THIS IS A TWO-SEMESTER COURSE.

The American theater has a spirit all its own!

Students in this course will learn about the history of American theater in the first semester and the history of American musicals in the second semester. The survey will cover the years 1752 to today.

Each week, students will read a different play by an American author as homework and then discuss it in the live class meetings, during which they will also have a chance to read aloud from—and play parts in—scenes from the play.

Throughout the course, students will explore the context of American theater in the larger history of drama, as well as the thrills of Broadway, vaudeville, tent shows, and showboats. They will analyze each play in regard to its characters, plot, settings, and themes, noting typically American recurrent themes. In addition, they will study the development of American musicals on stage and screen, focusing on the relation of these musicals to other genres of music, including opera, show hall, pop, rock, and rap.

Class Meetings: Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: September 10 – December 17, 2025*
Spring Semester: January 14 – May 13, 2026*
*Note that there will be no class meeting on Nov. 26 for Thanksgiving break and on Mar. 11 for spring break.

Student Expectations: Students will be expected to read a different script every week, with occasional viewings of filmed versions of plays and musicals. In addition, they will write reviews and essays on some of the plays.

Student Support: The instructor is available via email.

Feedback/Assessment: The instructor will give feedback on the students’ written work by means of both grades and comments. In-class discussions will be lively and interactive, with input from the instructor in each class meeting, especially concerning script analysis and historical context.

Materials/Supplies: The instructor will provide as many scripts as possible via PDF. Up to three “History of Theater” books will be assigned (TBA) and should be purchased or borrowed from the library. In addition, some video productions of plays and musicals will be assigned to be streamed.