In this episode, Curtain Call's host, Jamie Corter, explores musicals from the 1980s that have a strong connection with gender. Jamie continues to talk about musicals from the contemporary age of Broadway, choosing two well-known shows for today's podcast: the 1987 production of Les Miserables and the 1988 production of The Phantom of the Opera. This episode debates whether these two shows should be considered "feminist musicals" with Jamie presenting comprehensive arguments for both sides. During her discussion of Les Mis, she analyzes the lovely leading ladies' roles in the musical, the evolution of the female characters, the show's poor depiction of single mothers, as well as the sex slavery industry. For The Phantom of the Opera, she addresses the toxic love triangle between the principal roles and the leading female characters' agency in the narrative. Join us for the fourth official decade's episode of Curtain Call!

Music Credits:

"Campfire" by Roa Music on Youtube

"Falsettoland/About Time" from the 2016 Broadway Cast Recording of Falsettos

"Seasons of Love" from the 1996 Original Broadway Cast Recording of RENT

Works Cited:

Drumright, P. (n.d.). The Phantom of the Opera: Spectacular Musical or Archetypal Story? Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1063&context=nepca&httpsredir=1&referer=

Faucette, A. (2009, February 15). Re-Seeing The Phantom of the Opera from a Feminist Perspective [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://radicallyqueer.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/re-seeing-the-phantom-of-the-opera-from-a-feminist-perspective/

Isaacs, J. (2013, February 13). Character Changes in Les Misérables: From book to stage/screen [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.thebubble.org.uk/culture/literature/character-changes-in-les-miserables-from-book-to-stagescreen/

Kearns, M. (2013, January 12). ‘Les Miserables,’ Sex Work & Fantine as a Symbol for Women’s Oppression [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://opinionessoftheworld.com/2013/01/12/les-miserables-sex-trafficking-fantine-as-a-symbol-for-womens-oppression/

Livingston, G. (2018, April 25). Facts on Unmarried parents in the U.S. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/04/25/the-changing-profile-of-unmarried-parents/

Schwarz, L. (2015, March 18). The Feminist Dilemma Of My Burning Love For Phantom Of The Opera [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from Little Bear, S. (2015, March 18). The Feminist Dilemma Of My Burning Love For Phantom Of The Opera [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://ravishly.com/2015/03/18/feminist-dilemma-my-burning-love-phantom-opera-media

Wee, S. (2019, November 29). Behind the Masquerade: Is Phantom of the Opera sexist?Steffi [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.hercampus.com/school/nanyang-tech/behind-masquerade-phantom-opera-sexist

Wilson, N. (2012, December 27). Some Musicals Are More Feminist Than Others [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://msmagazine.com/2012/12/27/some-musicals-are-more-feminist-than-others/

Wolf, S. (2012, December 28). Why we love ‘Les Miserables,’ despite its miserable gender stereotypes [Web log post]. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-we-love-les-miserables-despite-its-miserable-gender-stereotypes/2012/12/28/bc8ef17e-4f84-11e2-839d-d54cc6e49b63_story.html?fbclid=IwAR31dCqtvfJDHwAtOazam06_wnGzcKDaLS0rhJEWOeVlAe4QeBgH6pmjbEg