag teachers – Sets & Props
Parents– Costumes, Electrical
Community/Professional Theatres
Artistic Staff…
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Executive Producer – Cindy Ethington
Musical Director – Marc Monroe
Choreographer – Sherry Barnard, Amber Steff and Joshua Rogers
Production Stage Manager – Darrell Parks and Laci DeRossett
Hair/Make-Up – Jenni Blair
Accompanist – Susan Tyler
Costume Design – Bettina Todd
Technical Director – Dave Coffing
Sound Design – Alex Poe
Lighting Design – John Cecil
Publicity – Joan Altman
Set Construction – Jeanie Kays
Student Staff…
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Student Director – Cheyenne Holbert
Student Stage Manager – Adam Riley
Dance Captain – Katie Hazelwood
Props Master – Olivia Hart
Hair & Make-Up – Hannah Dones
Costumes –Terra Bockting
Sound Operator – John Cecil
Light Board Operator – Maddie Hahn
House Manager – Ryan Mattingly
Box Office Manager – Adam Riley
How do I pick a show?
• Think about casting…
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Sign-ups or meeting for interested students
Interest Cards
Parent meeting
First-time – Workshop or Auditions
Males vs. Females
Strong choir?
Strong orchestra or band?
Strong dance program?
Limited Dance
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The Fantasticks – MTI
Godspell - MTI
Five Guys Named Moe – MTI
Big River – R&H
Kiss Me Kate – Tams-Witmark
High Society – Tams-Witmark
Man of La Mancha – Tams-Witmark
Paint Your Wagon – Tams-Witmark
The Wizard of Oz – Tams Witmark
Limited Chorus
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You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – Tams-Witmark
Snoopy! – Tams- Witmark
The Fantasticks – MTI
Godspell - MTI
Into the Woods – MTI
Dear Edwina – MTI
Little Shop of Horrors – MTI
Schoolhouse Rock! - MTI
Limited Boys
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Nunsense – Samuel French
The Boyfriend – MTI
Little Women - MTI
Annie Get Your Gun – R&H
The King and I – R&H
The Sound of Music – R&H
Limited Orchestra
Music Theatre International
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Orchestra Track
www.themtpit.com
Middle School Productions
• MTI – Broadway Jr.
–Kids Version
• Rodgers and Hammerstein –
– Getting to Know You Series
Drama Interest Card…
Recruitment…
• Myth: “Only Weird kids are in Drama!”
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Football Players – Tech Crew
Basketball Players
Baseball Players
Softball Players
Volleyball Players
Soccer Players
Swim Team
Wrestling Team
Arts & Humanities Classes
» Fractured Fairy Tales
» Theatre Games
Where do I find the rights to a show?
• Musical Theater International
• www.mtishows.com
• Tams-Witmark
• www.tamswitmark.com
• Rodger’s & Hammerstein
• www.rnhtheatricals.com
• Theatrical Rights Worldwide
• www.theaticalrights.com
• Dramatic Publishing
• www.dramaticpublishing.com
• Samuel French
• www.samuelfrench.com
Auditions…
• Audition Workshops – 2 the week before auditions
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Audition Packet
Teach Music
Teach Dance
Teach dialogue/dialect
• Auditions
• Sign-ups in pairs
• Group movement audition
• Casting
• Key to EVERY show
First Meeting…
• Read-thru – Artistic Director
• Assign small parts
• Discuss “vision” for the show
– Set, costumes, etc.
• Sing-thru – Musical Director
• Discuss vocal technique
• Assign chorus parts
• Assign small solos
Rehearsal Schedule…
February:
2nd: Music Rehearsal (Entire Show): Full Cast
4th: Senior Retreat with Artistic Staff at Mr. Monroe’s - 6:00 p.m.
6th: Solo Rehearsal – Higgins – Why Can’t the English, Eliza – Rain in Spain, Show Me, Pickering –
Rain in Spain, Alfie – With a Little Bit of Luck, Freddy- On the Street Where You Live,
Show Me
7th: Music Rehearsal – Eliza with Cockney Quartet Wouldn’t it Be Loverly and Alfie with Cockney
Quartet for With a Little Bit of Luck Higgins – Why Can’t the English
9th: Act I: Scene I: Why Can’t the English, Wouldn’t it be Loverly: Full Cast
13th: Act I; Scenes 2, 4, and 6: Bartender, Alfie Doolittle, Quartet, Eliza, Mrs. Hopkins,
Mrs. Higgins, Pickering.
16th: With a Little Bit of Luck: Full Cast
21st: Act I: Scenes 3, and 5: Pickering, Higgins, Eliza, Mrs. Pearce, Butler, Alfie, Music: Servant Chorus
23rd: Review and Ascot Gavotte: Full Cast
25th: Work Day – 10 am – 4 pm
28th: Act I: Review Scene 5, Act I: Scenes 8 and 9: Freddy, Policeman, Flower Girl, Mrs. Pearce,
Pickering, Higgins, Eliza
Promotions…
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Newspaper, Television, Radio
Promo T-Shirts
Faculty Buy-one-get-one-free
Promo Performances
• Nursing Homes
• School Events
• Community Events
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Relay for Life
Optimist Club
Kiwanis Club
Chamber of Commerce
Festivals
Student Ownership…
• Tech kids
• Students who don’t want to perform
• Tech positions assigned
• Costume Work Days
• Fashion Design Class
• Work Days
• Work on set, props, costumes, lights, sound
• School holidays, Saturdays, extended breaks
Tech Week…
• Last week of rehearsals
• Run through the show every night
• 4:00-7:00 PM
• Costume fittings and quick-changes one rehearsal
• Add lights & sound first night
• Add orchestra second night
Musical Theatre Class
• Definition of Musical Theatre
• Collaboration of ALL the art forms
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Drama
Music
Dance
Visual Art
Musical Theatre Class
• Musical Theatre Class
» Core-Content
- Music & Drama
- Supplement with Dance
Steps to Creating Musical Theatre Class
Proposal to Curriculum Committee & SBDM
This course is designed to enhance the knowledge of the American Musical
Theatre. Aspects of Musical Theatre that will be discussed include a basic History,
the evolution of the Musical Theatre ranging from Al Jolson in the early 20th
century and continuing through the Rodger’s and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe
Era’s and concluding with contemporary composers and writers such as Stephen
Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Some practical areas that will be discussed are things like personnel of a
Musical Theatre Company. This includes possible career opportunities on and off
the musical theatre stage. Each student will obtain a basic understanding of every
available career in a Production Company, from Stage Manager, Musical Director,
Technical Director, Public Relations and many more.
Items from the Core Content that will be discussed are the Elements of
Drama, discussing the aspects of a story or script; the Elements of Production,
discussing the technical aspects of a production; and the Elements of Performance.
Requirements for Musical Theatre Class
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Show Project
Listening Quizzes
2 Voice/Acting Lessons
Performances
• An Evening with Rodgers & Hammerstein
» With Choir classes
• Musical Theatre Showcase
Show Project
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Broadway Show Project Notebook
Table of Contents
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Section 1 – Producing the Musical
Cover Page with Logo
Production Company
Synopsis
Biographical Page – Writer and Composer
List of Scenes
List of Musical Numbers
Character List with descriptions
Instrumentation
Auditions Poster
Fundraisers – Two with descriptions
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Section 2 – Directing the Show
Rehearsal Schedule – Based on 3 months
Blocking chart for 1 scene
Curtain Calls
Production Staff List
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Section 3 – Musical Direction and Choreography
Song List by Characters
Reference Recording
Choreography Chart - One Selection
Section 4 – Technical Aspects
Microphone Chart
Lighting Scheme One Scene
Set and Scenery Sketch
Costume Chart One Costume for each principal character
Props List
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Section 5 – Show Time!
Publicity Ideas – minimum of 2
Ticket Design
T-Shirt Design
* Due – December 2, 2005
Listening List
Textbook
• Stage Directions Guide
to Musical Theater
Stephen Peihman & Neil Offen
• List Price: $15.95
Your Price: $12.76
• www.heinemanndrama.com
Student of the Week…
Benefits of Musical Theatre Class
• Enhances the knowledge of Musical Theatre
• Rehearsals
• Stage Management
• Production Plans
• Good for kids involved in after-school activities
• Good for the “bookworm” reading scripts
• Tech Students
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Lights
Sound
Make-up
Costumes
Video
• Respect for both genres – Drama & Musical Theatre
Class Offerings…
Drama I
* Basic acting skills and theatre terminology.
* Performance opportunities through showcases.
Drama II
* Building acting skills through performance.
* Performance opportunities in Children’s Theatre.
Advanced Drama
* Advanced skills in acting and technical work.
* Performance opportunities through Shakespeare & Comedic plays.
Theatrical Management
* Opportunities to help in artistic directing, technical theatre and production.
Musical Theatre I
* Basic skills in acting, singing, dancing.
* Basic operation in producing a musical.
* Performance opportunities through showcases.
Musical Theatre II
* Building skills in acting, singing and dancing through performance.
* Advanced skills in directing a musical.
* Performance opportunities through showcases.
Advanced Musical Theatre
* Using skills in acting, singing and dancing in performance.
* Advanced skills in producing a musical.
* Performance opportunities through a production.
Cardinal Singers
* An auditioned group that performs at many local events.
* Rehearses on a regular basis throughout the year.
Literature of the Theatre
* The study of American and British pedagogy.
Extra-Curricular Activities…
Senior Play
* A non-musical production for the senior class.
* Opportunities for others in technical positions.
* Performances - September
Holiday Revue
* Open Auditions for all students and faculty.
* Performances – December
Faculty Showcase
* Non-musical production for NCHS Faculty.
* Opportunities for students in technical positions.
Performances - February
Spring Musical
* Open auditions for all students.
Performances - May
Contact Information
• Marc Monroe –
• marc.monroe@nelson.kyschools.us