Worksheet 1 Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
USU1330 Creative Arts – Spring 2015
WORKSHEET #1: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
SUBMISSION DATE: Friday February 7th
Stanley Donen’s movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, originally released in 1954, is one of the most famous, important, and popular American musicals ever produced. Over the last 60 years it has become a classic of American musical theatre and a staple of live productions. This worksheet is designed for you to undertake your own research into the history and background of the piece prior to answering the following questions.
1. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was first released as a movie in 1954 and was nominated for 5 Acadamy Awards, including Best Picture, though in the end it won only the Oscar for Best Musical Score. It is still performed with great regularity in both professional and amateur theatre. What do you think accounts for the shows original critical and box office success as well as its longevity and continued popularity as a stage musical?
2. The story of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is set in Oregon in 1850. To what extent to what extent does the history of westward expansion and settlement of the United States contribute to our understanding of and engaging with the story?
3. What are some of the broad messages of masculinity and femininity that we are meant to be drawing from the musical? In other words, how are gender relations demonstrated? Is there a distinction between the way the female and male characters are expected to behave? Is this an unapologetically “man’s world”?
4. Have a look at clips of the film version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (available on youtube). Then discuss the specifics of the production as staged at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. To what extent do you think it might capture the spirit of the original film? How and why is our experience of a live musical so different to a filmed musical?
5. Which is your favorite musical number and why?
WORKSHEET #1: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
SUBMISSION DATE: Friday February 7th
Stanley Donen’s movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, originally released in 1954, is one of the most famous, important, and popular American musicals ever produced. Over the last 60 years it has become a classic of American musical theatre and a staple of live productions. This worksheet is designed for you to undertake your own research into the history and background of the piece prior to answering the following questions.
1. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was first released as a movie in 1954 and was nominated for 5 Acadamy Awards, including Best Picture, though in the end it won only the Oscar for Best Musical Score. It is still performed with great regularity in both professional and amateur theatre. What do you think accounts for the shows original critical and box office success as well as its longevity and continued popularity as a stage musical?
2. The story of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is set in Oregon in 1850. To what extent to what extent does the history of westward expansion and settlement of the United States contribute to our understanding of and engaging with the story?
3. What are some of the broad messages of masculinity and femininity that we are meant to be drawing from the musical? In other words, how are gender relations demonstrated? Is there a distinction between the way the female and male characters are expected to behave? Is this an unapologetically “man’s world”?
4. Have a look at clips of the film version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (available on youtube). Then discuss the specifics of the production as staged at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. To what extent do you think it might capture the spirit of the original film? How and why is our experience of a live musical so different to a filmed musical?
5. Which is your favorite musical number and why?