Monday, December 19, 2005

History + Theatre

So what's the connection between a frum actress and history? I'm not quite sure yet, but I'm almost there. There is certainly some kind of strange connection between history and theatre.

So far, my two favorite history teachers used to be very involved in theatre, in addition to my boss at the rare books library.

Maybe it's a matter of giving over some kind of message? An inherant teaching thing? I'm not sure yet...but it's something I'm thinking about.

There are so many musicals (very) roughly based in history: 1776, Les Mis (because of which, incidentally, I thought the commoners "lost" the French Revolution until 7th grade), Ragtime, Assassins, even Chess, for crying out loud!

I feel like there should be a class teaching history through musicals. I think it would be fascinating.

Addendum: I was thinking about it more (especially 'cause I just bought the "Grimmoire" for Wicked), and I decided I would do it as a workshop if I ever make a troupe/drama school thing for frum high school girls. (Stx, get the notebook-Did you know that Stephen Schwartz and the producer wrote the entire story for Wicked on notecards before they started anything? Sound familiar? ;) )

5 comments:

smb said...

that deffinately would be

Eli7 said...

If you teach it, I'll take it. (Assuming you teach it at Columbia and all ;)

TRW said...

Heh. I even checked out their website to look at their PhD history program. For a good few minutes, at least, too! ;)

So who knows...?

Keren Perles said...

Define "workshop"?

TRW said...

According to the OED:

"A meeting for discussion, study, experiment, etc., orig. in education or the arts, but now in any field; an organization or group established for this purpose."

It's a way to experiment with ideas-used extensively in theatre (also in dance, music).