Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Summer 2007
C A M P
B R O A D W A Y
N E W
Y O R K
L L C
Table of
Contents
Welcome from Dallas Summer Musicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Using the Field Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
A Brief History of the Broadway Musical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Chicago Production History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Chicago: Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Kander and Ebb: The History of Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Chicago: Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Chicago: A Citys History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Chicago: Lesson Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
The Broadway Guide to Theatergoing Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The Dallas Summer Musicals
School of Musical Theatre and Kids Club . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Welcome from
Whether a show uses classical music or rock, a musical uses music to tell its story, to suggest
feelings, emotions, and attitudes. As long as it mixes song and story, musical theater can be about
literally anything, and this seasons shows are great examples of the wide range of subjects. From
the blockbuster musical Wicked to the sweeping epic of Camelot, each production reveals a
different aspect of what makes musical theater so special.
The story of Dallas Summer Musicals is a long and honored one, and by learning about and
attending one of our shows, you are now part of that story too!
Sincerely,
Michael A. Jenkins
President and Managing Director
Using
edition of StageNOTES , the 22nd in our series. We are proud to be affiliated with this presenter
and offer a comprehensive guide that incorporates their entire season of musical theater. This guide
has been developed as a teaching tool to assist educators in the classroom who are introducing their
students to the stories in conjunction with the musical theater productions.
The Camp Broadway creative team, consisting of theater educators, scholars, researchers, and theater
professionals, has developed a series of lesson plans that, although inspired by and themed around the
musicals, can also accompany class study of the periods and other related literary works. To assist you
in preparing your presentation of each lesson, we have included: an objective and teaching tips along
with each lesson unit. There are four types of lesson ideas including a written exercise; a discussion
activity; an experiential exercise; and an "after hours activity" that encourages students to interact with
family, friends, or the community at large.
The curriculum categories in this guide have been developed in accordance with Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The division provides information to school administrators,
counselors, parents, and students on course offerings and meeting the learning needs of students
through 19 TAC Chapter 74. In cooperation with the divisions of Instructional Materials and
Educational Technology and Student Assessment, the goal of the Division of Curriculum provides
information and resources to ensure academic success of all students in Texas public schools.
The Dallas Summer Musicals study guide is for you, the educator, in response to your need for
standards-compliant curriculum. We hope this study guide will help you incorporate musical theater
into your classroom activities.
Philip Katz
Producing Director
Camp Broadway
A Brief History of
A Brief History of
Broadway Timeline
1866
1879
1907
1924
1927
1934
1943
1954
1957
1970
1971
1973
1975
1982
1987
1988
1994
1996
1998
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Chicago
Production History
Chicago
Chicago opens with a
bang as the experienced vaudevillian
Velma Kelly sings the overly sensational
All that Jazz. Big star hopeful and
chorus girl Roxie Hart murders her less
than honest nightclub lover Fred Casley
at her shabby city apartment but
convinces husband Amos that the
murder was nothing short of selfdefense from a burglar. Amos decides
to take the blame for his wife until the
police investigators release the name of
the victim, at which point he learns of
Roxies affair. Caught in the lie, the
police arrest Roxie and cart her off to
jail.
Once in jail, Roxie meets her fellow
inmates, led by the medias favorite
murderess Velma Kelly. Inside the
criminal justice system, Roxie learns
that all of the women on death row
have committed particularly gruesome
crimes for reasons similar to her own.
All of the murderesses embrace their
guilt and justify their actions, though
the court system executes the only
woman free of guilt. Roxie also comes
to learn that Matron Mama Morton
runs the jail through a system of
reciprocity. Mama is responsible for
Velmas media fame for her crime and
acts much like her talent manager, she is
hopeful that Velma will return to the
stage as a star as a result of all the media
sensation.
Roxies ruthless murder has placed her
in the limelight, much to the dismay of
Velma. Roxies sudden media
popularity has attracted the attention of
famed manipulator and lawyer Billy
Synopsis
Chicago
It is impossible to
appearance, in a highly
extraordinary talent of
legendary choreographer
Vocabulary
Fred Ebb is an award-winning lyricist and author, and a part of the
Sensationalism: Subject
Columnist:
A newspaper or
magazine writer.
Crime of passion: A
spontaneous unlawful and
fatal act against another
individual inspired by
extreme emotions such as
jealousy or anger.
Defendant: A person or
company against whom a
claim is brought through a
court of law.
Headline: A heading in a
newspaper for any written
material that indicates
subject matter, generally
the largest type print on the
page.
Media:
Speakeasy: An
establishment that sales
alcoholic beverages against
the law, especially during
the Prohibition era.
Showmanship: Highly
theatrical and dramatic,
often manipulative, manner
of action.
A term applied to
news reporting agencies
such as newspapers, radio
stations and television
stations that keep the
public aware of important
events.
Prohibition: A period in
American history 19201933 when the 18th
Amendment of the United
States Constitution did not
allow for the manufacture or
sale of alcoholic beverage.
Vaudeville: Theatrical
entertainment consisting of
a number of different
performances, acts, or
mixed numbers, as by
comedians, singers,
dancers, acrobats and
magicians. Also a theatrical
piece of light or amusing
character, interspersed with
songs and dances or a
satirical cabaret song.
Warden: An individual
responsible for the care or
custody of a person or
persons; a person who
oversees a prison.
Reciprocity: Mutual
exchange that benefits all
parties.
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11
The Loop
While there were several geographic locations in the city that catered to these new leisurely
activities, one of them became dominant in the eyes of the thrill-seeking public. The Loop
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13
Chicago L E S S O N
WRITING
IDEAS
DISCUSSION
Objective:
Objective:
Exercise:
Based on a current event, experiment with all the
sensational ways you can write headlines. Be creative
and funny, in trying to sell as many papers as
possible.
Exercise:
Chicago in the 1920s was violent and full of
illegal behavior because of gang activity. In what
parts of the world right now is there violence
and distress and why?
Teaching Tips:
When writing a headline, it is important to get the
MAIN POINT of the story covered, while trying to
entertain. Do you decide what newspaper to buy or
what articles to read based on the headlines? If so,
what is it about those headlines that grab your
attention?
Teaching Tips:
How do the events of the world make you feel?
What are the causes for the unrest? What kinds
of things can we do to help?
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Chicago L E S S O N
E XPERIENTIAL
IDEAS
AF TER
HOURS
Objective:
Objective:
Excercise:
Exercise:
Teaching Tips:
After the students perform their skits, have the
students give positive feedback. Encourage a dialogue
between the artists and their audience. Why did the
students choose their specific current event?
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guidelines
addressed:
Fine Arts standard 117.34(
(1) Perception. The student develops concepts about self, human
relationships, and the environment, using elements of drama and
conventions of theatre. The student is expected to (C) respond to sounds,
music, images, and the written word, incorporating movement, (D) express
emotions and ideas, using interpretive movements and dialogue, (E) imitate
and synthesize life experiences in dramatic play, and (F) create
environments, characters, and actions.
Teaching Tips:
Do you think its fair that celebrities are
photographed at every moment? What happens
when a person becomes a celebrity, do they lose the
right to personal space? Why does the public feel
that they are entitled to see every aspect of a celebritys
life? Where can the line be drawn between sightings
and stalking?
15
Theatergoing Etiquette
16
Being a Goo
d Audience
Rem
ember, going
to the theate
movie. There
are some diffe r isnt like going to a
re
when youre
at a live perfo nt rules to keep in mind
rmance.
Believe it or
not, the actors
can actually he
same acoustic
ar you.
s that make it
possible for yo The
the actors m
eans
u to hear
audience mak that they can hear all the
es: talking, u
noises an
nwrapping ca
phones ringin
n
d
g. Thats why,
y, cell
when youre
there is no food
at a show,
or drink at your
seats (eat yo
intermission
ur trea
; save the po
p
co
rn-munching ts at
multiplex)
for the
No talking (eve
n if youre ju
st explaining
person next
the plot to th
to you)
e
Always keep
cell phones an
d beepers turn
means no text
ed off (This
ing your frie
even
nds during th
them how gre
e show to tell
at it is...)
Of course, w
hat
youre enjoyin the actors like to hear is h
ow much
g the perform
ance. So go
laugh at the
ahead and
funny parts,
clap
your biggest
cheers and ap for the songs, and save
plause for yo
actors at the
ur favorite
curtain call.
Thats their p
well done.
roof of a job
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