Broadway's New York: A Cultural History

This course explores the intertwined histories of Broadway and New York City. Emphasizing musicals and plays set in the five boroughs, students examine how Broadway serves as both a stage and a lens for imagining urban life. The course considers how the “Great White Way” not only reflects social and cultural change but also operates as a powerful site of tourism, commerce, and political expression. Through case studies of landmark productions, students analyze how Broadway stages urban myths, crises, and possibilities within broader debates about gentrification, labor, and city identity. Students will engage with the material through traditional lectures and screenings, supplemented by immersive field experiences including archive research, museum and theater tours, and a live Broadway performance.