My Gift to You, an Hour of Sheer Pleasure
I recently watched the PBS special about the Jewish legacy on Broadway, and I enjoyed every minute.
It is online, and I share it now with you.
I hope it is still online.
I have always loved Broadway musicals, and many are reprised in this special.
But in addition to the entertainment and the rich cultural history, we see a very contemporary story of immigrants coming to America and becoming
quintessentially American. We see Irving Berlin arriving as a five-year-old from Russia, having survived a pogrom, then becoming the composer of “God Bless America,” “Easter Parade,” and “White Christmas,” among the thousands of songs he wrote. We see stories in which composers used their music to teach lessons about racism, intolerance, and bigotry, like “South Pacific,” and the song “You Got to Be Taught to Hate.” Often they told the stories through the experiences of other groups, like “Porgy and Bess” and “West Side Story.”
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I am sending a gift to PBS for remaining a beacon of light in these dark times.
My Gift to You, an Hour of Sheer Pleasure | Diane Ravitch's blog