Musical Theatre: Pedagogy, Performance, and Presentation
by Brianna Sterling
Musical Theatre: Pedagogy, Performance, and Presentation
Brianna Sterling
Unit Objective:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of musical theatre pedagogy by researching current practices, applying various vocal, dance, and acting techniques, and either performing a solo musical scene or doing a presentation on an influential musical in PechaKucha form.
Big Ideas:
Storytelling, Singing, Dancing, Acting, Ensemble, Current Events
Prior Experience:
Puppetry, Stage Combat, Dramatic Scene Study
Key Assessments:
Influential Musical Presentation, Great White Way Quiz, Monologue Musical, Dance Call, Vocal Placement Auction, Who Am I? Reflection, Peer Preview, Final Performance
Standards:
TH:Cr1.1.III.a. Synthesize knowledge from a variety of dramatic forms, theatrical conventions, and technologies to create the visual composition of a drama/ theatre work.
TH:Cr1.1.III.c. Integrate cultural and historical contexts with personal experiences to create a character that is believable and authentic, in a drama/theatre work.
TH:Cr2-III.a. Develop and synthesize original ideas in a drama/theatre work utilizing critical analysis, historical and cultural context, research, and western or non-western theatre traditions.
TH:Pr4.1.III.b. Apply a variety of researched acting techniques as an approach to character choices in a drama/theatre work.
Essential Questions:
How do the elements of musical theatre (music dance acting) connect/interact to tell a story?
Is a knowledge of current works helpful?
How do we ensure the story is the priority and not the technique?
What can I do to fully prepare a performance?
Why are strong choices essential to interpreting a drama or theatre piece?
How, when, and why do theatre artists’ choices change?
Enduring Understandings:
Musical Theatre requires split focus to effectively execute the various disciples (singing, dancing,
acting) when performing.
Knowledge of current musical theatre works helps prepare performers for future careers in the
Theatre artists develop personal processes and skills for a performance or design.
Theatre artists make strong choices to effectively convey meaning.
Theatre artists work to discover different ways of communicating meaning.
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of current practices on Broadway by participating in a group discussion on recent performances and taking a pre-assessment quiz on their prior knowledge.
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of storytelling within musicals by comparing and contrasting music and dance performances in a group discussion, and telling the class the story of their performance piece.
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of healthy vocal technique by identifying correct vocal placement from a live example and within their own vocal performances.
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how movement and specific choreography furthers the plot in musicals by participating in a dance review.
Objective: Student will demonstrate an understanding of improving previous practice by previewing their performance and by creating a List of Tips for themselves.
Objective: Student will demonstrate an understanding of improving previous practice by previewing their performance, adding to their List of Tips for themselves, and applying their other feedback not workshopped.
Objective: Students will demonstrate an understanding of musical theatre pedagogy by performing a musical solo scene or presenting an Influential Musical PechaKucha.
