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The Reasons to Teach Broadway Musicals to Your Students

There is a phenomena I can’t quite explain.

It used to be people weren’t all that excited about musicals.

Well, some people weren’t. I always liked them. In fact, I remember the first musical I attended. I saw Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly! on Broadway. That was a really amazing production. My parents took me to see George M. Cohan as well and all I remember (because I was 10) was the tap dancing and lots of it.

Those of us who are eat-sleep-breathe-drama-and music love all of them. Although I have several favorites.

Learn about them here: The Reasons These Shows are My Favorite Broadway Musicals

Movies Adapted From Broadway Musicals– All right!

Broadway Musical Lessons

I began creating Broadway musical lessons about two years ago and to date I have over twenty lessons. They are very popular and I’m so glad I created them.

When I taught at a school in Colorado, our musical theater students chose a musical they wanted to share with the rest of the class. They’d share its synopsis, a song and a bit of trivia.

At the time, I thought it would be a super experience for students to learn about these over the course of the school year. Maybe every Friday could be Broadway Musical Day? In that particular case, I only saw the students once a week (they were basically home schooled the rest of the week) so I couldn’t take the time for my idea.

However, I thought a drama or vocal music teacher might find these of use.

The Reasons to Teach Broadway Musicals to Your Students:

It is always very entertaining.
Musical theater is a fabulous blend of music and theater–you get a little of both and never too much of either.
The action in a musical moves along fairly quickly because it’s peppered with song and/or dance, hence it keeps everyone engaged.
It is an excellent example of cooperative learning and creative problem solving–it incorporates every other arts medium–dance, art, music and theater!
Songs allow for interpretation of moments that a monologue can not explain so easily.
An entire moment in a story can be demonstrated through a song and dance which is much more interesting than merely using dialogue.
In a school environment, most school musicals involve more than just the drama department–the music department participates which includes band and orchestra students. Talk about involving the school!
Musicals are an excellent way to teach about current or historical events–Hamilton, Ragtime, Les Mis, 1776, The Scottsboro Boys, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Parade, Come From Away to name a few.
Musicals teach about social issues–Rent, Cabaret, Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Home, Newsies, South Pacific, The book of Mormon, Hairspray, West Side Story, Falsettos, Newsies, Next to Normal, etc.
Plus, as my husband said, “They are just fun!”

At least once a month or two, I create a new Broadway musical lesson. Here is what they include:

(Here is an example from Hairspray, the Broadway Musical and pair it with Costume Design with Hairspray Characters

Broadway Musical Lessons for You to Use Tomorrow!

The product includes:

Letter to Teacher
Two Warm Ups–Dance Tutorials from the Actual Production
Teacher’s Script–What I Say and How I Say it!
Photos of Hairspray
Synopsis of the Musical
Plot of the Musical
Short Biography about Marc Shaiman composer and choreographer Jerry Mitchell
Separate File of Photos for Teacher’s Use in Lecture
History about the Origination of the Production
AND a Mini-Lesson on What are the Tony Awards?
List of Tony Awards
New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
Student Note Page for Hairspray
Teacher Note Page Key
Trivia about Broadway and Hairspray
Songs List
Pinterest Board Link Specifically about Hairspray
Extension Activities– SEVEN Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience either Individual or Group
Two costume design templates for one of the extension activities
Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show
And More!

Comprehensive? You bet.

How to Celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month in the Drama Classroom

Did you know that Wicked is being made into a film with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande?

How can I use these in my classroom? It depends upon the musical lesson, but teachers have used them in elementary through high school grades in classes of drama, vocal music, language arts and American history. These lessons can be as short as one day or up to three days in length depending upon what the teacher requires.

All of the musicals in the gallery are available in my store here: Dramamommaspeaks Products

Plus, they are great with substitutes!

I hope you consider teaching with a Broadway musical lesson in the near future. Do check back often, because as I mentioned, I’m always adding another to the store.

Want some free stuff? Check out my page FREE Stuff.

What do you like about musicals? I’d love to hear from you. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Here’s an acting exercise everyone enjoys no matter the grade or skill level.

TABLEAU!

What is tableau, you ask?

Tableau, a frozen stage picture like a living photograph, is one of the most useful and important components of theatre. Tableau became most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The word is French in origin and means “living picture”. Generally, actors dress in costumes and pose in a static position. The actors do not speak or move throughout the duration of the tableau.
Tableau is an effective tool for a director. Humans are visual thinkers. Tableau is a real time snapshot of a moment in a play or musical. It helps the audience member remember the production as it enfolds.

Acting Exercises Everyone Enjoys

Why should I teach or learn about it?

Tableau is an easy theater component for students to study. Learners of all ages can perform tableau because it requires no speaking or extra ability other than simple movement.
Tableau requires no speaking or memorized lines. The actors merely demonstrate a moment in time.

I used to teach for a home school enrichment program in Longmont, Colorado. I saw 200 different students in three days. It was a crazy experience because I was extremely busy, but it was a good one too!

In one day I’d teach every grade level from second through twelfth. One time I taught all of them about tableau.

That was an amazing experience. Just imagine….

the youngest were a bit timid, but enjoyed themselves
the upper elementary LOVED it–they are fearless at that age
middle school kids enjoyed it although they were a little hesitant
high school kids LOVED it as much as upper elementary–WHAT?
even parents enjoy it given half a chance!

After my students do the first exercise, it is time to switch it up. We add a bit of dialogue, well one sentence for each character in the tableau to say at will. Improvisation used in this manner is super.

Acting Exercises Everyone Enjoys

Tableau shouldn’t be limited to drama class.

It can be used in other classes such as a literature class. The students present tableaux of several scenes in a story or book.

Or a Social Studies and/or history class uses tableau to remember significant moments in history. (Think Washington crossing the Potomac–that sort of thing. The signing of the Paris Peace treaty to end WWII, etc. )

pexels-photo-710743 — Photo by 周康 on Pexels.com

How about in art class? Students could view a particular painting and re-enact it through tableau. (Seurat’s Sunday in the Park with George is an excellent example.)

In a vocal music class, a choir to strike tableau demonstrating different moments in a musical piece. It could be metaphorical or literal, that would depend upon the teacher and her needs.

Obviously, the uses are nearly endless. I’m sure you can see this is a super teaching method.

Shoot, you could even use it in P.E. class to demonstrate certain moves in a game–what is allowed on the court, what isn’t, etc.

Wow, I’m on a roll, huh?

I have several tableau exercises on my Teacherspayteachers.com store. Check them out here:

Tableau