TOMORROW: Gershwin on Broadway
Thursday: A Chorus Line; Videos on AABA songs and Paul's monologue
Tomorrow at Noon and 8 pm ET The Broadway Maven will explore the Broadway output of the Gershwin brothers. We’ll look closely at Porgy and Bess and speculate whether it’s mostly an opera or mostly a musical. We’ll compare the Broadway and film versions of An American in Paris. We’ll also unlock the structure of Gershwin-style Broadway songs. Register here.
To prepare, please watch the video below about how to recognize a Broadway AABA song. Then, identify one that you can figure out and put it in the comments below the video.
Thursday, July 15 at Noon and 8 pm, The Broadway Maven turns its focus to A Chorus Line. We’ll look at the dancing skills of several Mikes and the monologue performances of several Pauls to explore different ways of mounting the show. We’ll listen closely to the song “At the Ballet” to uncover its many layers. And we’ll explore why “What I Did For Love” is one of the most misunderstood of all songs.
To prepare for class, please watch the video below, showing six high school Pauls presenting parts of the monologue. Decide which two actors did the best job, and explain your answers in the comments below the video. Register here.