
Queer Musical Theatre
This course will take place online.
Musical theatre has often been associated with high camp, but there’s a long history of Queer representation too. In this course, we will look at older works, such as Cabaret, and the show’s troubled history of Queer representation, classics like La Cage Aux Folles, and contemporary works including The Prom.
This course will look at stage and screen, controversy and representation, as well as considering the serious activist side of Queer musical theatre.
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in musical theatre and Queer history. No prior knowledge of these topics is required. The session will include video and audio clips.
What can I expect?
This course is taught through presentations (PowerPoint on shared screen) video clips and discussions. Discussion sections are optional, but allow participants to reflect on the material and their own experiences. There is also a reading list and YouTube playlist provided after the session.
Joining via Zoom
This course or event will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
You will need a computer or other device to connect with Zoom and a notebook/paper and pen/pencil, or digital equivalent.

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Need to Know
Metadata
- Time
- 19:00 - 21:00
- Price
- £40/£30 concession
- Day
- Thursday
- Duration
- 120
- Venue
- Online
- Tutor
- Dr Emily Garside
- Max Students
- 12
- No. of Sessions
- 2
- Course Code
- HS23107
You will learn
By the end of this course, you will have looked at:
- Key texts in musical theatre
- Key artists and practitioners
- Links to wider Queer art and culture
- Musical song analysis.
Meet the Tutor

Dr Emily Garside
Emily Garside is writer, thinker, and theatremaker, and a passionate communicator about the value of LGBTQ+ stories in popular culture. She spent many years as an academic and lecturer, beginning with her PhD on theatrical responses to the AIDS crisis and the evolution of LGBTQ theatre. She published her first non-fiction book Love That Journey For Me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt's Creek in 2021 with 404ink and is currently under contract with Applause Books, McFarland and Calon books for non-fiction books. As a journalist, she is a regular contributor for The Queer Review and has written for American Theatre, Slate, BBC and The Stage. She is also a playwright and novelist specialising in telling queer stories.