The Musical Actor Between Art and Science
Keywords:
Musical Theater, Musical Actor, musical, theatre, music, dance, performance, singing, acting, technique, training, method, composer, score, lyrics, librettoAbstract
When someone sees a theatre performance — argued director Andrei Şerban at the Ipotesti Traveling Academy, which I attended in the summer of 2013 — it must reach three thresholds to be truly captivating: one should understand the plot, like it and, above all, believe it. But can anybody believe a character who, on the verge of death, begins to sing or a chorus of dancing cats? This is where the fascinating world of Musical Theater begins: a world with its own rules, with a special language, with performing techniques different from those used in classical theatre and special skills requested from the performing artists. The article aims to analyse the complexity of this theatrical genre, as well as the process of the Musical Actor through which he or she can go from the libretto and score to a performance in which his/her character is alive and totally believable. Since this form of theatre requires that performers have various skills and knowledge like acting, singing, and dancing, the article also aims to highlight the importance of developing a teaching method dedicated to the specific needs of the Musical Actor.
References
Deer, J., Dal Vera, R. (2008). Acting in Musical Theatre. London: Routledge.
Franceschina, J. (2015). Music Theory through Musical Theatre – Putting it together. New York: Oxford University Press.
Giuleanu, V. (1986). Tratat de Teoria Muzicii. București: Ed. Muzicală.
Knapp, R. (2005). The American Musical and the Formation of Nation Identity. Princeton University Press.
Mitchell, J.D. (1982). Theatre: The Search for Style. Northwood Institute Press.
More, T., Bergman, A. (2008). Acting the Song. New York: Allworth Press.
Taylor, M., Symonds, D. (2014). Studying Musical Theatre. London: Palgrave UK.
Woolford, J. (2013). How Musicals Work. London: Nick Hern Books Limited.
