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Gillian Hodges

Professor Dean Leonard

ENG 1201.509

26 May 2019

How has American Musical Theatre Portrayed the American Dream?

With musical theatre being a passion of mine, it was pleasant seeing it mentioned on TV

one night. Wanting to relax in the family room, my parents were watching a documentary that

was defining The American Dream. To present this definition, they showed a montage of images

and videos, a few of which were musicals. They compare how the idea of the Dream has evolved

by showing West Side Story, an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with the addition of gangs and

racial prejudice, and Hamilton, a recent musical made about the founding father told through rap

music. It was fascinating to see how a national ethos had been perceived over the years. And

with that in mind, I realized that many of the nation’s musicals had their own takes and

representations of the Dream. Not only that, but I was interested in the factors surrounding it;

when they were written and the current events happening at the time.

I feel intrigued about this topic and have been wanting to explore this theme within

musical theatre. I believe that art reflects reality, and it’s interesting to see how American theatre

portrays the Dream. Specifically, how it portrays success, diversity, and immigration throughout

the years and how it changes with an evolving social/political environment. And while certainly

other forms of media portray the dream in their own way, American musicals stand out for

representing the Dream in radically different ways, say a founding father being played by a

Latino-American. Or, by having a horror-comedy subtly satirize aspects of the Dream through a

romantic lens.
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Before doing any research, I think this topic will dive into the different goals of the

American Dream: success in fame or riches, prosperity and equality, or the promise of freedom

to generations to come. I believe that Broadway should continue the trend of presenting The

American Dream in their stories. Despite what’s happening in the world right now, it’s important

for anyone, especially younger generations, to see that hard work is still valued and that anyone

is open to earn success. What I know about this topic already is that many musicals cover this

idea in either subtle or overt ways. Among many examples, Little Shop of Horrors has a subplot

about the dream to live in suburban paradise, while Ragtime focuses entirely on the tribulations

of immigrants during 20th century America. Along with talking about the Dream, I know that

many musicals reflect their current events at the time such as Rent with the 80’s Aid Crises.

When starting the research process, I will need to know more historical context of the

show itself, discover the author’s intent, and the public’s reaction. I’m hoping to learn whether

these musicals affect the national ethos or hold any cultural significance. Did the show cause

controversy or did it promote the United States in a positive light? I will start to find the answers

to the questions through online articles. I might need to use printed books or magazine articles

that discuss the American philosophy and even read the scripts to a certain show for context. One

question that I have that relates to my topic is why musical playwrights incorporate the theme of

the American Dream or current events in their stories? I want to know if there is a specific

purpose for this intent or if it’s completely incidental. By completing this research project, I’m

able to answer these questions and receive more knowledge about an interest I’m passionate

about.