TheatreHistory.com
Theatre History: American Musical Theatre: An Introduction
A commercial website that provides a solid history of American musical theatre. Includes summaries of many musicals through history. Focus is on shows before 1960.
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Inst.: Am. Musical Theater: Making It Work in Classroom
A great lesson plan for introducing the musical to students. Great bibliography.
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: Musical Theater
Introductory site focusing on American musical theatre and Broadway. Shows how these parts can be taught in the classroom. Useful for teachers and students working with music theater.
Other
Performing Songwriter: Richard Rodgers
Uncover the story of a major player in American musical theater, Richard Rogers. Videos and details of his contributions and his partners support the impact he made to the profession.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Variety Stage: Bijou Theater
Musical theater and vaudeville were popular in the Gilded Age. Here is a theater program from the Bijou Theater in Boston. Leaafing through the pages gives a great slice of life at the time, not only because of the playbills, but also...
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: A Centennial Tribute to Richard Rodgers
This site has a concise summary of the contributions of composer Richard Rodgers to American music and theater. Centennial tribute provides a brief biography and extensive exploration of the musical influences which shaped Rodgers career.
Other
Lone Star College Kingwood: American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century
A comprehensive look at life in the twentieth century complete with timelines and photos. Decades are broken down by art and architecture, books and literature, educational movements, fads and fashion, historic events and technology,...
Duke University
Molly Green; In Dahomey (Historic American Sheet Music)
This site shows the original sheet music for the first black musical, "In Dahomey," which was written by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Will Marion Cook.
PBS
Pbs Great Performances: Porgy and Bess an American Voice
Revisit the original production of "Porgy and Bess" with interviews, photos, and stories never told. Although the site doesn't have any clips from the musical, it does provide links where you can find them.
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Richard Rodgers
This site has a comprehensive biography of the American composer. Site details Rodgers collaboration with lyricist Lorenz Hart and later work with Oscar Hammerstein. There is also the "Career Timeline" or the audio/video resources found...
Library of Congress
Loc: American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment 1870 1920
This page is the front door to an extensive collection of play scripts, theater bills, motion pictures, sound recordings and photographs that document popular entertainment, especially vaudeville, from 1870 to 1920.
Duke University
Historical American Sheet Music: Mandy by Irving Berlin
Take a look at the sheet music from Irving Berlin's "Mandy", performed at Ziegfeld Follies in 1919. Very cool old poster.
PBS
Pbs: Cole Porter: You're the Top
A high school lesson plan designed to delve deeper into the life of Cole Porter and the meaning in his music.
PBS
Classics for Kids: Leonard Bernstein
A short biography of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: The Tech: Five Moe's Amuses With Laughs, Crowd Interaction
This site reviews the 1993 production of "Five Guys Named Moe" at Boston's Wilbur Theater. It gives a good summary of the musical, as well as a critique of that production.
Musicals 101
Musicals 101: History of the Musical Stage: Ziegfeld Follies
This article gives a history of the Ziegfeld Follies, with information on its creator Florenz Ziegfield, its origin, and the performers. The site also includes thumbnails of pictures of the Follies.
Musicals 101
Musicals101: History of the Stage Musical 1910 1920
From Jerome Kern's Americanized shows to the Ziegfeld Follies, the stages saw a whole new type of musical from 1910-1920.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian American Art Museum: Picturing the 1930s
Enter a virtual movie theater and learn about art of the 1930s in the United States. Exhibitions include: The Depression, The New Deal, The Country, Industry, Labor, The City, Leisure, and American People.
Other
Kingwood Library: American Cultural History: 1940 1949
Take a walk through this part of American history surrounding World War II. Each section includes cultural history of the time, with links pertaining to art and architecture, books and literature, education, fads and fashion, historic...
Other
The Official Website of Will Rogers
The official website of American actor and humorist Will Rogers, with extensive biographical information, photos, and quotes by and about him.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Listen by Composer: George Gershwin
A brief overview of composer George Gershwin, accompanied with audio samples of his music.
Library of Congress
Loc: The Gershwin Legacy: George and Ira Gershwin
With their famous music and lyrics, the Library of Congress presents an in depth exhibit of primary source materials from the Gershwin brothers.