Vaudeville, Burlesque and Revue

Course Description

Summary

Three remarkably flexible and enduring forms, whose contemporary avatars range from Bill Irwin and Jinkx Monsoon to Dita Von Teese and the Muppets, vaudeville, burlesque and revue represented the three dominant American variety theater traditions of the early through mid-twentieth century. While a vaudeville bill included eclectic acts, ranging from song-and-dance men to sister acts and “female impersonators;” burlesque thrived on baggy-pants comedians and striptease; and revue blended sophisticated topical satire and skits with song and dance routines. The first half of the class will integrate lectures, critical readings, and film and media to illuminate vaudeville, burlesque and revue as overlapping but distinct theatrical variety forms. In the second half of the class, students will get the chance to put on a show. Depending on the students enrolled in the course, and their interests and skillsets, this will take the form of either a neo-vaudeville bill, or a revue. Whatever the shape of this final performance, students’ talent, imagination and ideas will take top billing, as solidly rooted in historical research and context.