Arts in the Renaissance: Scene from Hamlet

Actor Kevin Hardesty performs the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy from Act III, Scene I of the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet. Hardesty opens the segment with an introduction to the scene.

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Arts in the Renaissance: Scene from Much Ado About Nothing

The main plot in Much Ado About Nothing revolves around Claudio and Hero. This scene features the more mature lovers from the play—Beatrice and Benedick. Hero’s character has been defamed, causing her fiancé, Claudio, to reject her at the alter. Enraged, Beatrice urges Benedick to kill Claudio.

African/African-American Culture: Anansi's Rescue from the River

In this video, storyteller Nana Yaa Asantewaa performs the story “Anansi’s Rescue from the River.” The Anansi tales are told by the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa, and have been passed down through the generations by oral tradition.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Choreographer Do?

Choregrapher Andy Blankenbuehler describes how he stages the dancing for shows like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Costume Designer Do?

Costume Designer Susan Hilferty explains what goes into creating clothing for characters in shows like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Director Do?

Director James Lapine explains how he puts together all the creative elements of a Broadway show like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Hair & Wig Designer Do?

Hair & Wig Designer Tom Watson talks about what goes into making Annie’s famous head of red hair.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Lighting Designer Do?

Lighting Designer Don Holder explains the critical role of lighting in a production like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Musical Director Do?

Musical Director Todd Ellison talks about the importance of music in ANNIE: THE MUSICAL, and his role as orchestra conductor for each performance.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Producer Do?

Producer Arielle Tepper Madover talks about what it takes to get a show like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL onto Broadway.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Set Designer Do?

Set designer David Korins talks about how he created 1930s New York onstage for ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Does a Sound Designer Do?

Sound Designer Brian Ronan describes the importance of good sound design and theater acoustics for shows like ANNIE: THE MUSICAL.

ANNIE ON BROADWAY: What Do Stage Managers Do?

Stage Managers Peter Lawrence and Rachel Wolff talk about how they work together to make each night’s performance of ANNIE: THE MUSICAL run smoothly.

Japanese Culture: Bunraku

In this excerpt from a documentary on Bunraku, students meet an apprentice studying to be a puppeteer at Bunraku Theater in Osaka. In addition, they learn a little bit about the history of this classic Japanese art form and see puppets being manipulated.

Japanese Culture: Japanese Aesthetics

Shozo Sato provides a brief overview of Japanese aesthetics and explains the major differences between Western and Japanese aesthetics. He talks about the Japanese emphasis on stylization and the function of art and the artist in Japanese society.

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Japanese Culture: Kabuki Actor's Technique

Shozo Sato describes Kabuki acting technique and the training that Kabuki performers, traditionally all male, go through in order to learn how to play male, female, young, and old characters. He demonstrates vocal inflections and actual movements—walking, how the head is held, poses—of various Kabuki characters.

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Japanese Culture: Kabuki Makeup

Kabuki master Shozo Sato applies makeup to actor Michael Goldberg as he discusses about how makeup is applied and how colors and lines help suggest character. In Kabuki theater, makeup is used to express a character’s personality.

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Japanese Culture: Scene from Macbeth Kabuki-Style

In the segment Macbeth: Kabuki Style, actors Michael Goldberg and Barbara Robertson perform the scene from Macbeth in which Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot the murder of Duncan. The text used by the actors in this video was adapted to better suit Kabuki-style performance and only resembles the standard text of Macbeth.

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