Review a Range of Assessments Methods Essay

Without some kind of assessment then you will find it difficult to measure whether learning has taken place or not. The reasons for assessing is to find out if someone is capable of doing a course at a particular level or to see if they are ready to go on to the next level due to the higher level of work required. â€Å"Assessment is the process of obtaining information about how much the student knows and evaluation involves using that information to form judgements which, in turn, are to be used in decision making† (Ian Reece, Stephen Walker chapter 6) There are a number of assessment methods used and used in different contexts. Different types of courses require different types of assessments. Initial/ Diagnostic Assessment; this is usually done at the start, before someone is about to undertake a course or qualification. As you need to know what they know already about the chosen subject to learn. This then gives you an idea of what level you can place them at. It is an evaluation of a person’s strengths and weaknesses, knowledge and skills. Independent Assessment is an objective view by someone who is from outside the organisation (Independent governing body), who comes into the course (usually towards the end) and makes a decision on the students achievement. Formative Assessment- as a Business and Enterprise Manager this on going assessment is used and allows the student to improve and I can monitor and observe them in practical’s on a regular basis. Allowing regular feedback on what they need to improve on. The main use of assessments for teachers is the on going or formative assessment†( Geoffrey Petty 1998 p401). Summative Assessments are usually done at the end of the course of learning. Students will then know if they have passed or failed in their bid to gain the qualification or referred to re-do part of the course. Observational assessment allows the tutor to see if the student can perform a certain skill that has already been demonstrated or taught. This also allows me to step in if the student is making any mistakes. Questions and Answers are usually used to see if a student has gained the understanding and assess their knowledge of a chosen subject. You may need to re-phrase questions as some students can be put off by the way a question is being asked. Simple explanations and clarity for a simple response and answer. This area would also cover written reports, assignments, projects, portfolios and tests as well as oral questioning with regards to past experience and achievements. Log Books/ Learning journals are a useful way of seeing if a student has transferred the theory into practice. Practical assessments allow you to see if the student can put the theory based learning into practice. Possibly by doing role play and demonstrations. In my teaching role I use a range of assessment methods that include Practical observation , this involves role play, It allows me to see what the students are like within a group setting but also how they work on their own and to see if they are reaching the targets that have been set. I also use questions and answers. This process is used at the end of the session but before the recap to identify that the students have understood. This involves asking the students questions related to the task or activity so they can give me a critical answer of what and why they are doing a particular thing. I am then able to make a record of this by a simple â€Å" thumbs up if understood† or â€Å" thumbs down† if not. I am then able to make an evaluation of my teaching sessions.

Project management email Essay

Our team has done the required analysis based on the information that was given to us. We would like to recommend the Piper Industries Corp. to pursue with the project Palomino for future investments. We arrived at this conclusion based on the risks involved, feasibility study, break even analysis and return on the investment studies. It has been stated as a requirement that the project has to be finished and it should start generating revenue within the next 12 months. Below you will find a detail description of the different phases of a project and then an analysis on all three projects, followed by our recommendation. Phases of a project From the start to finish a project can be divided into five different phases (http://www.projectinsight.net/project-management-basics/basic-project-management-phases). Project conception and initiation The purpose of this phase is to define the project accomplishments. This is a critical phase as it is essential for those who will deliver the product/service, for those who will use the product/service, and for those who have a stake in the project to reach agreement on its initiation (http://pmstats.dis.arkansas.gov/Meth/05-Initiation%20phase.pdf). During this phase, the idea of the project is analyzed to see how beneficial it is to the business. Project definition and planning This phase defines the project scope and its activities. It outlines the tasks that have to be performed to complete the project. During this phase, a team should prioritize the project, calculate a budget and schedule, and determine what resources are needed (http://www.projectinsight.net/project-management-basics/basic-project-management-phases). Project launch or execution During this phase, the defined project activities are started to be executed. The project manager moves his attention from planning to execution. A constant monitoring of project risks is required during this phase. There will be a daily interaction between the team members, to successfully finish the execution tasks. Project performance and control Progression of the project is measured during this phase. The current status of the project will be compared with the actual plan. Scope verification and control to check and monitor for scope creep, change control to track and manage changes to project requirement, calculating key performance indicators for cost and time are to measure the degree of variation if any and in which case corrective measures are determined and suggested to keep project on track (http://project-management.com/top-5-project-management-phases/). Project closure During this phase the project tasks are satisfactorily completed and tested, the client approves the project. The project team evaluates success or failure of the project and documents key learning’s, to implement in future projects. This phase also involves in relieving project resources, reward and recognizes team members and formal termination of contractors in case they were employed on the project (http://project-management.com/top-5-project-management-phases/). Analysis of the proposed project Risk of project completion assessment Based on the risk of completion assessment, Juniper has the lowest impact, Stargazer the highest and Palomino has the medium risk of finishing the project on time. The critical path is known in both Juniper and Palomino, whereas there is no indication of critical path in Stargazer. The notes also say that there are still open questions from the business on Stargazer, which increases the risk of completing the project on time. The basic requirement from the management is that the project should be completed and generating revenue in 12 months. On this basis, it is better for the company to choose either Palomino or Juniper. Delivery Dates based on the assumption that the project starts on January 1st 2015 Juniper: June 31st 2015 Palomino: September 31st 2015 Stargazer: Unknown ROI assessment and break even analysis For Juniper the return on investment is $250,000 yearly for the next two to three years, which could provide $500,000 to $750,000. The cost of doing the project is $325,000. So the project breakeven point is within 2 years. For Palomino, the ROI is $450,000 yearly for the next five years, which will result in $2,250,000. The cost of doing this project is $655,000. Even with the 5% margin of error, the breakeven for this project is within 2 years. For Stargazer, the ROI is, $1,600,000 ($300,000 first year; $550,000 the second year; and $750,000 the third year). There is no information on the ROI for the rest of the years. So there is an unknown factor involved in this project. The cost of this project is $1,025,000 ($450,000 + $575,000). The breakeven for this project is within 3 years. Based on this assessment, the breakeven point is lesser if the company pursues Juniper or Palomino. Product lifecycle Juniper’s product has only 3 years of life cycle, while both Stargazer and Palomino has 7 years of product life. Based on this assessment, the company will profit if it chooses Stargazer or Palomino. Feasibility Analysis A feasibility assessment is the disciplined and documented process of thinking through an idea from its logical beginning to its logical end (http://www.agmrc.org/business_development/starting_a_business/marketbusiness_assessment/articles/assessing-the-feasibility-of-businesspropositions/). With Juniper project, the product is feasible, as we can predict the forecasting of its schedule. It starts to generate profit within 12 months. But since the product life span is less, the company’s profit ends soon. Stargazer, even though it is an innovative product it is risky and it has unanswered business questions, so it may not be feasible to complete the project on time. Its forecasting variance is very high. Even though a sunk cost of $450,000 is involved in this project, there is no guarantee for the product to start generating returns in 12 months if we pursue this project. In Palomino project, the risk is medium and the critical path is known. Recommendation: Even though Palomino has a 5% margin of error from its supplier, we conclude that this project is more feasible and profitable than the other two.

Breeding Thourghbred Racing Horses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Breeding Thourghbred Racing Horses - Essay Example ing of thoroughbred horses is a highly intricate and technical matter and a breeder’s success is measured by lesser failure rate as compared to others. Only a handful of winning horses can be produced from hundreds of crosses during a lifetime. Although the qualities of both the mare and the stallion may be exceptional, genetic variations result in offsprings which are not necessarily as good as their parents. Traditional breeding art has to be combined with the modern knowledge of population as well as molecular genetics. Some basic genetic philosophies which are pertinent to the development of a good breed include careful inbreeding structuring to obtain a balance between genetic health and performance, coordination of genetic components for a specific stamina ideal and ‘fixing’ of genetic characteristics using appropriate breeding programs (thorughbredgenetics.com). DNA based analyses of databases can determine whether horses will conform to required ideals in terms of racing potential and stamina. However winners don’t necessarily come from champion parents and exceptions have been there where champions have resulted from uncontrolled breeding. Training of the horses is another aspect which is important in making champions out of ordinary thoroughbreds with none too illustrious bloodlines. Although thoroughbreds are judged more by performance rather than looks, attractive horses have additional advantages in terms of aesthetic appeal. Single trait selection is much easier while developing a breed as compared to an endeavor where multiple positive traits are attempted. Bays and Chestnuts are the most common colors in thoroughbreds although there have been concerted efforts to breed pintos and palominos to make the horses have more visual appeal. The Quarter Horse Association is responsible for breeding paints and Appaloosas, which have characteristic spotting and color patterns, which were initially scoffed at by traditional breeders. Quarter and

Community Health of Kansas City, Missouri - The Nurses Role within an Research Paper

Community Health of Kansas City, Missouri - The Nurses Role within an Inner City School District - Research Paper Example However, much of these efforts would go in vain if good health practices were not indulged in the curriculum of educational institutions. Our environment is no longer the same, even compared to that in the 20th century, and so are the human practices. Looking at the current world’s student population, millions of bright brains and inventive individuals are represented. Taking this into account, measures have been set up to ensure that all students are given nothing but the best by the society in which they live and learn. This study will only focus on the need for a school nurse in Public Schools to educate and promote African-American students on health issues that have become rampant in our lives, as will be explicitly discussed in this paper. The main reason of coming up with this study was driven by the fact that in the 21st century the education of a number of children, i.e. African-American students, is compromised by conditions and behavior patterns that undermine their physical and emotional well-being, hence, making learning within the framework of the current system of education quite difficult. Therefore, education policy-makers and teachers have embraced health promotional activities to reach their goal of inspiring students. As a result of this, schools have become both centers of learning and supportive venues for the provision of essential health education and services (UNESCO, 2001). Implementation Strategies To ensure implementation of healthy lifestyle and learning-friendly environment in the institutions, various departments concerned with the management of public schools can take note of the following: i. Initiating healthy public schools’ policy: this would involve making health a major factor to consider within the framework of all policies and legislation of schools because they all influence health in one way or another. ii. Creation of supportive environments: all members of the public schools have responsibility to do the ir best to create safe surrounding; coming up with safe, satisfying and healthy living and learning conditions; and giving support to health lifestyles. iii. Developing personal skills: supporting individual and learners’ development; and providing necessary information, education and improving life skills. iv. Strengthening students’ action: this would involve empowering the school fraternity, ensuring learners participation, and providing full and easy access to health related information. v. Re-orienting health services: this strategy would broaden the roles of health services from being authoritative and individual-based to shared responsibility and partnership for health, emphasizing on preventive rather than clinical and curative measures. 1. Healthy Lifestyle and Prevention of Diabetes Type 2 Good basic education outcome is only achievable through good health and nutrition as the essential input factors. All learners have to be healthy and well-nourished to be a ble to effectively participate in the learning process. In support of this initiative, the International agencies, i.e. WHO, UNESCO, World Bank and UNICEF, come up with approaches that would ensure healthy environment for students. FRESH (Focusing Resources on Effective School Health) was a bright example of the strategy already launched by

Personal Belief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Belief - Essay Example I graduated from high school long time ago. After graduation, I started to apply to colleges to continue my study. I choose to study Computer Engineering, which was my dream. Although my GPA in high school was high and I was very good in math, I wasn’t sure that I would be accepted in the program because I always have low self-steam and I thought they would not accept me, because they have applicants who are qualified for their program better than me. One month after my application, I got letter through the mail. It was from the university and while I was trying to open the envelop I wasn’t so excited, because I expected to find the refusal letter instead of acceptance. They wrote to me that they accepted me in agricultural instead of engineering college, as they think that it fits me better. In fact, I didn’t try to register in any other college because I believed them. I didn’t want to waste my money and my effort and at the end the answer will be the sa me. So, I decided to accept the offer. After one semester, I start to realize that this is my future and I don’t have to study something not interesting to me. So, I left the college. Because of my finance issue, I started to seek for a job, hoping that after I saved some money, I would continue my study. I applied for very big company, which had a lot of offers, high salary and good insurance. I was excited in the beginning, dreaming about the money, tickets that it would give me, insurance that would cover my expenses and my family expenses as well. After I got the interview, I started to worry about the job and for the whole week preceding the job interview my mind was occupied with all negative things that could happen during the interview. I actually, anticipated failure. During the interview, while they were asking me, I was worrying about my appearance, my tone and my answers, which distracted my attention and made it difficult for me to focus on the interview. The atmosphere

What Impact Would Employee Involvement Do in the Hiring and Promotion Thesis Proposal

What Impact Would Employee Involvement Do in the Hiring and Promotion Process in Public Agencies - Thesis Proposal Example Much of the need to avoid all forms of internal invalidity resulting from the sample size can be addressed with the inclusion and exclusion mechanism that is employed. In the present situation, it is advised that a purposive sampling procedure is used to select respondents with the right information on the research topic ( Suri, 2011). A major limitation of the study shall be the degree of preparedness of leaders of various institutions to allow their leadership styles to be changed towards the types that allow for employee involvement. For employee involvement to be upheld, employees must exhibit a high sense of independence in the delivery of their work (Community Health Profiles, 2006). It is against this backdrop that it is assumed that all employees have needed competence. For companies practicing autocratic leadership, a chance is that they will not be willing to allow employee involvement and so data collected will be affected in such settings. Even though purposive sampling is recommended because of the nature of data to be collected, bias in data collection can still be controlled if a strategy is devised to make all forms of data to be collected hidden from respondents. This way, there shall not be pre-conceived responses coming from respondents.

Types of Journalism, Mass Media and Communication in History Essay

Types of Journalism, Mass Media and Communication in History - Essay Example The Vietnam War was adequately pictured and recorded by photojournalists and this prompted the international community to react promptly and put an end to these merciless killings (Vaughan and Thomas 405). In such instances, most of these repressive regimes leadership becomes hostile to such individuals and in some cases subject them to torture and psychological traumas (Deephouse and David 1096). The primary aim of Journalism, for instance during war periods is to ensure that all acts of injustices are pictured to attract actions from the government and the international community. The media fraternity as a whole has undergone numerous changes and challenges in equal measure (Deephouse and David 1099). In a tense political setting, for instance, the involvement of the media in ensuring proper checks and balances of the repressive regime to ensure that all acts against humanity are articulately recorded and appropriate actions against perpetrators reported. However, a photojournalist, like any other professionals must operate within some set rules and standards as dictated by the society (Deephouse and David 1113). Their actions should be such that any reasonable man in their situation will define as â€Å"normal† and as pro-human dignity. A photojournalist, for instance, is expected to record and report honest accounts of events as they happened without any form of manipulation. They should not give in to any form of intimidation be it physical or psychological in a bid by fraudulent to manipulate the true accounts of the recorded events. Integrity and honesty are crucial qualities a photojournalist must be in a possession of.  

Should women be allowed in combat(arguing against the issue) Research Paper

Should women be allowed in combat(arguing against the issue) - Research Paper Example The difference between men’s and women’s abilities comes from the difference in organization of their bodies. For example, female pelvis is arranged in a way so that women are able to bear children, and such an arrangement results in an off-angle of the legs making women about 10 percent slower runners than men. Also, women have less upper-body strength than men do. Therefore, they would not be able to carry an 80-pund backpack, drag a casualty, properly throw a grenade etc. Women are more easily injured compared to men because they have weaker muscle structure (Tips). In fact, in accordance with the research conducted within the British army, only 1 in 100 female soldiers had enough physical strength to function in military units (Browne). Overall, women are really the weaker sex and should not be allowed in the frontline combat roles. Secondly, women should not be allowed in combat because of the peculiarities of combat environment (Simons). Placing a scarce resource, such as women, in combat units comprised mostly of men may result in the creation of competition between the latter, and this may lead to conflicts within the unit. In addition, it is obvious that when young women and men work together for extended periods of time, couples form. At a certain point, their interaction can make lives of other soldiers uncomfortable. In this case, it is also important not to forget about pregnancy, which makes women be unable to discharge their duties. Finally, allowing women in combat is anti-survival of any society (Tips). The matter is that women play more important role in repopulation of the society. This does not mean that woman’s role is to give birth to children only. It means that woman’s role in giving birth is more important. Compared to men that can father several children during a year, women can give birth only to one (or two or three in case twins or triplets are born). Woman’s health, commitment and time are more essential to the

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Research Paper Example The painting is an exact mirror image of this city. It shows a jumbled up maze with roads and ladders. New York is considered to be one of the busiest and most expensive cities of the world located in the most advanced country/continent- North America. The Food culture of this city is a mixed culture with Italian, European as well as Chinese food. However because it is a diverse city with people from all over the world, all kinds of food is eaten over here. New York is considered to be the cultural capital of the world, the reason once again being the diversity on cultures ranging from contemporary to modern covering all regions of the world. As for its architecture, New York has the world’s most remarkable and extraordinary architecture with noteworthy buildings mostly made of stone and brick. The city has tall and huge buildings and a rich architectural history. The weather of New York is sub-tropical, and both winters and summers are quite different. Summers being sunny, humid and warm while winters being cold and moist because of rain. Moreover, New York is the center for many activities related to media such as television, music, print media, films and advertising. This amazing piece of art as described by the author as a ‘construction’ rather than just a painting shows a process of building and growing. It is classified as a painting using oil paints on a wood canvas, bright colors with a view that makes it look like separate pieces joined together to portray the process of uncanny structures used to show life in this city. The dimensions of this work are 9 5" x 11 3" x 1 Â ½ and light makes it look brighter. The period in which the painting was made is the CONTEMPORAY period, and the style of the painting is also contemporary, showing the current state of the city. The style flourished since after World War 2 and continues till today. EXPRESSIONISM is prominent in paintings of this era that originated in Germany. The art

Human resource management activities in healthcare Essay Example for Free

Human resource management activities in healthcare Essay There are many external and internal factors that might affect the health care organizations; however they are more likely to be affected by external forces that in turn affect their daily operations. Some of the factors that affect the human resource department of a healthcare organization are mentioned below. †¢ Economic factors †¢ Social and cultural changes †¢ Technological changes †¢ Legal changes HR planning and analysis Premeditated planning is a procedure that allows the health care associations to direct their future actions utilizing the resources that are accessible to them while keeping in mind the goals of the organization. There are some internal and external strength that have to be taken care of by the association and then a SWOT Analysis should be carried out. Some of the advantages of Human Resource planning are that it permits effectual use of workers and assists to replace the significant vacancies that have to be filled. Furthermore, planning suggests realistic recruitment projections, facilitates the staffing resources to be utilized more proficiently and efficiently and it also allows a improved focused investment in training and retraining, growth, career counseling and efficiency enrichment and also assists to uphold as well as to get better the level of variety. Human Resource planning is a very fundamental part of premeditated planning in addition to strategic HR planning, it assists to examine and classify the need for and accessibility of HR so that the association can meet its goals. Pynes, 2004). Projections aids in appraising the current condition and to estimate future demand and affairs by looking at the history trends of the association and is significant for the associations in a way that it assists to predict the retirement plans of the staff whereas the demand estimate helps to foresee the labor force that would be required in the future. EEO compliance EEO stands for equal employment opportunity and this expression was shaped by President Lyndon B.  Johnson when he marked Executive Order 11246 on September 24, 1965, formed to forbid federal contractors from discerning against workers on the grounds of race, sex, creed, belief, color, or nationality. Recently most managers have also added sexual compass reading to the directory of non-discrimination. The Executive Order as well required contractors to put into practice affirmative achievement plans to augment the contribution of minorities and females in the place of work. Pursuant to federal policy, affirmative achievement plans must comprise of an equivalent opportunity plan statement, an examination of the existing work force, recognition of problem areas, the establishment of objectives and schedules for mounting employment prospects, definite action-oriented plans to tackle problem areas, support for society action plans and the establishment of an internal audit and reporting structure. (EEOC, n. d. ). The reason why employment opportunity equal is important is because it is morally a right way to conduct oneself in the workplace, moreover it also helps in making the business prosper. The way that I move toward civil rights laws and employment civil rights laws, is I in fact think that they are all connected, they are all civil rights laws, anti-discrimination laws in the place of work, whether anti-discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, age, creed or nationality they are all entrenched in the similar bedrock standard and i. e. , that individuals should be judged in the place of work, based upon their capability to carry out the job and not based upon the threats, myths and typecast that one may have because of their race, or gender, or disability, or age, belief or nationality. That is in fact the unifying feature of all of the regulations in which the EEOC puts into practice and imposes, I think that is really significant that is both rising out of my own personal understanding and what I feel is right; that people should be judged based upon their ability to do the job and thats really the very simple core of what we do. And if you sort of take that notion, that principle, one step further, or take it one step, it makes business better. To the extent that youre making employment decisions in the workplace, whether they be on the basis of hiring somebody for a job or promoting somebody for a job, or treating somebody on the job, you ground those workplace decisions in the ability of that individual to do the job, rather than on a stereotype, or a fear, or a myth, because that person is from a different race than you, or a different religion, or looks different, or is older, or doesnt walk, or moves around or communicates in a different way from you. If you base those workplace decisions, upon the ability of that individual to do the job, you will get the most qualified person. You wont let internal biases, or fears, or myths, or stereotypes get in the way of selecting the best qualified person. Therefore I think, it is in best interest of the business to strip away those typecasts, those threats and those myths, in order to obtain the best competent person, because then company will really be improved. The Quotations page, n. d. ). Other considerations Some of the other considerations the human resource management in the health care organizations has to take care of are staffing, development of employees, compensation, health, safety and employee and maintaining labor management relation. Staffing The HR department must ensure that a fair selection policy is being used when hiring a candidate and everyone should be given an equal opportunity. Moreover, the job should be made available for every person who has the potential to do it and for this both internal and external recruitment should be opted for. Other than this, it is also essential to provide clear job criteria for the vacancies that are being announced by the human resource department of a healthcare organization. Full supervision must be done to ensure that the right candidate has been hired after which training should be provided to him. (Shi, 2006). Development of employees Health care organizations should invest in training to augment individual performance and organizational productivity, moreover it should also focus on developing management skills/development and supervisory skills, technical skills and communication skills and provide training to the employees who are new in the organization especially the ones who are working or are hired for lower-level positions in order to augment their performance. Compensation This comprises the wages and bonuses, vacation payment, sick leave payments, recompense of the staff and insurance policies, etc. , it is HR Department that is in command to expand and to direct the benefits compensation structure for the workers that serve as an incentive to promise the staffing. Their objective does not just come to an end after staffing but they also have to work on retaining workers and make them stay on with the organization. Once the employee is hired, it is the duty of the benefits coordinator to explain the benefits and the incentives the employee can expect from the organization so that the employee is aware about it in the beginning and he does not get discouraged later onwards. Health and safety It is essential for the organization to ensure safety of employees at the workplace and the health care organizations must their employees’ health and medical benefits and the employees should be given free medical services. Employee management relation and Labor management relation It is essential for the HRM at the healthcare organization to avoid any kind of discrimination in context with the age, gender, race or religion of an employee and it is basically the duty of the HR department to take care of this so that fair treatment is given to each and every person. Moreover, the HR department must also provide the assistance of negotiation in case any issues arise between the employees working at any level in the organization in order to ensure a healthy work environment. In the same way, the HR department also has to manage the labor and have good terms with them as well. (Leat, 2001).

The Work Of Stephen Sondheim Music Essay

The Work Of Stephen Sondheim Music Essay Born in New York in 1930, Stephen Sondheim is widely acknowledge as the most innovative and influential Broadway composer of the last fifty years. However, despite having some sixteen projects under his belt (not counting the numerous musical anthologies, revues or movie scores), Sondheims work still divides the critics; whilst some embrace his innovation, others lament over the loss of a more traditional form and lack of hummable melodies. Many seem to deem his work as clever and intelligent but missing the warmth that was generally considered the mark of a hit Broadway show. Yet despite not always meeting with landslide approval for his work, Sondheim has collected more than sixty individual or collaborative Tony Awards; most notably he has received the award for best Score/Music/Lyrics for Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Into The Woods and Passion, all of which won the New York Drama Circle Award for Outstanding/Best Musical as did Pacific Overtures and Sunday In The Park With George. Company Sondheims first collaboration with writer George Furth, marked his first major hit in 1970. Furth had come to Sondheim in early 1969 with a series of one-act plays he had written. Sondheim passed them on to now legendary producer Harold Prince who suggested the two should work together to transform the plays into a musical, promising to stage it once it was completed. The piece shook Broadway from the fantasy happy ending story it had come to expect and brought about a more provocative musical comedy. As Sondheim stated, Company does deal with upper middle-class people with upper middle-class problems. Broadway theatre has been for many years supported by these people. They really want to escape and were saying well bring it right back in their facesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦what they come to a musical to avoid, they suddenly find facing them on stage. This hard-edged, unromantic depiction of romantic relationships was revolutionary for the Broadway stage and managed to both humour and challenge audiences with its unsettling view of relationships. Some found fault with what they saw as an anti-marriage show that didnt stand up against the classic Broadway themes, however, mostly the show met with the kinds of intelligent accolades reserved for something new and exciting. After its opening, observers noted that the shows protagonist, Robert, showed a similarity to Sondheim own character a middle-class, single, professional, living in New York, commenting on the life of the other young professional couples around him. Sondheim has always denied that any of his work is autobiographical, but his next collaboration with George Furth in 1981, once again seemed very familiar territory for both writer and composer. As far as the new era of Broadway composers goes, Jason Robert Brown has been hailed by some as The next Stephen Sondheim. Brown, also Jewish and born and raised in New York, began his career as an arranger, conductor and pianist. His first major production came in 1995 with Songs For A New World, an off-Broadway revue directed by Daisy Prince, daughter of Hal Prince who later hired Brown to write the songs for the musical Parade after Sondheim turned down the show. The musical tells the controversial true story of the trail and hanging of Leo Frank, who was wrongly accused of the rape and murder of a young factory girl in early 20th century Georgia. The show dealt with the anti-Semitic tensions in the southern states at the time and did not shy away from the conclusion that the likely killer was the African-American factory worker, Jim Conley. . Browns score is full of riches, mixing period American styles with strong melodies, intricate counterpoint, selective dissonances, and natural lyrics which give their characters true, expressive voices. Despite the cool reception of the show by the critics and the feeling that the show took too many liberties in the use of racial slurs, Browns score was highly praised and he later won the Tony award in 1999 for Best Original Musical Score. The attention received by Brown marked him out as the hottest up and coming talent. He returned to work with Daisy Prince on his next piece, The Last Five Years for which he wrote both the book and the score. Literature It is strange that despite the wealth of artistry and innovation which musical theatre has produced throughout the 20th century, it has never really being given its rightful place amongst academia, always being seen as a more low brow art form than that of serious plays or music. It seems that if the likes of Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown were to work in the medium of non-musical drama, or doubled in the field of serious musical composition like Gershwin or Bernstein, perhaps their work might be viewed in more of our universities. Why must important pieces of musical theatre be limited to the destiny of popular artists, however richly deserving of serious attention on its own merits? That is not to say that there has not been much analysis and writing on musical theatre or Sondheim in particular; Martin and Gottfried and Meryl Secrest both present biographies of Sondheims career, life and works in sharp detail providing an in depth look at past and present influences which have shaped his artistic development throughout the years. Sondheim On Music by Mark Eden Horowitz focuses on three main areas: Firstly his interviews with Sondheim, particularly focusing on five of his main works (Passion, Assassins, Into The Woods, Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures). The second part is entitled songs I wish Id written (at least in part) providing a look at some of Sondheims major influences from a list compiled for his 70th birthday celebrations at the Library of Congress. Part three supplies a list of all works, complete discography of all recordings to date and publishing information for all songs and scores up until the release of the book (2003). Joanne Gordons Art Isnt Easy The Theatre of Stephen Sondheim focuses on content and themes of Sondheims stage works, highlighting his innovative use of form and how he manages to weave the music and lyrics into the fabric of the entire piece. It is almost a guide to the appreciation of Sondheims scripts and music and would be especially useful for those staging any of Sondheims musicals and provides an excellent basis of primary research material. With little literary focus on Sondheims use of music, Stephen Banfield takes a different route, examining much of Sondheims output from a musicological perspective, undertaking practical and theoretical treatment of the music. Despite these and other writings in the last decade which are taking a more serious treatment of the works of musical theatre, there is still an elitist treatment against the reading of musical theatre within the academy. It seems to be stuck on the view that musicals remain largely unsophisticated and lacking in high serious. Unfortunately, there are times when this is true. Recently, Broadway and the West End seem to have been plagued by film adaptations, Disney rehashes and juke-box musicals which, whilst they may have been commercially successful, are tarring other more worthy writers and composers with the low-brow brush. A collection of critical essays edited and with a foreword supplied by Sandor Goodhart makes moves to further the writing and critical analysis of the works of Sondheim, again pushing for the academy to take a closer look into the world of intelligent musical theatre. Hopefully the moves towards a more intellectual appreciation of the work of Sondheim within academia will allow the same to later happen for the new class of musical theatre composers like Brown. Merrily We Roll Along Merrily We Roll Along was one of Sondheim and writer George Furths most famous flops, running for just 16 performances after it opened on Broadway in 1981. It was based on a 1930s play by George Kaufmann and Moss Hart, and follows a group of hopeful young college graduates, from 1957 to 1976. But there is a twist the plot is stage in reverse linear motion so the show begins in 1976 and gradually works backwards in time. So we watch everything knowing how it ended up, with friendships broken, idealism betrayed and marriages on the rocks. The score is full of what sound like traditional musical comedy songs hailing from 50s and 60s Broadway. While the score is very clearly Sondheim and the songs are not parodies, there does seem to be hints of several of his contemporaries; Berstein, Bacharach, Styne and Kander. It seems somewhat ironic that this traditional book-musical which contains some of Sondheims most accessible songs, has had such a troubled professional history. After the failure of the original production, Sondheim later made several major revisions for the revival of the show at the LaJolla Theatre in 1985. The reworking created a score Sondheim now calls, definitive. The show is centred on Franklin Shepard a rich, famous and influential songwriter and film producer. But how did he get to be where he is today? (Merrily We Roll Along) The years begin to roll back. First stop is Franks swanky Bel Air pad in 1976, after the premiere of his latest movie. Frank is throwing a party filled with his friends; the hangers-on, people who make things happen in show business and the movers and shapers are all there, and lavish praise on him (That Frank). At the party we also meet Franks old friend and theatre critic, Mary, who is now an alcoholic. She is sickened by the superficiality of the people Frank has chosen to associate with and by his abandonment of music the one thing he was truly good at for the world of commercial film producing. As she gets progressively more and more drunk, she begins to loudly insult everyone, and is ordered to leave. Their friendship is over. However, Frank is hurt by Marys drunken remarks because he knows they are true. He has concentrated so completely on being a success that everything he most valued at the beginning of his career has long been left behind. The evening ends traumatically with the break down of Franks unhappy marriage to his wife Gussie, a former leading actress in one of his early musicals, when she viciously attacks Meg, his mistress. The years roll back to 1973 (First Transition). Frank and his long-time lyricist collaborator and friend, Charley Kringas, are about to be interviewed in a New York TV studio. In the make-up room, Charley greets Mary (Old Friends), and tells her that Frank is now so busy making deals that he never has time to write shows with him like they had always hoped. Mary laments over their strained friendship and wishes that it could be Like It Was. On-air the TV interviewer accidentally informs Charley of Franks plans to once again put off their long awaited politically idealistic show for another project. A nervous Charley launches into a demented rampage on the way his composer has transformed himself into a corporation (Franklin Shepard Inc). As Charley swings ferociously between bitterness and self-contempt, Frank walks out. Their friendship is over. Its now 1968, and Charley and Frank are in Franks apartment on Central Park West (Second Transition). He and Charley are arguing over his decision to do a movie version of one of their shows, Musical Husbands. Frank wants to do it for the money, but Charley says that it will get in the way of writing the idealistic show theyve always wanted to create. Mary looks on, and when the argument starts getting out of control reminds them that they are all still old friends (Old Friends Part II). Broadway producer Joe Josephson and his wife Gussie arrive. She and Frank have been having a long-term affair. Joe has learnt to live with it, but Mary, hopelessly in love with Frank, finds it much harder to accept. When the others leave, Gussie startles Frank by announcing she intends to divorce Joe to be with Frank, leaving him to decide on what he wants (Growing Up). The years rewind to 1966 (Third Transition). Frank is being sued for divorce by Beth, and they wrangle over the custody of their young son in a courthouse in Lower Manhattan. Beth tells him that Not A Day Goes By when he isnt a part of her life, but she cant live with him knowing he is cheating on her with Gussie. The marriage is over. Mary and Charley and Franks other collegues rally around him telling him that the best thing to do is to move on and start again (Now You Know). Act II opens on the opening night of Frank and Charleys first Broadway show, Musical Husbands. Gussie stars in the show, and the act opens with Gussies performance of Franks and Charleys big hit song(Act Two Opening). Although not exactly the kind of show the duo had always planned, as the curtain comes down on the show, the audience applauds wildly. Broadways latest words-and-music team, Charley and Frank, have just found themselves a hit. (Its A Hit!) The years roll back further to 1962 (Fourth Transition) at a party in Gussie and Joes apartment. Gussie has thrown a soirà ©e so that Frank and Charley, who are going to write a musical for Joe to produce, can meet all the richest and most influential people in town describes as The Blob. We see early signs of Gussies romantic interest in Frank (Growing Up). Gussie invites the collaborators to perform their latest song, Good Thing Going. The guests love it. Gussie simply fawns over the number and implores them to do it again. Charley urges Frank not to. You want to know what true greatness is? Its knowing when to get off, Charley says. But Frank insists. They play the song again, but the guests quickly lose interest and resume their cocktail chatter over Franks reprise (The Blob Part II). Back to 1960, the dawn of a new decade with new hopes (Fifth Transition). Charley, Frank and Beth are young and on the outset of their careers, playing Frank and Charleys music at a small nightclub in Greenwich Village. Trying to appear bright and sophisticated, they perform a cheeky number celebrating the accession of Americas new First Family (Bobby And Jackie And Jack). Joe is in the tiny audience and hes quite impressed, as is his wife Gussie. Afterwards, Frank explains that hes marrying Beth and pledges that a day doesnt go by when shes not a part of his life (Not A Day Goes By Part II). At an adjoining table, Mary echoes the sentiment; its how shell always feel about Frank. Its 1959 (Sixth Transition) and the young Frank, Charley and Mary are busy in New York, establishing their careers (Opening Doors). The boys audition for Joe, but he wants more hummable tunes. So they decide to do their own show and end up hiring Beth as a singer. The years finally take us back to October, 1957 (Seventh Transition). Its 5:30am, and Frank, Charley and Mary are on the roof of an old apartment house waiting for the first-ever earth-orbiting satellite. Suddenly, Sputnik is there in the sky, and for the three young friends, anything is possible (Our Time). The Last Five Years Jason Robert Browns one act musical The Last Five Years premiered in Chicago and was later produced off-Broadway in 2002. The story explores the five year relationship of Jamie Wellerstein and Cathy Hyatt. Like Merrily it also makes use of reverse-linear motion, but just for one character; so Jamies story moves chronologically through their relationship, but we begin at the end of Cathys story moving chronologically backwards. Their relationship begins in their early twenties; Jamie is an up and coming novelist, Jewish and intense. Cathy is a struggling actress, catholic and insecure. Browns score is diverse and he is not afraid of writing catchy melodies with much of the material being pop-driven and wedded to intelligent lyrics that explain who these characters are. The show was met with high acclaim, with critics praising the Browns genuine, smart, humorous and moving writing . The show begins with Cathy alone in her apartment as her marriage to Jamie has ended, and he has just moved out (Still Hurting). When the song finishes, Jamie appears. It is five years earlier and he is on their first date. We learn that Jamie is Jewish and Cathy is not. Despite this, Jamie is completely smitten with his Shiska Goddess The scene then switches to Cathy sitting on a pier in Ohio with Jamie, who has come to visit her for her birthday while she does summer stock theatre (See Im Smiling). It is clear that she is not happy about spending her time away from Jamie and is enthusiastic about fixing their marriage. She becomes very angry when Jamie announces that he has to return to New York. They argue, and Cathy claims that he spends all of his time thinking only of himself, singing you and you and nothing but you. During interludes in the music, Jamie, several years earlier, talks to a literary agent about the book he has just written. His future looks promising. The play moves away from their argument, and Jamie tells a friend that he is moving in with Cathy. Everything seems to be going right for him; his book is being published and the Atlantic monthly is printing the first chapter. Even though his work and his relationship with Cathy seem to have taken on lives of their own, hes too happy to get worried (Moving Too Fast). Cathy, meanwhile, is making a call to her agent. Though we only hear her side of the conversation, it is obvious that she is struggling with her career. Cathy sits at Jamies book signing party. She sings about her life with him, asserting that even though he often obsesses over his writing and ignores her, she is terribly in love with him (A Part of That). Cathy confesses that she does not act independently anymore, but instead follows in his footsteps. Jamie celebrates his first Christmas with Cathy. He tells her a fable (which he has written, new and unpublished) about an old tailor named Schmuel whose encounter with a magical clock gives him infinite time to realize the dress of his dreams. Jamie reveals the parallel between Schmuel and Cathy: she needs to take the time to unlock her dreams. He presents Cathy with her Christmas present: a watch (The Schmuel Song). Cathy sits in Ohio and writes a letter to Jamie. They have just been married and she is missing him dreadfully. She describes to Jamie her quirky life in Ohio among her eccentric cast members (A Summer in Ohio). Jamie is sitting with Cathy in a boat on the lake in Central Park. He proposes. Cathy enters and Jamie presents her with the engagement ring and, for the first and only time in the musical, their stories meet and they sing together (The Next Ten Minutes). They exchange vows and rings, promising to stay together for the next ten lifetimes. They kiss before Jamie escorts Cathy to the rowboat, where she has the other side of the conversation that Jamie had before her arrival. Jamie watches her go. The newly-wed Jamie is facing some temptation issues. He feels like he is constantly bombarded by attractive women, especially since his writing career has taken off (A Miracle Would Happen). Cathy, meanwhile, embarks on a series of audition for the job in Ohio (When You Come Home to Me). She is frustrated with the audition process and discusses her sense of inadequacy with her father (Climbing Uphill). Jamie, on the phone with Cathy, does his best to convince his wife that his relationship with his editor, Elise, is purely platonic. Cathy doesnt believe him. Jamie wants to celebrate a book review in The New Yorker, but Cathy isnt in the mood to go out. She sings passionately about her desire to be independent, refusing to trot along at the geniuss heels. Jamie is reading an excerpt of his book. It is obviously about his relationship with Cathy. In the next scene, Jamie is fighting passionately with Cathy. It is toward the end of their relationship and he is trying desperately to just get her to listen to him. He wonders aloud if they will ever get to the point where things are easy, where there arent so many obstacles facing their marriage. He accuses her of being unsupportive of his career just because hers is failing. Though his words are harsh, he promises her that he believes in her unconditionally, and that if he didnt he wouldnt love her (If I Didnt Believe in You). Some time into the relationship, Cathy drives Jamie to her parents house in the suburbs. As she drives, she babbles happily about her past relationships and her desire not to end up in the same small town life as her best friend from high school: married with children and living in a little cute house on a little cute street with a crucifix on the door (I Can Do Better Than That). At the climax of the song, she asks Jamie to move in with her. Towards the end of the marriage, Jamie wakes up in the apartment beside a woman who may or may not be his editor, Elise (Nobody Needs to Know). He tries to defend his actions and blames Cathy (who is away in Ohio) for destroying his privacy and their perfectly balanced relationship. Jamie promises not to lie to this woman and tells her, just as he told Cathy in Shiksa Goddess, that I could be in love with someone like you. Cathy is at the end of her first date with Jamie. She sings goodbye to him (Goodbye Until Tomorrow). She proclaims that she has been waiting for Jamie her whole life and is ready for this romance. Simultaneously but five years forward, Jamie sits in their shared apartment writing a farewell note (I Could Never Rescue You). As Cathy waves Jamie goodbye until tomorrow, Jamie wishes Cathy simply goodbye. So what do these two musicals have in common apart from the obvious manipulation of time used in each story? Well it becomes apparently clear on examination of both the shows and their creators that these stories are more than just something to be told, but in fact stay perilously close to home and stem from a more personal elements of the world of both Sondheim/Furth and Jason Robert Brown. In Merrily the character, composer Frank Shepherd, advises an aspiring writer Dont just write what you know Frank says as he points to his head. Instead, he encourages to write what you know, pointing to his heart. Despite Sondheim always being very avid that he never writes himself into any characters, there was a clear choice made to change the original Kaufman and Hart play from playwright and painter to composer and librettist who write musical comedies together. There are further similarities established by making the librettist a native of Chicago and graduate of Columbia University. Also we note that the theatre in which Frank and Charleys hit show is produced is The Alvin, which was home to Sondheim and Furths first great hit Company in 1970 and later Merrily itself in 1981. Where the characters and contemporary settings in Company were directly forcing the audiences to acknowledge and confront the themes presented, Merrily also challenges Sondheim and Furth themselves to acknowledge their own world, their own relationships and the industry they find themselves in. Putting the characters in the familar surroundings of Broadway productions allows Sondheim and Furth to make a real statement about the industry; What kind of people fill this world? What kind of pressures do writers and composers face throughout their careers? What do producers want? Can one walk the fine line between commercial success and artistic integrity? Perhaps it is this demystifying of the Broadway illusion was what led to the original production of Merrilys early closure? Jason Robert Brown is more open about his obvious personal link to the character of Jamie and the similarities of the Jamie/Cathy relationship to that of Brown and his failed marriage to actress Theresa ONeill. We see how the rise of Jamies career as a writer mirrors that of Brown as a composer and the troubles it gave in marriage. Indeed, ONeill even threatened legal action before the opening of the off-Broadway production, claiming the piece came too close to real life. Brown made some changes, disclosing them, he states, would violate the settlement but we know that one of the major changes was the inclusion of the Shiska Goddess instead of I Could Be In Love With Someone Like You. The fact that both shows deal with a certain type of person an artist, a creator, trying to make a professional career in New York dictates the musical and lyrical style of the show; In Merrily the fact that the show deals with two friends who write Broadway musicals leads to a traditional book musical with a score widely considered to be one of Sondheims most accessible scores with many ironically hummable melodies. With the characters of Frank and Mary, Sondheim and Furth have the chance to have some verbal fun as they enforce their characters abilities as writers. We see with that Mary has a habit of taking other peoples clichà ©d conversation and turning it into unexpected meanings, for example in the opening party seen: Ru: So what do you do? Mary: I drink. Ru: No, what do you really do? Mary: I really drink. Also, when Frank tells everyone that he and Mary go way back, she continues, but seldom forward, not only a comment on their stalling friendship but also a clever inside joke on the narrative structure of the piece. Verbally, Mary keeps taking people places they dont expect to go. Sondheims lyrics in That Frank show this ability to take the listener down one road and then take an unexpected turn in another direction. Singing about Franks guest she says: These are the movers, these are the shapers These are the people who give you vapors And in Now You Know she makes the surprising point that you should burn your bridges every now and then, turning around the conventional idea that burning bridges is a negative thing. Similarly there is some further beautiful wordplay highlighting her knack with words as she advises Frank that bricks can tumble from clear blue skies, and that people love you and tell you lies Charley sometimes plays a similar verbal trick. Whilst being interviewed on TV he is asked, What comes first, the words or the music? he replies, Generally the contract. Infact, the song Franklin Shepherd Inc is a complete show piece for Charley, highlighting both his talents with words and having only been introduced to the character, the audience are made aware of the dynamics of his character who seeks purity of purpose, dedication and the rewards of keeping it simple. On the other hand, composer Frank is inarticulate in comparison. We find that when he opens his mouth he tends to create some clichà © like the worst vice is advice or she is the raft that keeps me from drowning. Also, we note that he only sings one solo number in the show Growing Up, where we become aware of the characters ability to think he is rationalising his hopes and beliefs when he really means compromising. Both shows seem to have a sense of honesty with the creation of real, multi-layered storyline and flawed characters. Maybe it is the close relationship of creator(s) and story that manages to generate scenes and songs which capture a moment in time or an emotional snapshot which sets these shows apart. Furthermore, both shows also centre on the fragility of relationships, with the manipulation of time constantly conditioning and changing the audiences view of the relationships and where their sympathies lie. **