Sources and Searching

Right now I have a really interesting list of a few theorists, some ideas on certain aspects of musicals, and a book I read about Awe earlier this semester. I feel like I'm still searching for the way I want to connect the three. I really want to focus on the human connection that comes from the combination of all of the elements of a musical. Wagner had the whole idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk, or "his idea of unifying all the works of art via the theatre." (#1 below) and I think there is value in entertaining this idea further. Here are some of the things I've looked at and mused over:

Annotated Bib.

Allen, Alexis. "Behind the Broadway Buzz : An Analysis of the Communications Campaigns of Broadway Musicals." Honors Project--Brigham Young University, 2005., 2005. Print.

       This is a paper on how the general public is specifically catered to in the creation of musicals. What emotional aspects must be there for a genuine connection to occur. It gives specific examples of different campaigns that I will reference in my paper. 

Bernhard, Randall Lee. "Contemporary Musical Theatre : History and Development in the Major Colleges and Universities of Utah." Thesis (Ph.D.)-- Brigham Young University. Dept. of Theatre and Cinematic Arts., 1979. Print.

This paper is super specific and I am looking into a better book about History of Theater in general, I don't like the one I have. But this book has been helpful in diving into some of the more recent developments in theater. Colleges are a little incubator for new ideas to grow. This article will help me with the end of my paper as I seek to show the relevance of the musical.

Edney, Kathryn Ann Tremper. "'Gliding through our Memories': The Performance of Nostalgia in American Musical Theater." 2009. Print.

This paper is very idealistic. But also makes some very good points about how we emotionally connect to theater performances. It has some great information about the transcendent aspect of musicals in the sense that they can bring you away from the world. I don't know if I will use it as much but possibly for a brief introduction to awe.

Garber, Michael. "Reflexive Songs in the American Musical, 1898-1947." 2006. Print.

This paper focuses specifically on American Musicals and how the songs comment on the current events in context of the story. They use irony and parody and tropes to build what he calls, "An implied community." I wanted to talk about this connection, community aspect of musicals at the end of my paper. How we connect to the play and how we and the play connect to the others watching and to life in general.

Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav), 1875-1961. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Eds. Hull, R. F. C. (Richard Francis Carrington),1913-1974., C.G. Jung, and translated by R.F.C. Hull. 2nd ed. ed. 20. Vol. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1980. Print. Archetypen Und Das Kollective Unbewusste.

Again with the community aspect of musicals (Can you tell I like the concept?) Any way here's a theorist on the topic. He gave me more of a way to read a musical, more of the formulaic way a musical is structured by giving me a background of stories and how they are structured and affect us.

Schneider, Kirk J. Awakening to Awe : Personal Stories of Profound Transformation. Ed. Kirk J. Schneider. Lanham, Md.: Jason Aronson, 2009. Print.

Walters, Sally. "Algorithms and Archetypes: Evolutionary Psychology and Carl Jung's Theory of the Collective Unconscious." Journal of Social and Evolutionary Systems 1994: 287-306. Print.

This was particularly helpful becasue Jung talks about how our thoughts and perceptions change and are affected by outside stimuli. Gets a bit too sciencey for me but it will help in identify reasons for the reactions to musicals. Are we conditioned? 

And of course Wagner- I just found him, really excited. So excited I kind of want to base my whole paper on his ideas. Any way I'm looking for a good source for him.

I also have many (17) libretti that I have looked over and loved

I will put them in as I use them. I won't use them all. 

Also I will actually annotate, don't worry. I just haven't written the paper so I'm not exactly sure where and what I want to pull from each source, I just have a general idea. Any ideas?

Greg gave me his ideas about Miracle Plays and other suggestions that will really help with the history part of the paper. 

        Dr. Burton suggested I look at Schrader, getting on that.

       If any one has any theorists they think would work well let me know, I have Jung so far.

       Also If you guys think of a musical that would fit a specific aspect of awe (theme, imagery, showcase splendor, inspiring music, etc.) Let me know, that would be helpful to get more examples in the paper. I also just love hearing what everyone says, what the favorites are. We've got to have a little fun right?

                                                  Any suggestions are great! Thanks Guys

Wagner