ZOOM- From The Jazz Singer to A Star Is Born: A History of the Movie Musical

As soon as movies could talk, they began to sing and dance—and musicals quickly became among the most popular film genres in America. Over the next nine decades, the movie musical would evolve to embrace every type of performance, from operatta to rock and soul, from tap to ballet, and every type of format, from Broadway hits to original creations from composers like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin. This presentation will look at the fascinating history of this unique format, and include more than thirty excerpts, featuring artists like Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, the Nicholas Brothers, Busby Berkeley, Gene Kelly, and the Beatles.

Brian Rose is a professor emeritus at Fordham University. He’s written several books on television history and cultural programming, and conducted more than a hundred Q&A’s with leading directors, actors, and writers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the Directors Guild of America.

Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 130.