Musical Scene Study

Musical Scene Study
In-depth study of two genres of musical theatre; text analysis, research, written assignments.
TMA
229
 Hours3.0 Credit, 6.0 Lecture, 0.0 Lab
 PrerequisitesTMA 228 & MUSIC 161 & DANCE 140; BFA acting or BFA MDT major status. By audition only.
 TaughtWinter
 ProgramsContaining TMA 229
Course Outcomes

Knowledge Acquisition

  • Recognize the need for all actors to be able to work in a musical production.
  • Recognize the basic construction of a musical.
  • Be familiar with the vocal and dance expectations placed on a performer in a musical.
  • Understand the collaborative process involved in mounting a musical.
  • Understand the demands placed on the performer in a 'golden age' and contemporary musical.

Skill Acquisition

  • Text analysis skills that allow the actor to maximize information provided in brief librettos
  • Ability to add depth and history to characters that are not multi-layered as written
  • Ability to recognize and play the subtext in brief librettos
  • Ability to bring honesty to extended realism/dated text often found in musical librettos.
  • Ability to service the stereotypes found in musical theatre without pandering to them
  • Ability to submerge quickly into the imaginary world of short scenes often found in musicals
  • Ability to act IN and ON the text and music in a musical
  • Ability to make choices that capture the "essence" of an acting scene in a musical as readily as the music and dance do
  • Ability to work quickly with little rehearsal of the "book scenes" of a musical
  • Ability to adapt one's "concentration mix" when acting/singing/dancing in a musical.

Behavioral Modification

  • Develop professional wok habits including dependability, punctuality, cooperation and dedication.
  • Further develop sensory organs that allow one to see, hear, smell, taste and touch more fully
  • Further develop the actors' innate sense of following an impulse, objective, honesty, and working through a partner