Thesis+Based+Research+Assignment

__Why did you go down this research path?__: I have always been interested in musical theatre, and since I want to pursue a career in musical theatre I figured I should learn a little bit more about it. __Driving Question__: What are the technical/business steps needed to put on a successful musical? __Specific Questions__: What kind of knowledge do you need to produce a musical? What kind of people do you need? Are there many different ways to produce a musical?
 * Rationale for Research / Introduction**

A. Trapnell, Lynda. //The Stage Advice//. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. . B. Spilman, Beverley. //Prospects//. Aug. 2008. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. . C. Sinn, Aaron. //EHow//. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. . D. "THEATER PRODUCTION." //History.com//. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. . E. Hischak, Thomas S. //Theatre As Human Action - An Introduction to Theatre Arts//. Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2006. Print. F. Ford, Mary Jo and Richard E. Schneider. //The Theater Management Handbook//. Ohio: Betterway Books, 1999. Print. G. Kenrick, John. //Musicals101.com//. 2002. Web. 11 Oct. 2009. . H. Frommer, Harvey and Myrna Katz Frommer. //It Happened on Broadway - An Oral History of the Great White Way//. New York: Harcourt Brace. 1998. Print.
 * Research**
 * 1) The first step to starting any show is obtaining and purchasing the rights to the show. You do this by contacting the playwright, and or composer, and negotiate a settlement allowing you to be in control of the rights of the show (1).
 * 2) The next step is to find people to invest in the show, giving you the money you need to make the show happen (1).
 * 3) Next you must find a creative team, starting with the director, then hiring a musical director, choreographer, and lighting and sound designers (1).
 * 4) Lastly you must publicize the show well before you plan to open so people know about it and will want to see the show (2).
 * 5) "(I)f you are producing a brand-new piece in which you have a great deal of confidence, it will be worth paying a little more to have the option for a West End transfer, touring and even, perhaps, worldwide rights, if the originators will consider granting this to you. During the time of your option(s), nobody else can put on this particular show " (1).
 * 1) The theatre manager must oversee the budget for a production and handle the financial outcome (1).
 * 2) They also manage the staff including the box office workers and backstage help (1).
 * 3) They are usually responsible for leading marketing and publicity campaigns (1).
 * 4) "Theatre managers have responsibility for all the artistic work produced within a theatre and for the management of all parts of the organization, in a career that demands both commercial and creative skills" (1).
 * 5) "Ensuring that a theatre works successfully on a commercial and a practical level requires a passion for theatre, enthusiasm and a hands-on approach" (1).
 * 1) The most important things you need to start with are finding a good script and director that wants to work with you (1).
 * 2) Then you will need to cast your show. Holding auditions will help you find the best possible actors for the parts (1).
 * 3) For musicals you have to be sure you organize enough rehearsals for dancing, singing, and acting because musicals are harder learn than straight plays (1).
 * 4) "Your director can help to play a crucial role in the actual pre-production of the musical itself" (1).
 * 1) The director is responsible for the creative and artistic decisions and making sure the show looks like one unified production (8).
 * 2) "The director, usually in conjunction with the designers (and perhaps the producer), determines a concept, motif, or interpretation for the script or scenario; selects a cast, rehearses them; and usually has a deciding role in scenery, costumes, lights, and sound. Movement, timing, pacing, and visual and aural effects are all determined by the director; what the audience finally sees is the director’s vision" (8).
 * 3) The producer is in charge of the overall product, larger productions tend to have numerous producers (8).
 * 4) During the rehearsal process, blocking is taught, lines are memorized, actors interpret their characters and it all turns into one polished show (9).
 * 5) If the show is a musical then extra rehearsals are needed to learn the dances with the choreographer and the songs with the music director (9).
 * 6) The set design is the visual space that tells where the show takes place (10).
 * 7) "Costumes convey information about the character and aid in setting the tone or mood of the production" (14).
 * 8) "(M)akeup is used for two purposes: to emphasize and reinforce facial features that might otherwise be lost under bright lights or at a distance and to alter signs of age, skin tone, or nose shape" (14).
 * 1) "The modern director must take the playwright's blueprint and, using actors and designers, turn it into a conceptualized piece of art" (116).
 * 2) Most rehearsal periods begin with a read through, then move into blocking rehearsals, then retrace rehearsals, interpretation rehearsals, run through rehearsals, tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and some directors even have a preview performance before opening night (129-130).
 * 3) In musicals, the choreographer often takes on the role of director for dance numbers and scenes that have songs but no dancing (133).
 * 4) In show business the script is thought of as a property, like a piece of land hoping to be sold and developed (140).
 * 5) "Because the costs of presenting a musical on Broadway have risen so high, it often takes several producers and organizations to find the money to finance such an expensive operation" (139).
 * 1) "When money is tight, it may seem difficult to spend another thousand dollars on promotion, but if that additional thousand dollars brings in an extra thousand and one dollars in ticket revenue, then it is usually worthwhile to make the investment. In addition to extra ticket sales, there is also likely to be an increase in concession income, as well as the intangible but important benefit of simply having a larger audience in the house" (164).
 * 2) Some different forms of advertising your show are: print advertising (flyers, window cards), radio, and television (164).
 * 3) To manage a theater you must have business, organizational, and technical skills, but mostly people skills (231).
 * 4) The manager has to deal with everyone including the artist, the producer, the patron, the stage hand, the ticket seller, the cleaning staff, and the board of directors ( 231).
 * 5) It is the theater manager's job to bring all the different elements of a production (onstage, backstage, and the front of the house) together ( 231).
 * 1) The composer and lyricist and the members of the creative team that write the music and lyrics, often they are the same person but no always (1).
 * 2) The librettist (book writer) writes the book, or script, of the show. "In musicals where the dialogue is almost completely replaced by music (//Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables//), the librettist is essentially responsible for making sure everything weaves into a coherent dramatic flow" (1).
 * 3) The choreographer must create movement that visually keeps the show flowing together (2).
 * 4) One of the most unappreciated and yet most crucial members of the creative team is the lighting designer. "With the exception of the music, nothing sets the mood for a scene as quickly or clearly as the lighting" (2).
 * 5) "He or she is in charge of everything involving the musical aspects of a show -- from song rehearsals to maintaining musical performances through a show's run" (3).
 * 1) When costume designers make period pieces they must study that period to make sure their costumes are accurate (239).
 * 2) Sometimes when an actor plays a certain character, that character stays with them after the show is over (247).
 * 3) "Casting is one of the hardest parts of the process" (253).
 * 4) If you cast the right people for the right parts, the audience will get a real good sense of the play (253).

__My specific stance on the topic:__ It takes a lot of work to put on a musical and all of the creative and technical elements must come together in order for the show to be a success. __Initial Thesis__: There are many business and artistic elements needed to produce a successful musical, including purchasing the rights, budgeting, and finding the right people to fill the necessary roles and jobs.
 * Thesis**


 * Findings & Support for Findings**
 * 1) The main steps you need to take when producing a musical are: finding the rights, finding investors, hiring a creative team, rehearsing the show, and publicizing the show.
 * 2) Support: A1-5, C1-4, E2
 * 3) There are so many jobs involved in putting on a musical besides just being an actor.
 * 4) A3, B1-5, D1-3, D6-8, E1, E3, F4-5, G1-5, H1
 * 5) The rehearsal process for a musical is long and challenging, more so than for a straight play.
 * 6) C3, D4-5, E1-3
 * 7) The producer has a lot of power of the show.
 * 8) A1-5, C1-4, D3, E5
 * 9) A theatre manager's job entails a lot of work.
 * 10) B1-5, F1-5.

__What I learned__: I learned specifically what all the jobs in the theatre world are and what they do. __Thinking skills__: I looked for jobs strictly in theatre, not any other areas of the the show business world. __Research skills I need to improve on__: I need to think of better key words to search for. I also need to learn how to not procrastinate. __Prior knowledge that turned out to be incorrect or incomplete__: I had no idea how much power the producer has in a show, especially that he or she can pull the plug on a show at any time if it is doing poorly and losing money.
 * Process Reflection**

__How did your findings fit back into the big picture of your project?__: All of my findings relate back to my overall theme, all the different aspects of musical theatre. With this new found information i will be able to thoroughly describe the processes i learned about in my paper. __How will this research help you move forward with your project?__: It gave me a better understanding of all the different sides of the theatre world, so now I will have an easier time describing it in a formal paper.
 * Connections to the Overall Project**