This interdisciplinary course examines the impact of the mass media company, Disney, on American popular performance, and specifically the complex relationship between historical accuracy and representation as American history is reinscribed and reimagined through Disney’s media output. Of specific interest for this course will be the historiographic concerns that cross American history and American theatre history and performance studies including representations of marginalized identities such as indigenous populations and women of color. After analyzing key thematic concerns in Disney films, products, parks, musicals, and cruises, this course will travel to two Florida theme parks, the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, to experience firsthand the many ways in which Disney employs performance to tell America’s history.
Fine Arts GEP; Humanities GEP; CCW (Converse College for Women) Course