1^st Project: 

Presenting: The Vaudeville Show!

Requirement for the Program:

·        1-2 pages (General) or 3-4 pages (Honors)

·        A listing of all the people and issues involved that you will be covering with a brief summary of each,

·        Illustration/ background art that is appropriate to your topic and time period.

·        The Credits: Detailed summary of who is in your group and their contributions

·        Font: 12, 1 inch margins

·        40 points for research, completeness and accuracy

Requirement for the playbill:

• 1 large poster with appropriate artwork and description of each ‘act’ and ‘scene’ that we will see performed.
• 20 points for research, care and attention to detail

The Vaudeville Show: Giving an entertaining look at your group’s topic

• An assortment of acts from this list:
  • Songs (w/ period appropriate tunes and lyrics covering the issues you are doing) with lyrics printed and made into an overhead.
  • Scenes acted out: very melodramatic
  • Comedy Routines:
  • Dance Acts
  • Duets
• Requirements: 20 minutes, some costuming
• 40 points for preparation, information that is complete and accurate and creativity

 

The performance must demonstrate a knowledge of:

1. What was a vaudeville show? 

2. What kinds of acts appeared?

3. What kinds of music and dance were typical?

4. What kind of art and fashion were typical?

5. Your topic from the list below:

           

Topics available:

1.      Immigration-

·        Where people emigrated from, why.

·        How they were able to do this; including travel conditions

·        Arrival in US and processing in (Ellis or Angel Island)

·        Where and how they settled; work and living conditions

 

2. Cities of the 1880s-

• §         Housing conditions,

• §         transportation,

• §         public services

• §         How and why cities grew

• §         Problems& solutions

 

3.  The Gilded Age-

• §         The rise of political machines, explained

• §         How they worked, who they helped/ hurt

• §         Corruption

• §         reform

 

4. Life at the turn of the century-

• §         Technology and city life

• §         Education& state of medical treatment

• §         Segregation& discrimination

• §         Mass culture & entertainment

 Links:

Vaudeville; American Masters (PBS)

American Memory: American Variety Stage 1870-1920

American Vaudeville Museum

History of The Musical: Vaudeville

Virtual Vaudeville

Vintage Vaudeville and Ragtime

Bob Hope and American Variety

Vaudeville in Ohio

Vaudeville!

 

 

Due Dates:

• All projects must be completed and brought to class by Monday, Oct 13 2008.
• Students must be ready to present when called upon.
• All persons in the group must have a copy of all person’s roles in the vaudeville show. All must be ready to go on and perform even if someone in the group is absent that day. Finding a substitute actor or actress is suggested. Have a script for them ready, just in case.
• A student who has missed the day of performance, and their group has gone on without them (troopers that they are!) will need to turn in a written report on their topic, including all the information on the issues, people involved and terms to know. 3-4 pages, typed, double spaced, size 12 font with 1 inch margins all around. Please submit in a proper report folder. Due within 3 days of your return from the absences.
• Late assignments are docked 20% per day.
• No Exceptions.