The Musical of Musicals - The Musical!
An Honors Thesis (HONRS 499)
by
Ethan Mathias
Thesis Advisor
Jennifer Blackmer
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
May 3, 2007
May 5, 2007
"The Musical of Musicals - The Musicalf"
Ethan Mathias
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Abstract
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The lvfusical of Musicals - The lviusical! is a unique musical comedy that both
satirizes and salutes the genre of musical theatre. Over the course of the evening, the
actors perform five "mini-shows", each in the style of a different musical theatre
composer or composing team-Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry
Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kander and Ebb. The Musical of Musicals The
Musical! both mocks and praises the subject musical theatre enjoys most-itself. Because
of the varying musical styles, each show required a different directorial approach to
emphasize the appropriate elements of the show's music, plot and staging. The glitzy feel
of the Jerry Herman parody would be impossible to achieve if it were to be directed with
the same theatrical ideas that guided directing. In order to better understand my thoughts
regarding the show and its production process, I am including a copy ofthe director's
script, an excerpt from the musical score with choreography notes and copies of my
handwritten notes from rehearsals.
Acknowledgements
- I want to thank Professor Jennifer Blackmer for advising me throughout the
process and for helping me with interpreting various aspects of the show and
pointing me back in the right direction when I felt lost.
- I would also like to thank Professors Bill Jenkins, Karen Kessler and Harold
Mortimer for attending several rehearsals and offering the constructive criticism
necessary to identify and correct troublesome parts of the show.
As I started my senior year, I tried to think of an honors thesis or senior project
that would serve as the best representation of my experience at Ball State. When I began
college, I was a freshman theatre major in the musical theatre performance option. At the
end of my sophomore year, I switched to the theatrical studies option to pursue my
interests in directing.
This project, my production of The Musical ofMusicals - The Musical! is an
appropriate showcase of all I have learned. My love of musical theatre and my
understanding of the genre as both an actor and a director enabled me to direct the show
and apply my directing skills as well as some of the training I received during my first
two years as a performance major. Of all the theatrical productions and projects I have
been involved with over the past four years, I am especially proud of this production of
The Musical of Musicals - The A1usical!
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