Professor Gilad Harel from Naugatuck Community College Sunday, November 24th 2:00 p.m.  Widely regarded as the greatest period of growth for musical theatre as an artform, the artists of the Golden Age are to thank for the creation and development of musicals as we know them today. Musicals existed long before the Golden Age, with operettas and vaudeville-style shows being some of the most popular forms of entertainment of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Show Boat broke the mold in 1927 when it introduced a more narrative style of storytelling, integrating its book with its musical elements. For the first time, song and dance were weaved into the plot, furthering the story or character development (instead of just stopping the action for a musical interlude). It took another decade for this 'book musical' revolution to fully catch on, ushering in the start of Broadway's Golden Age. During this period, musical theatre took center stage in popular culture, rapidly gaining visibility worldwide and influence on television, film, and popular music. Professor Harel will discuss on Fiddler on the Roof, a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein and other Jewish composers to include Richard Rodgers or Marvin Hamlisch (the latter is a bit later, as A Chorus Line came out in 1975). Widely regarded as the greatest period of growth for musical theatre as an artform, the artists of the Golden Age are to thank for the creation and development of musicals as we know them today. Musicals existed long before the Golden Age, with operettas and vaudeville-style shows being some of the most popular forms of entertainment of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Show Boat broke the mold in 1927 when it introduced a more narrative style of storytelling, integrating its book with its musical elements. For the first time, song and dance were weaved into the plot, furthering the story or character development (instead of just stopping the action for a musical interlude). It took another decade for this 'book musical' revolution to fully catch on, ushering in the start of Broadway's Golden Age. During this period, musical theatre took center stage in popular culture, rapidly gaining visibility worldwide and influence on television, film, and popular music. Professor Harel will discuss on Fiddler on the Roof, a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein and other Jewish composers to include Richard Rodgers or Marvin Hamlisch (the latter is a bit later, as A Chorus Line came out in 1975). As he always does, Dr. Harel will illustrate his talk through video and his own skills as a pianist and musicologist. The event is free and open to the community. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to the Temple Office 203-866-0148 / admin@templeshalomweb.org