ABOUT THE PRESENTATION: The Latinx image in the Broadway Musical has changed from stereotypical stars and roles to a fully integrated view of the American experience. The traditional Broadway Musical was the domain of Jewish male composers, lyricists and book writers. The Black experience was finally explored by Black creators in the 1970’s, but it took until In the Heights in 2008 for a musical about Latinos written by a Latinx creative team to reach Broadway. Early on, musicals used Latinx performers stereotypically for ethnic color. With the emergence of Chita Rivera, the talent and the background were no longer mutually exclusive. With the arrival of In the Heights, the Latinx creators infuse the traditional format of a musical with Latinx music, and turn a storyline ostensibly about Latinx into another view of the American experience.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Marc Courtade is a retired arts administrator with over 30 years experience in leadership roles. He continues as a frequent speaker all over Long Island and the New York area on Broadway Musicals, Opera, and Great Performers. Marc teaches courses on Opera and Broadway Musicals for the Frick Estate Lectures at Nassau County Museum of Art, and has led Reading & Discussion programs for NY Humanities, focusing on race relations in classic musicals and their literary source materials. A lifelong fan of musicals and opera, Marc can often be found attending performances, enjoying, and learning more about the art forms he loves.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to explore the Latinx contribution to American musical theater! Get ready to enjoy an evening with Marc and his engaging presentation.
General Admission (bleacher seating): Free
Reserved seating (chairs in front rows): $5.00 plus Eventbrite fee
Parking is free on Weekdays after 6:00 PM and weekends in the Westbury Village parking lot directly across the street from Westbury Arts.
Westbury Arts programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.