New Class: Broadway Musicals

Grant Wolf and class meet outside the Imperial Theater to pick up their tickets

Autumn of 2002 saw the premier of a new Level V and VI ELI course - Listening/Speaking through Broadway Musicals. Developed and taught by ELI instructor Grant Wolf, this latest addition to ELI's advanced American culture track uses the uniquely American musical theatre to foster an in-depth understanding of both language and culture through the exploration of four internationally acclaimed musical plays: "West Side Story," "Evita," "Miss Saigon," and "Les Miserables."

Students study the historical background, the songs, the characters, the vocabulary and the unique message of each show through audiotapes, videotapes, presentations, role-plays, discussions and interviews with Americans.

The high point of the course is a trip to New York to see a live performance. The September-October class attended "Les Miserables," the longest running musical on Broadway.

If the enthusiasm generated by the premier offering is any indication, Broadway Musicals promises to be one of the ELI's longest running content-based courses.