Professor and Podcast Host David Armstrong to Lead INTRODUCTION TO BROADWAY Online Course

University of Washington professor and Broadway Nation podcast host David Armstrong will lead an eight-week online course, Introduction to Broadway, running throughout April and May. The course offers a deeply researched exploration of the history and development of the American musical.

Drawing on his book Broadway Nation: How Immigrant, Jewish, Queer, and Black Voices Created the Broadway Musical, Armstrong examines the evolution of Broadway through a systematic chronological framework. The course highlights the often-overlooked contributions of underrepresented communities whose creative influence helped shape one of America's most vibrant artistic industries.

Each 70-minute session includes a 50-minute lecture from Armstrong, followed by a 20-minute live Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with the material and deepen their understanding.

The course is hosted by The Broadway Maven, an educational community dedicated to fostering thoughtful engagement with musical theater. Founded by educator, essayist, and editor David Benkof, The Broadway Maven offers a range of programming designed to enrich appreciation of Broadway and its history.

Enrollment in Introduction to Broadway is priced at $50 and includes access not only to all eight sessions of the course, but also to additional programming offered by The Broadway Maven through the end of May. These include Sondheim for Musicians, an advanced musicianship course, classes on Rodgers & Hammerstein led by former Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization president Ted Chapin, and focused sessions on individual musicals such as Hair, Bye Bye Birdie, and In the Heights.