The History of Rock and Roll: Part 8 - The 70's Have a Nice Day Lessons for Middle and High School Music Classes (Lessons can be adapted based on the level of students) The Emergence of Technology in Music Lesson 2

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• Students will identify the characteristics and elements of large scale rock productions
• Students will identify the characteristics of American Vaudeville
• Students will identify the social trends that fostered the emergence of American Vaudeville and large scale rock productions
• Students will discuss the similarities between the American Vaudeville shows and the large-scale rock theater productions of the 1970's
  
  National Standard 7, 9 – Evaluating music and music performances; Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Materials

• VHS VCR Player
• Television
• VH1 Cable in the Classroom program The History of Rock and Roll: Part 8, start at
  beginning of tape, cut after Alice Cooper's comments about flaunting money (CAUTION: Brief censored nudity follows Alice Cooper's comments. Editing may be deemed necessary); all of segment two
• Web-based lesson materials
• Teacher selected recording of Ragtime music
  

Procedures

1. Play recording of Ragtime selections as students enter the classroom

2. After students have settled into their seats, ask them if they recognize the style of the music, and if they know when it was popular (late 1800's – early 1900's). Explain that Ragtime was a form of pop music at the time, and could be found as part of the popular Vaudeville shows. Use the following as needed:

The period of 1870 through 1920 was one filled with many significant societal changes for the United States. European immigration and population shifts caused significant growth of cities, with the urban population increasing from less than 10 million to over 50 million people. There was an increase in leisure time and personal income, as well as vacations and visits to public amusements. This was also the time of the Prohibition, possibly caused in part by the fear that the drinking habits of some Americans were out of hand, and were being spread by the European immigration. Live entertainment gained popularity and peaked in the early 1920's. Variety theater, or Vaudeville, took over the earlier minstrel shows, and began to draw larger audiences than "legitimate theater" because of its appeal to all classes and cultural backgrounds. The programs were varied, and the admission charge was low. Shows, typically made up of unrelated skits, included comedy, musical entertainment, magic, and novelty and specialty acts, and also attempted to address topics and concerns of the time such as gender, race, and ethnic stereotypes and prejudices. Vaudeville eventually developed into musical comedy (Broadway Theartre), and many well-known performers, such as Bob Hope and George Burns, got their start in Vaudeville theater.

3. Lead students in a discussion about the social changes of the era that helped to increase the popularity of Vaudeville. Acceptable answers could include: greater financial stability allowing for larger audiences, broad appeal differing from the traditional theater attended by the "elite", Prohibition limiting forms of entertainment, etc.

4. Show HRR: Part 8, start at beginning of tape, cut after Alice Cooper's comments about flaunting money (CAUTION: Brief censored nudity follows Alice Cooper's comments. Editing may be deemed necessary.); and segment two in its entirety. Ask students to note the influences that helped to create "rock theater" and large-scale concert productions.

5. Lead students in a discussion about the social changes that helped to create rock theater. What was the change in thinking that allowed for the emergence of a more raucous form of pop music? How was a more indulgent society reflected in the large-scale productions and the performers themselves?

6. Guide students in a discussion about the elements of Vaudeville and rock theater productions. What comprised a Vaudeville show (skits, music, comedy, unrelated ideas)? Did the rock theater excerpts in the video show continuity of theme within a concert? Was either medium likely to be extreme with its performance?

7. How does do Vaudeville and Rock concerts differ from a piece of Theatre with a theme, through line or story? Compare and contrast with Broadway Musical Theatre.