West Side Story
Lesson #3
American Musical Theater
The American Musical Theater Class focuses in on how music is used to help tell the story in a musical through history, demonstration and participation.
Objective
Students will learn various styles of music as well as corresponding movements.
Activity
Students will participate in various activities including playing arranged music for various instruments and light choreographed dance combinations.
Prep Period
- Visit theatrehistory.com/american/musical030.html for an overview of American Musical Theater.
- Click here for a music sample!
Teacher Follow-Up
Student Activity
Research the musical “High School Musical” Rework the musical by using and or altering the following:
- Different music which can replace existing music while still keeping within the original context of the musical.
- Take one song from High School Musical and choreograph new movement to go along with it.
- Replace the characters in High School Musical with characters and/or personalities of people whom you know.
- Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
- Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music
- Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
- Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
