Ryan Thomas Green | University Of Plymouth (original) (raw)
Papers by Ryan Thomas Green
The Open Review , 2022
As a result of recent publications in the field of music theatre there has been a resurgence of i... more As a result of recent publications in the field of music theatre there has been a resurgence of interest in this highly misunderstood art form. This paper discusses the methodology and results from an online survey which investigated emotional responses to orchestration1 and instrumental aesthetics in contemporary music theatre. This report summarises the current literature, demonstrates gaps in the field, and suggests how further research may benefit the development of new music theatre. The research tests the hypothesis that music theatre is accidentally alienating to non-familiar audiences because of its complex musical language and perceived associations with opera and the ever-popular Broadway/West End musical. Since the 1960s, music theatre has been used to express artistic experimentalism in music performance. This paper aims to elucidate the connections between the instrumental and orchestration choices made by music theatre composers and the effects they have on a modern audience to identify key indexes which may indicate the art form’s failure to capture audience imaginations or to engage audiences emotionally. This research indicates that audiences generally have a good perception of instrumentation in music theatre. There is also evidence to support the hypothesis that there is a connection between lack of aesthetic appreciation (the admiration of beauty in art) and negative emotional response. However there remains a gap in our understanding of the abstract nature of music theatre, which some audience members struggle to comprehend or engage with emotionally.
Sloboda and Juslin (2010: 74) describe emotions as ‘relatively brief, intense, and rapidly changi... more Sloboda and Juslin (2010: 74) describe emotions as ‘relatively brief, intense, and rapidly changing responses to potentially important events’. However, when observing music theatre performance, it can be difficult for audiences to assimilate their emotional responses in the moment. These emotions may be subjective depending on individuals’ history and past experiences. This research aims to explore how orchestration can help direct audiences towards the composer’s desired emotional responses or how it can be left deliberately ambiguous allowing the audience to decide on the emotion for themselves.
This body of research aims to investigate the psychology of music and music theatre separately and then will bring the two disciplines together in an effort to elucidate the emotional psychological impact of orchestration aesthetics within the music theatre art form. This report explores current literature and demonstrates gaps in the field and how further research would benefit the development of new music theatre and work. It will also aim to understand whether certain musical aesthetics might be off-putting or alienating to audiences, creating an emotional barrier to understanding, and preventing engagement. The report concludes that there is a need for more academic attention and a clearer understanding as to what artists can do to fully engage audiences and safeguard the art form for the future.
Since the 1960s, music theatre has become a vehicle for expressionism, experimentalism and politicalism. This research project aims to take a step towards elucidating the connections between instrumental and orchestration choices made by music theatre composers and the effects they have on a modern audience, to identify key indexes which may indicate the art form’s failure to capture audience imaginations. A mixed methods approach was selected for this research, drawing inspiration from social science experiments, psychological experiments and previous musical experiments such as those carried out by Tim Coker in 2005/2006. By taking these methods and expanding upon them, it will be easier to develop an understanding of the state of the art, audience perception of the artform and their emotional responses. This research has so far demonstrated that audiences have a decent perception of instrumentation in music theatre, but this is mostly demonstrated when their attention is brought to it. Further research is required to fully understand how instrumentation
and emotion are linked on an emotional-psychological level.
When it comes to small-scale, experimental theatre there is often a blur between composer and orc... more When it comes to small-scale, experimental theatre there is often a blur between composer and orchestrator where the two separate roles often become one and the same. Orchestrators in musical theatre have very clear boundaries of work and orchestrations themselves have an important part to play. At present, there is little to no study which explores the fascinating and extremely complex task of orchestrating highly nuanced and highly experimental compositional ideas.
New music theatre emerged in the 1960s and 1970s and can be located in the late post-modern period of avant-garde experimentation. The German term Musiktheater, the coinage of the term often attributed to Walter Felsenstein (Bawtree, 1991: 2), related to his approach to directing productions of existing opera repertoire for the Komische Oper and has been used since to describe work testing new ideas in the space between opera and musical.
The methodology for this study is grounded in score-based research and accompanying interview alongside careful analysis and evaluation of music theatre work since the 1960s which may be compared to contemporary music theatre work. This project will also contribute an element of Practice as Research. This study will use multiple methods of data collection including interview, survey, material such as archived video as well as information contained in scores and printed publications such as journals and theses.
This research will investigate and elucidate the significance of the role that orchestration and instrumental choices play in the creation of contemporary, experimental music theatre and identify them as a contributing aesthetic of the art form. This study will achieve this by first understanding audience attitudes towards experimental productions. This research aims to fill the space between discussion and analysis of music theatre by concentrating on one specific area of the art form. There is presently no singular study of understanding the developing orchestration development in music theatre instead studies refer to the subject in passing.
Jamaican heritage is rarely represented in contemporary British theatre, although the tropical cl... more Jamaican heritage is rarely represented in contemporary British theatre, although the tropical climate has provided for a rich culture in performing arts at home. This paper aims to discover what music driven performance Jamaican artists have created and whether it is relative to our European forms of music theatre or musical theatre. The paper concludes that music theatre is an continued effective vehicle for delivering heavier subject matter but has not been fully explored as a vehicle for Jamaican story telling even though the open-ended characteristics of the genre could be an interesting area to explore, especially with the current social movements. This paper calls for more experimental music theatre work which celebrates Britain's developing cultural diversity.
Accepted PhD proposal. Music Theatre has long been a contentious subject. Many composers have da... more Accepted PhD proposal.
Music Theatre has long been a contentious subject. Many composers have dabbled in the creation of music theatre work alongside their experimental ‘straight’ music work. A satisfactory or explicit explanation of the term and to what it refers in either academic or artistic terms has yet to be produced. Many different practitioners and academics have offered differing opinions to the exactitude of music theatre with a general consensus never being reached. This study will propose to thoroughly examine the orchestration and instrumentation used to create atmosphere, environment and how it helps to develop plot or programme.
In order to achieve the research aims and answer my questions, this proposed thesis intends to cover topics such as music theatre’s location in an artistic context, immersive theatre, intermediality, opera/operetta and other music driven theatre, the melodrama of Leoš Janáček, experimental music and sound art. This proposal details the aim to complete a PhD thesis that will aim to discover music and theatre’s relationship and how instrumentation and orchestration in music theatre work has developed since its emergence in the 1960s. This will be achieved through the careful study and analysis of scores, texts with an emphasis on the instrumentation and orchestration of work. The proposed period of study will focus mainly on the last forty years.
Composers such as Bertolt Brecht, John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Harrison Birtwistle, although workin... more Composers such as Bertolt Brecht, John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Harrison Birtwistle, although working independently of each other, have been prolific in creating experimental music theatre work, which often challenged the political landscape of their times. They set a precedent for the new synthesis of a new music theatre, which had not been recognised before as a new art form. This new kind of work would set a standard in theatre which effectively blended drama, music, properties and other theatrical elements found in ‘traditional’ theatre.
This paper explores the history of music theatre and the etymology of said phrase from Brecht in the 1940s up until the present day. It discusses where music theatre sits in realation to other music driven theatre and describes ways in which music theatre was created. Following this, this paper offers an in depth analysis of music for theatre work and introduces the theory that music theatre can be identified in a logical way using a five step model. The results of this test show that there is scope in creating a working model however it will need to be ratified and tested further in order to increase its validity. This paper concludes that although music theatre’s hay day was during the 60s and 70s, when institutions such as Dartington College of Arts had a major impact on the arts, it is still an emerging art form with room for growth.
Sound art has a long history but is an underappreciated art form which is often complex and chall... more Sound art has a long history but is an underappreciated art form which is often complex and challenging to the human ear. This paper explores the relationship between sound art and music theatre practices between the 1960s and the present day. It will offer a discourse between sound art performance and installation, with an exploration into the praxis of creating sound art with examples and case studies of works and practitioners. Through case-study methodology, this paper will take its references from performances and primary research technique. This paper explores the history of sound art and then applies theories to artists past and present.
Part One locates sound art in an artist context and provides history and theories. Part Two offers a deeper examination and discourse of sound art as music theatre. The paper finds that sound art which is located in a theatrical context often contains theatrical elements such as lighting, costume design, staging and song. This paper concludes that sound art and music theatre can be combined to create a new synthesis however, there is still leverage for a debate as to what could be used as an acceptable term for describing such a synthesis.
This paper looks into the concept of ‘Design as Theatre’ and how design is used within music thea... more This paper looks into the concept of ‘Design as Theatre’ and how design is used within music theatre, opera and musical theatre to drive and re-enforce the political or story points being portrayed to an audience. Using examples from history and the contemporary, this paper explores how theatre design has changed and why. The paper also asks how technology influences our theatre making and design. Throughout this paper I focus on apprising theatre design and how elements can be used to create new work whilst informing the development of music theatre art.
Chapter One focuses on historical contexts and the concept of design as performance, as well as introducing artists who will be the focus of this paper. Chapter Two concentrates on design, space and the audience and how the three interact. Chapter Three looks at how design can help develop music theatre work as well as the establishment of an art form, which utilises design elements in a non-conventional way.
This paper concludes by considering whether we should be contemplating re-establishing the philosophy of new music theatre or merely work to further establish it and how design can help us achieve both the former and the latter.
This paper looks into how professionals can work towards establishing music theatre as a credible... more This paper looks into how professionals can work towards establishing music theatre as a credible art form. Professionals who dedicate much of their lives creating this very specalised work will contribute to making music theatre a more recognised art form.
This research paper explores music theatre writing and research since its conception in the 1960s... more This research paper explores music theatre writing and research since its conception in the 1960s. It will explore what music theatre is or isn’t and will serve as a resource for me to draw upon whilst writing my own music theatre portfolio. I will be looking at different practices and practitioners such as Kagel and Cage as well as more contemporary practitioners and music theatre groups.
Please note the focus of this paper is toward MUSIC THEATRE as apposed to musicAL theatre.
Thesis by Ryan Thomas Green
This thesis explores the psychological effects of observing experimental music theatre performanc... more This thesis explores the psychological effects of observing experimental music theatre performance video recording. Experiencing music theatre can evoke a range of aesthetic and psychological emotions in audiences. These include joy, sadness, fear, unease, excitement, and empathy. Immersion in stories and characters can lead to temporary shifts in mood, perception, and relationships with the artwork. Watching experimental performance can activate areas of the brain associated with reward and emotion and in some cases, memory formation. These neural responses contribute to a sense of enjoyment, distress, and personal growth. The psychological impact of music theatre can be argued to extend beyond any single performance and shape how audiences interpret and respond to the world around them. By considering theatrical elements, and synthesising them with music, music theatre is a uniquely powerful medium for influencing the mind and shaping human psychology. Music Theatre productions create a sense of discovery and challenge assumptions about what is possible within the art form. By incorporating avant-garde technique, intermediality, and unconventional spaces, and often using complex musical language, music theatre can be perceptively alienating to some observers. This exposure to abstract and ambiguous performance activates cognitive processes as audiences work to make meaning from them. This leads to a heightened sense of engagement and generating confusion, frustration, or discomfort. Overall, this thesis demonstrates that music theatre produces profound and lasting psychological effects on audiences. This leads to wider discussions around philosophy, art, and culture and how composers can galvanise music theatre work for future audiences.
Immersive theatre is an exciting and dynamic art form which emerged as a popular new theatre prac... more Immersive theatre is an exciting and dynamic art form which emerged as a popular new theatre practice in 1980s, stemming from the combination of installation art, physical and visual theatre practices (Machon, 2013: xv).
The research for this dissertation is twofold. Secondary research is in the form of a comprehensive literature review which analyses previous writing and journals published on intermediality and immersive theatre. Primary research came from an online survey held from July to August of 2017 to discover the attitudes towards the art form. The results from these studies are discussed and summarised.
This dissertation questions how contemporary theatre companies create dynamic and stimulating performance works for today’s audiences. It aims to discover how many people attend performances such as those known as ‘immersive’ (to completely surround or fully involve an audience) or ‘site-specific’ (performance work created specifically for a space or place). It will address the issues of intermediality and immersive performance art and how soundscapes can be created to fully involve audiences in work which is relevant to the political and cultural climate of the twenty-first century. The dissertation will reference the work of Living Structures, Smoosh & Smoosh and Heiner Goebbels with a heavy emphasis on exploring the music used within selected pieces of work.
This dissertation will argue that there is significance for an immersive music theatre synthesis which is reflected through ticket sales and performances produced in Britain. It will reflect upon how music theatre art can become a catalyst for opening accessibility to work previously viewed as ‘high art’. The area of study spans the last two centuries. It finds that we are in danger of losing sight of seeing immersive theatre technique as ‘art’ but instead they are becoming fully sellable products which are more like attractions than reasons to tell a story. We may also have to rely on big name brands to help support our work as artists as immersive theatre may or may not be a popular form of theatre.
The main body of this dissertation is contained in chapter five where there is a discussion how intermediality is used within immersive theatre and to what extent. The chapter also discusses whether intermediality could be viewed as an aesthetic of immersive (music) theatre.
The orchestra is often the most underappreciated element of a theatre company. This dissertation ... more The orchestra is often the most underappreciated element of a theatre company. This dissertation explores the role of the musician in both music theatre and musical theatre and aims to discover the extent of their expanding or contracting roles in both a commercial context, such as Broadway or the West-End, and non-commercial context, such as (off)-off-Broadway and off-West End. The timeframe of study is between 1969 and the present day. It will also highlight links to artists such as Marina Abramović. This dissertation asks if the role of the musician working within music theatre and musical theatre becomes one that is so extended that their job title is no longer appropriate. It outlines the musician’s historical role in theatre and their differing responsibilities in opera, music theatre and musical theatre. This dissertation also makes comparisons between musicians working in these two art forms.
Chapter One focuses upon the histories and theories of new music theatre and musical theatre, including Gesamtkunstwerk and the historic roots from opera. Chapter Two focuses upon music theatre as a hybrid, versatile art form that allows musicians to play a larger role in the creation and delivery of theatre performance, while Chapter Three documents how musical theatre performers responsibilities are moving away from the conventions traditionally found and the title of ‘actor’ or ‘musician’ are no longer appropriate as the job roles have expanded. The chapter looks at the how writing of performance includes set design and considers how this impacts on the audience’s experience of seeing a theatre work performed is changing and musicians and the orchestra are further disappearing making a performance cleaner and more ‘magical’.
This dissertation concludes that the role of the musician differs between the music driven theatres and that the future of musical theatre is unclear because there are few new younger writers and producers willing to invest both their reputation and finance into new performance art which does not fit a working commercial formula.
Books by Ryan Thomas Green
An exploratory research essay into the art form of Music Theatre. It looks into the Concepts, The... more An exploratory research essay into the art form of Music Theatre. It looks into the Concepts, Theories and Practices of the art. This book is aimed at young professionals and students hoping to work in contemporary performance art and to help them clarify their understanding of Music Theatre. This book has been carefully re-edited to include an easier, more coherant layout and split into three chapters. This essential reader is a must have for all performance students.
Buy online at: http://www.lulu.com/shop/ryan-green/music-theatre-concepts-theories-and-practices/paperback/product-22097945.html
The Open Review , 2022
As a result of recent publications in the field of music theatre there has been a resurgence of i... more As a result of recent publications in the field of music theatre there has been a resurgence of interest in this highly misunderstood art form. This paper discusses the methodology and results from an online survey which investigated emotional responses to orchestration1 and instrumental aesthetics in contemporary music theatre. This report summarises the current literature, demonstrates gaps in the field, and suggests how further research may benefit the development of new music theatre. The research tests the hypothesis that music theatre is accidentally alienating to non-familiar audiences because of its complex musical language and perceived associations with opera and the ever-popular Broadway/West End musical. Since the 1960s, music theatre has been used to express artistic experimentalism in music performance. This paper aims to elucidate the connections between the instrumental and orchestration choices made by music theatre composers and the effects they have on a modern audience to identify key indexes which may indicate the art form’s failure to capture audience imaginations or to engage audiences emotionally. This research indicates that audiences generally have a good perception of instrumentation in music theatre. There is also evidence to support the hypothesis that there is a connection between lack of aesthetic appreciation (the admiration of beauty in art) and negative emotional response. However there remains a gap in our understanding of the abstract nature of music theatre, which some audience members struggle to comprehend or engage with emotionally.
Sloboda and Juslin (2010: 74) describe emotions as ‘relatively brief, intense, and rapidly changi... more Sloboda and Juslin (2010: 74) describe emotions as ‘relatively brief, intense, and rapidly changing responses to potentially important events’. However, when observing music theatre performance, it can be difficult for audiences to assimilate their emotional responses in the moment. These emotions may be subjective depending on individuals’ history and past experiences. This research aims to explore how orchestration can help direct audiences towards the composer’s desired emotional responses or how it can be left deliberately ambiguous allowing the audience to decide on the emotion for themselves.
This body of research aims to investigate the psychology of music and music theatre separately and then will bring the two disciplines together in an effort to elucidate the emotional psychological impact of orchestration aesthetics within the music theatre art form. This report explores current literature and demonstrates gaps in the field and how further research would benefit the development of new music theatre and work. It will also aim to understand whether certain musical aesthetics might be off-putting or alienating to audiences, creating an emotional barrier to understanding, and preventing engagement. The report concludes that there is a need for more academic attention and a clearer understanding as to what artists can do to fully engage audiences and safeguard the art form for the future.
Since the 1960s, music theatre has become a vehicle for expressionism, experimentalism and politicalism. This research project aims to take a step towards elucidating the connections between instrumental and orchestration choices made by music theatre composers and the effects they have on a modern audience, to identify key indexes which may indicate the art form’s failure to capture audience imaginations. A mixed methods approach was selected for this research, drawing inspiration from social science experiments, psychological experiments and previous musical experiments such as those carried out by Tim Coker in 2005/2006. By taking these methods and expanding upon them, it will be easier to develop an understanding of the state of the art, audience perception of the artform and their emotional responses. This research has so far demonstrated that audiences have a decent perception of instrumentation in music theatre, but this is mostly demonstrated when their attention is brought to it. Further research is required to fully understand how instrumentation
and emotion are linked on an emotional-psychological level.
When it comes to small-scale, experimental theatre there is often a blur between composer and orc... more When it comes to small-scale, experimental theatre there is often a blur between composer and orchestrator where the two separate roles often become one and the same. Orchestrators in musical theatre have very clear boundaries of work and orchestrations themselves have an important part to play. At present, there is little to no study which explores the fascinating and extremely complex task of orchestrating highly nuanced and highly experimental compositional ideas.
New music theatre emerged in the 1960s and 1970s and can be located in the late post-modern period of avant-garde experimentation. The German term Musiktheater, the coinage of the term often attributed to Walter Felsenstein (Bawtree, 1991: 2), related to his approach to directing productions of existing opera repertoire for the Komische Oper and has been used since to describe work testing new ideas in the space between opera and musical.
The methodology for this study is grounded in score-based research and accompanying interview alongside careful analysis and evaluation of music theatre work since the 1960s which may be compared to contemporary music theatre work. This project will also contribute an element of Practice as Research. This study will use multiple methods of data collection including interview, survey, material such as archived video as well as information contained in scores and printed publications such as journals and theses.
This research will investigate and elucidate the significance of the role that orchestration and instrumental choices play in the creation of contemporary, experimental music theatre and identify them as a contributing aesthetic of the art form. This study will achieve this by first understanding audience attitudes towards experimental productions. This research aims to fill the space between discussion and analysis of music theatre by concentrating on one specific area of the art form. There is presently no singular study of understanding the developing orchestration development in music theatre instead studies refer to the subject in passing.
Jamaican heritage is rarely represented in contemporary British theatre, although the tropical cl... more Jamaican heritage is rarely represented in contemporary British theatre, although the tropical climate has provided for a rich culture in performing arts at home. This paper aims to discover what music driven performance Jamaican artists have created and whether it is relative to our European forms of music theatre or musical theatre. The paper concludes that music theatre is an continued effective vehicle for delivering heavier subject matter but has not been fully explored as a vehicle for Jamaican story telling even though the open-ended characteristics of the genre could be an interesting area to explore, especially with the current social movements. This paper calls for more experimental music theatre work which celebrates Britain's developing cultural diversity.
Accepted PhD proposal. Music Theatre has long been a contentious subject. Many composers have da... more Accepted PhD proposal.
Music Theatre has long been a contentious subject. Many composers have dabbled in the creation of music theatre work alongside their experimental ‘straight’ music work. A satisfactory or explicit explanation of the term and to what it refers in either academic or artistic terms has yet to be produced. Many different practitioners and academics have offered differing opinions to the exactitude of music theatre with a general consensus never being reached. This study will propose to thoroughly examine the orchestration and instrumentation used to create atmosphere, environment and how it helps to develop plot or programme.
In order to achieve the research aims and answer my questions, this proposed thesis intends to cover topics such as music theatre’s location in an artistic context, immersive theatre, intermediality, opera/operetta and other music driven theatre, the melodrama of Leoš Janáček, experimental music and sound art. This proposal details the aim to complete a PhD thesis that will aim to discover music and theatre’s relationship and how instrumentation and orchestration in music theatre work has developed since its emergence in the 1960s. This will be achieved through the careful study and analysis of scores, texts with an emphasis on the instrumentation and orchestration of work. The proposed period of study will focus mainly on the last forty years.
Composers such as Bertolt Brecht, John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Harrison Birtwistle, although workin... more Composers such as Bertolt Brecht, John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Harrison Birtwistle, although working independently of each other, have been prolific in creating experimental music theatre work, which often challenged the political landscape of their times. They set a precedent for the new synthesis of a new music theatre, which had not been recognised before as a new art form. This new kind of work would set a standard in theatre which effectively blended drama, music, properties and other theatrical elements found in ‘traditional’ theatre.
This paper explores the history of music theatre and the etymology of said phrase from Brecht in the 1940s up until the present day. It discusses where music theatre sits in realation to other music driven theatre and describes ways in which music theatre was created. Following this, this paper offers an in depth analysis of music for theatre work and introduces the theory that music theatre can be identified in a logical way using a five step model. The results of this test show that there is scope in creating a working model however it will need to be ratified and tested further in order to increase its validity. This paper concludes that although music theatre’s hay day was during the 60s and 70s, when institutions such as Dartington College of Arts had a major impact on the arts, it is still an emerging art form with room for growth.
Sound art has a long history but is an underappreciated art form which is often complex and chall... more Sound art has a long history but is an underappreciated art form which is often complex and challenging to the human ear. This paper explores the relationship between sound art and music theatre practices between the 1960s and the present day. It will offer a discourse between sound art performance and installation, with an exploration into the praxis of creating sound art with examples and case studies of works and practitioners. Through case-study methodology, this paper will take its references from performances and primary research technique. This paper explores the history of sound art and then applies theories to artists past and present.
Part One locates sound art in an artist context and provides history and theories. Part Two offers a deeper examination and discourse of sound art as music theatre. The paper finds that sound art which is located in a theatrical context often contains theatrical elements such as lighting, costume design, staging and song. This paper concludes that sound art and music theatre can be combined to create a new synthesis however, there is still leverage for a debate as to what could be used as an acceptable term for describing such a synthesis.
This paper looks into the concept of ‘Design as Theatre’ and how design is used within music thea... more This paper looks into the concept of ‘Design as Theatre’ and how design is used within music theatre, opera and musical theatre to drive and re-enforce the political or story points being portrayed to an audience. Using examples from history and the contemporary, this paper explores how theatre design has changed and why. The paper also asks how technology influences our theatre making and design. Throughout this paper I focus on apprising theatre design and how elements can be used to create new work whilst informing the development of music theatre art.
Chapter One focuses on historical contexts and the concept of design as performance, as well as introducing artists who will be the focus of this paper. Chapter Two concentrates on design, space and the audience and how the three interact. Chapter Three looks at how design can help develop music theatre work as well as the establishment of an art form, which utilises design elements in a non-conventional way.
This paper concludes by considering whether we should be contemplating re-establishing the philosophy of new music theatre or merely work to further establish it and how design can help us achieve both the former and the latter.
This paper looks into how professionals can work towards establishing music theatre as a credible... more This paper looks into how professionals can work towards establishing music theatre as a credible art form. Professionals who dedicate much of their lives creating this very specalised work will contribute to making music theatre a more recognised art form.
This research paper explores music theatre writing and research since its conception in the 1960s... more This research paper explores music theatre writing and research since its conception in the 1960s. It will explore what music theatre is or isn’t and will serve as a resource for me to draw upon whilst writing my own music theatre portfolio. I will be looking at different practices and practitioners such as Kagel and Cage as well as more contemporary practitioners and music theatre groups.
Please note the focus of this paper is toward MUSIC THEATRE as apposed to musicAL theatre.
This thesis explores the psychological effects of observing experimental music theatre performanc... more This thesis explores the psychological effects of observing experimental music theatre performance video recording. Experiencing music theatre can evoke a range of aesthetic and psychological emotions in audiences. These include joy, sadness, fear, unease, excitement, and empathy. Immersion in stories and characters can lead to temporary shifts in mood, perception, and relationships with the artwork. Watching experimental performance can activate areas of the brain associated with reward and emotion and in some cases, memory formation. These neural responses contribute to a sense of enjoyment, distress, and personal growth. The psychological impact of music theatre can be argued to extend beyond any single performance and shape how audiences interpret and respond to the world around them. By considering theatrical elements, and synthesising them with music, music theatre is a uniquely powerful medium for influencing the mind and shaping human psychology. Music Theatre productions create a sense of discovery and challenge assumptions about what is possible within the art form. By incorporating avant-garde technique, intermediality, and unconventional spaces, and often using complex musical language, music theatre can be perceptively alienating to some observers. This exposure to abstract and ambiguous performance activates cognitive processes as audiences work to make meaning from them. This leads to a heightened sense of engagement and generating confusion, frustration, or discomfort. Overall, this thesis demonstrates that music theatre produces profound and lasting psychological effects on audiences. This leads to wider discussions around philosophy, art, and culture and how composers can galvanise music theatre work for future audiences.
Immersive theatre is an exciting and dynamic art form which emerged as a popular new theatre prac... more Immersive theatre is an exciting and dynamic art form which emerged as a popular new theatre practice in 1980s, stemming from the combination of installation art, physical and visual theatre practices (Machon, 2013: xv).
The research for this dissertation is twofold. Secondary research is in the form of a comprehensive literature review which analyses previous writing and journals published on intermediality and immersive theatre. Primary research came from an online survey held from July to August of 2017 to discover the attitudes towards the art form. The results from these studies are discussed and summarised.
This dissertation questions how contemporary theatre companies create dynamic and stimulating performance works for today’s audiences. It aims to discover how many people attend performances such as those known as ‘immersive’ (to completely surround or fully involve an audience) or ‘site-specific’ (performance work created specifically for a space or place). It will address the issues of intermediality and immersive performance art and how soundscapes can be created to fully involve audiences in work which is relevant to the political and cultural climate of the twenty-first century. The dissertation will reference the work of Living Structures, Smoosh & Smoosh and Heiner Goebbels with a heavy emphasis on exploring the music used within selected pieces of work.
This dissertation will argue that there is significance for an immersive music theatre synthesis which is reflected through ticket sales and performances produced in Britain. It will reflect upon how music theatre art can become a catalyst for opening accessibility to work previously viewed as ‘high art’. The area of study spans the last two centuries. It finds that we are in danger of losing sight of seeing immersive theatre technique as ‘art’ but instead they are becoming fully sellable products which are more like attractions than reasons to tell a story. We may also have to rely on big name brands to help support our work as artists as immersive theatre may or may not be a popular form of theatre.
The main body of this dissertation is contained in chapter five where there is a discussion how intermediality is used within immersive theatre and to what extent. The chapter also discusses whether intermediality could be viewed as an aesthetic of immersive (music) theatre.
The orchestra is often the most underappreciated element of a theatre company. This dissertation ... more The orchestra is often the most underappreciated element of a theatre company. This dissertation explores the role of the musician in both music theatre and musical theatre and aims to discover the extent of their expanding or contracting roles in both a commercial context, such as Broadway or the West-End, and non-commercial context, such as (off)-off-Broadway and off-West End. The timeframe of study is between 1969 and the present day. It will also highlight links to artists such as Marina Abramović. This dissertation asks if the role of the musician working within music theatre and musical theatre becomes one that is so extended that their job title is no longer appropriate. It outlines the musician’s historical role in theatre and their differing responsibilities in opera, music theatre and musical theatre. This dissertation also makes comparisons between musicians working in these two art forms.
Chapter One focuses upon the histories and theories of new music theatre and musical theatre, including Gesamtkunstwerk and the historic roots from opera. Chapter Two focuses upon music theatre as a hybrid, versatile art form that allows musicians to play a larger role in the creation and delivery of theatre performance, while Chapter Three documents how musical theatre performers responsibilities are moving away from the conventions traditionally found and the title of ‘actor’ or ‘musician’ are no longer appropriate as the job roles have expanded. The chapter looks at the how writing of performance includes set design and considers how this impacts on the audience’s experience of seeing a theatre work performed is changing and musicians and the orchestra are further disappearing making a performance cleaner and more ‘magical’.
This dissertation concludes that the role of the musician differs between the music driven theatres and that the future of musical theatre is unclear because there are few new younger writers and producers willing to invest both their reputation and finance into new performance art which does not fit a working commercial formula.
An exploratory research essay into the art form of Music Theatre. It looks into the Concepts, The... more An exploratory research essay into the art form of Music Theatre. It looks into the Concepts, Theories and Practices of the art. This book is aimed at young professionals and students hoping to work in contemporary performance art and to help them clarify their understanding of Music Theatre. This book has been carefully re-edited to include an easier, more coherant layout and split into three chapters. This essential reader is a must have for all performance students.
Buy online at: http://www.lulu.com/shop/ryan-green/music-theatre-concepts-theories-and-practices/paperback/product-22097945.html