Mystery of the Blues | Scandal of 1920 | Hollywood Follies
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When summertime finally arrives, Indy packs up and leaves Chicago for Scandalous New York City. Once in Manhattan Indy accepts a summertime job as a stagehand for the Broadway play George White's Scandals. Indy's new friend, George Gershwin, gains inspiration for songs as he observes Indy's impressive attempt to balance three girlfriends at once. The changing roles of women are apparent in each girlfriend... Peggy is the aspiring actress from small town America, Kate is the independent and radical poet, and Gloria is the typical high society lady of the 1920's. When Scandals finally premieres, Indy finds that all three girls are in attendance and a hilarious frolic ensues. Adventures in dancing, singing, and musical scores highlight this tale of 1920's Broadway.
Key Topics: | 1920's New York; Tin Pan Alley; Broadway; Writing & Composing |
Historic People: | George Gershwin—Gershwin, along with his brother Ira, wrote many of the Jazz-infused classics that came out of Tin Pan Alley. Gershwin compositions include: I Got Rhythm, Rhapsody in Blue, & Porgy and Bess. |
Included Documentaries: | -Tin Pan Alley: Soundtrack of America -Wonderful Nonsense: The Algonquin Round Table -Broadway: America Center Stage |
Indy Connections: | Click here to see current event articles that relate to the events, topics, and people seen in this Young Indy chapter. |
National Social Studies Strands: | Culture; Power, Authority and Governance; Time, Continuity and Change; Science, Technology and Society; Individuals, Groups and Institutions, Global Connections |
Suggested Resources: | George Gershwin | Irving Berlin |
DescriptorGershwin, along with his brother Ira, wrote many of the Jazz-infused classics that came out of Tin Pan Alley. Gershwin compositions include: I Got Rhythm, Rhapsody in Blue, & Porgy and Bess. BooksWyatt, Robert, John Andrew Johnson. The George Gershwin Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Pollack, Howard. George Gershwin: His Life and Work. University of California Press, 2007. Websites |
DescriptorPerhaps the best known composer & lyricist to come out of Tin Pan Alley, Berlin wrote over 3,000 songs before his death in 1989. Berlin classics include: God Bless America, White Christmas, Anything You Can Do, and There's No Business Like Show Business. BooksBergreen, Laurence. As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin. Da Capo Press, 1996. Jablonski, Edward. Irving Berlin: American Troubadour. Henry Holt and Co., 1999. WebsitesJewish Virtual Library- Berlin Bio | DescriptorA district of Manhattan, NYC where numerous composers and lyricists set up shop in the late 19th & early 20th century. Many "standards" came out of Tin Pan Alley. BooksFuria, Philip, Michael Lasser. America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley. New York: Routledge, 2006. Jasen, David A. Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song. New York: Routledge, 2003. Websites |
DescriptorThe Algonquin Round Table consisted of a group of writers, critics, wits, and actors who met at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City to gossip and inspire each others writings. For nearly ten years (1919 to 1929), the group met for lunch each day. BooksDrennan, Robert E., ed. The Algonquin Wits: Bon Mots, Wisecracks, Epigrams and Gags. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1995. Gaines, James R. Wit's End: Days and Nights of the Algonquin Round Table. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977. Websites |
DescriptorThe name Broadway refers to a wide (and very old) avenue in Manhattan with one section serving as the main district for American theater. This area of Broadway is often refered to as The Great White Way. Broadway is one of the longest avenues in New York City, stretching the entire length of Manhattan Island. BooksHenderson, Amy, Dwight Blocker Bowers. Red Hot and Blue: A Smithsonian Salute to the American Musical. Washington: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1996. Kantor, Michael, Laurence Maslon. Broadway: The American Musical. New York: Bulfinch Press, 2004. Websites | |
Lesson Plans: | Coming Soon! |
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Mystery of the Blues | Scandal of 1920 | Hollywood Follies
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