The Kennedy Center is both a national center for the performing arts and a national memorial to John F. Kennedy. During non-corona times, it hosts a wide range of shows—opera, ballet, plays, orchestral performances, free concerts, etc. While it has recently come under criticism for taking federal coronavirus funding and then furloughing some musicians, the Kennedy Center does host a tremendous number of free resources on its website. In addition to concerts, movies, and other clips (along with free daily drawing lessons from Mo Willems!), the Kennedy Center has an entire presentation on musical theater—its history, political implications, etc.

There are several video segments, followed by actual lesson plans for people who want to dig deeper. You can supplement the material by browsing the site for selections from musicals performed at the Kennedy Center over the years.

Ready to get a song (or ten) stuck in your head?