The Threepenny Opera Lesson Plan

What impact do the songs have on you as a reader?

Some students may be put off by the songs; others may think they make them look at the text and the events in a different way. Emphasize to students that this is a musical, and that they'll have many chances to listen to the music, including tonight. It's possible some of your students may disdain musicals as an art form; ask them not what they like or dislike, but why they think Brecht might have chosen to write this play with songs. Students may notice that the songs distill information, that they make them feel some distance from what's happening in the scene, or that they're explicit about their ideas.

What are some of...