To complicate my pedagogical problems, the typical group of Theatre 101 students presents some challenges. Many have never seen a live stage production, and most have read only the few plays required in their high school English classes, so they come to class with little experience in making insightful aesthetic judgments. Because the course has no prerequisites, many are still learning how to write even brief university-level essays.

My solution was Broadway. The students form production companies that mount virtual productions in an imaginary city called "Gotham." Each company includes four people: a producer, a director, a scenic designer, and a costume designer. Each company chooses a play from three I assign, and then each company chooses a theatre from three imaginary venues I provide.

Each director devises a production concept, each designer formulates some visual ideas, and each producer allocates the budget I've assigned. Everyone in the class auditions so the directors may "cast" their shows. At the end of the term, each company presents a solution to a problem I assign at random, such as poor reviews, the effects of inflation, or censorship by local jurisdiction.