“Melodies & Monologues: A Student Revue” — a series of recorded vignettes of the School of Performing Arts — merged music, theatre, design, and cinema.

This inaugural program tackles the theme of “The Roaring Twenties, 1920 | 2020,” as we move from black-and-white to rich vibrant color, and from face powder to face masks. The program explores the musical and dramatic bonds between the 1920s and 2020s, juxtaposing the lighthearted world of the Jazz Age against important social questions and scientific advances. One hundred years after the “Roaring Twenties,” we face some of the same challenges, from social justice issues involving race, gender, and immigration to voting rights and access.

Watch the bright city lights that hide the dark underbelly of the Prohibition era. The champagne bubbles over as we visit alleyway speakeasies: Take in the soaring sounds of American jazz and the lyrical notes that echo the classical tradition, muse over poems and ponderings, and brush up on the etiquette of polite society with the help of Emily Post.


The online Premiere Watch Party and a Post-Screening Conversation with the Cast and Production Team was held on November 1. The filming of these performances was done following the safety protocols of the School of Performing Arts.