Dear Students and Families:

I love New York!  The 8th Graders are finishing a video documentary from PBS, Broadway! An American Musical.  While it is rather lengthy and slow at times, it is a very thorough examination of the way the arts and culture of one street in one city have changed the world of music and theater.  Beginning at the turn of the 20th century, the documentary takes a look at the different composers who have been shaping the music, the choreographers who continue to create new styles of dance and the directors and producers who have continued to push the envelope of what can be done on a stage.

As the video finishes we will take a day to discuss the content of the video and prepare for a test on the documentary.  The test will not be difficult and will contain very little detailed information.  The goal of watching the video is not to learn composers and opening dates of various shows but rather to examine the impact of musical theater on the culture of our nation.  The test will reflect this goal.  Students will not need to have seen the complete documentary to fully succeed on their test.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at the address below.