Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to share the contributions of Black,

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment 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 assignment will also help you become familiar with the following:
1. Independent research in musical theatre history.
2. Struggles, obstruction, and erasure of different cultures and voices in the theatre industry.
3. The role of musical theatre in connecting with an audience.
4. 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 of
show in the area of musical theatre. The person must be BIPOC or the show must highlight BIPOC voices
and storytelling
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 assignment.
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. Criteria for Success: Your paper must be typed, double-spaced, and follow basic MLA style guidelines.
Spelling and grammar count toward your grade and so does sentence structure. This isn’t an English
class, but you’re in college and need to be writing college level work. (Your professors will thank you for
it.) Make sure you write about what resonates for you, personally. “I liked it/him/her,” is NOT
satisfactory. Tell me why that person or show made a difference – and use concepts and terms we have
covered in class, as appropriate. Consider the following questions to be explored in your paper:
a. Why did you choose the person/show that you did?
b. What did you learn during your hours of research?
c. Describe the artists’ ability to utilize the techniques/elements we’ve discussed in class, if
applicable.
d. Did you recognize anything from your reading in the piece/person you researched? If so,
what?
e. 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?
f. 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?

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