Reference no: EM133480498

Homework: BIPOC Research Paper

Length: 1700 words.

Purpose: The purpose of this homework is to share the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the history of American musical theatre. You may choose to focus on a single person or on a show that highlights the voices/stories of BIPOC. The person must have contributed to American musical theatre or the show must have premiered on Broadway or off-Broadway or regionally in America between the year 1866 and the present day. Identifying unique voices from communities too often overlooked by traditional textbooks is crucial to broadening the understanding and appreciation of storytelling from new and varied perspectives.

This homework will also help you become familiar with the following:

A. Independent research in musical theatre history.

B. Struggles, obstruction, and erasure of different cultures and voices in the theatre industry.

C. The role of musical theatre in connecting with an audience.

D. Paradigm-shifting creators, composers, writers, and performers who have contributed to a vibrant and diverse modern musical theatre industry.

Task: You will need to decide on a single person to focus on, or a single show. This must be a person or show in musical theatre. The person must be BIPOC or the show must center or highlight BIPOC voices and storytelling. For concerns or for approval of topics, please inquire with your professor. Please utilize the resources at our library and the expertise of Lindsay Hansen Brown, our librarian specializing in this area.

This is not a report. It is more than that - thorough, organized research and persuasive and clear writing are required to earn high marks on this homework.

You must develop a thesis statement for your research paper. This is one sentence that expresses the main idea of the research paper. From that statement, you should develop an outline that covers topics of research and your ideas you will present.

Then, you are to present information and persuasive arguments that attempt to prove your thesis statement, citing external sources, as appropriate.

So, no - "Hamilton is a story about an immigrant who becomes a founder of our nation," is not a thesis statement. That's the start of a "book report" on the topic of a musical. That's not what needs to be done.

"The success of Porgy and Bess greatly revealed an acceptance of burgeoning tolerance between white and black Americans in the 1930s," is a thesis statement that I look forward to you arguing for 1700 words or so. Likewise, "Without Diosa Costello's performance in Too Many Girls, we'd not have ever seen a Latina win a Tony Award," is a thesis statement I'd like to see you prove over the course of several pages.

You will need to present research and analysis in this homework. I expect you to cite any source you use in the appropriate manner. Spend most of this paper asserting that you are right (about your thesis) and show me a bunch of reasons why you're right.

Consider the following questions to be explored in your paper:

Question I. Why did you choose the person/show that you did?

Question II. What did you learn during your hours of research?

Question III. Describe the artists' ability to utilize the techniques/elements we've discussed in class, if applicable.

Question IV. Did you recognize anything from your reading in the piece/person you researched? If so, what?

Question V. What impact did this piece/person have on you? What further thought did it/they spark in you? Would American theatre be better or worse off without this person/piece?

Question VI. Is it just this person's Broadway contributions that matter or is their personal life crucial to the point you are making? Does the show live on, through revivals and home viewing, in a way that continues to make an impact?

Stay away from "I liked this; I grew up this way; in my experience." This is not about you. Use the third-person perspective throughout this paper.

Note the composer and the writers of the book and lyrics, as appropriate. Refer to cast members by character names if discussing the plot/story but by their actual names when describing their performing ability.