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Light frothy entertainment is the definition of a musical. Not always true - it's dealt with race and social issues. Sharon D Clarke will look at the message behind the musical.

You only have to hear the opening bars of the overture and you're swept away with the light, frothy entertainment where people burst into song & break into their dance for no good reason at all鈥� the definition of a musical? Not always true, from its earliest days the popular art form has dealt with social issues within the confines of a lighter style. From the ground-breaking 鈥淪how Boat鈥� back in 1927 which dealt with race relations along The Mississippi, to the hottest ticket in town 鈥淗amilton鈥� about America鈥檚 founding fathers.

The Musical can cut through all areas of society & speak to different generations. It took just over a minute for Lieutenant Cable in 鈥淪outh Pacific鈥� to deliver the controversial 鈥淵ou鈥檝e Got To Be Carefully Taught鈥�, that number is preceded by a line saying racism is "not born in you! It happens after you鈥檙e born..." Composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein risked the entire film by insisting the number remain even if it meant the failure of the production! Think of 鈥淗airspray鈥� it鈥檚 not just a bunch of teenagers bopping around to insanely catchy tunes it deals with segregation at its most devasting.

With anecdotes and fascinating archives from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Junior, Lena Horne, & Alice Walker, amongst others. We also hear from Warren Hoffman author of 鈥淭he Great White Way 鈥� Race And The Broadway Musical鈥�, Stacy Wolf Senior Theatre Studies Lecturer at Princeton University, Broadcaster Neil Brand and actors Marisha Wallace talking about her roles in 鈥淒reamgirls鈥� and upcoming role in 鈥淗airspray鈥� and Beverley Knight reliving her role in 鈥淢emphis The Musical鈥� plus looking forward to her starring West End role in 鈥淭he Drifter鈥檚 Girl鈥�,

So let's raise the curtain on the message behind the musical

57 minutes

Last on

Sun 24 Oct 2021 03:00
麻豆约拍 Radio 2

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Previous

Episode 1

See all episodes from You've Got To Be Carefully Taught

Music Played

  • Orchestra

    Prologue - West Side Story

  • Russ Tamblyn and The Jets

    Gee Officer Krupke

  • Orchestra

    The Rumble

  • Sammy Davis Jr.

    No More

  • Pearl Bailey

    So Long Dearie

  • Broadway Cast of The Wiz

    Ease On Down The Road

  • Company of A Chorus Line

    I Hope I Get It

  • Company Of A Chorus Line

    One

    • A Chorus Line.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Jennifer Holliday

    And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

    • The Best Of.
    • Geffen.

  • Company of Dreamgirls

    Cadillac Car

  • The Company of Rent

    Seasons Of Love

    • Rent: The Musical.
    • Dreamworks Records.
    • 2.

  • Idina Menzel

    Defying Gravity

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Bros.
    • 11.

  • Leslie Odom, Jr. & Company

    Alexander Hamilton

  • Mary Bond Davis, Shayna Steele & Ensemble

    I Know Where I've Been

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Feb 2021 21:00
    麻豆约拍 Radio 2
  • Sun 24 Oct 2021 03:00
    麻豆约拍 Radio 2