Essay

Broadway musicals are a popular medium for breathing new life into historical figures-(Alexander) Hamilton-and presenting aspects of contemporary society and culture in a new way-The Book of Mormon. Unlike opera, which is typically set to Classical or modern art music, musicals tend to draw from contemporary popular music styles.

1. Select either an overlooked or misunderstood historical figure or a distinct sub-culture (not musically themed) and discuss what type of popular music would influence its presentation as a musical.

2. Describe characteristics of the music genre's style such as melody, rhythm, texture, and timbre, and reference three example pieces in your essay with YouTube links cited at the end.

3. Explain how your chosen style of music would guide the audience's attitude toward the historical figure or cultural group and, perhaps, offer an alternative viewpoint than ones frequently held.

4. What stagecraft details would further guide this interpretation?

(MLA Format)