Okay, maybe we don’t buy tickets to musicals for a history lesson, but we like to think of it as a pleasant bonus. You might be surprised how much history is contained in the songs and situations of your favorite musical.
Join our hosts as they explore the histories shared in musicals. And we aren’t just talking about Hamilton. From Hairspray to Billy Elliot to Oklahoma, musical narratives offer a glimpse into the past and help us learn about it — if you take the time to notice!
Don’t we wish that all of our school classes were this much fun?
Bibliography
Culwell-Block, Logan and Talaura Harms. June 17, 2016. 9 Historical Facts We Learned Through Musical Theatre. Playbill: http://www.playbill.com/article/9-historical-facts-we-learned-through-musical-theatre
Curry, R.R. 1996. Hairspray: The revolutionary way to restructure and hold your history. Literary Film Quarterly.
Freedman, Donna. January 23, 2019: In ‘Newsies’ musical, story of child workers who triumphed over industry giants. Anchorage Daily News: https://www.adn.com/arts/2019/01/24/in-newsies-musical-a-true-story-of-child-workers-who-triumphed-over-industry-giants/
Gossard, Julia. January 16, 2013. Les Misérables: A Historian’s Review. Alcalde: https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2013/01/les-miserables-a-historians-review/
Harbert, Elissa. Winter 2018. Hamilton and History Musicals. American Music, Vol 36, No 4, pp 414-428
Schuessler, Jennifer. April 10, 2016. ‘Hamilton’ and History: Are They in Sync? The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/theater/hamilton-and-history-are-they-in-sync.html
July 28, 2019. Adventurer and Performer Calamity Jane is Born. History.com: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/calamity-jane-is-born
Credits
Hosts: Robin Mullins, Keely McCavitt, and Nick Bridges
Producers: Robin Mullins and Emily Cuggy
Researchers: Alice Glaze, Anna Kuntz, Beth Sollis, Jennifer Bate, Nick Johnston, and Samantha Clark
Audio Editing: Emily Cuggy
Web Content: Casandra Masse
Image Credit: C.N.E. / Library and Archives Canada / PA-060464