Introduction and Context

• Speaker: Margaret Hall, musical theater historian, writer, teacher
• Topic: How we communicate about theater as art form
• Core question: How do we approach aging art?
• Theater = collaborative art form for human communication
• American theater industry avoids foundation-shifting question about aging art

American Musical as Young Art Form

• American musical relatively young: 156 years old (using 1866's "The Black Crook" as marker)
• Feels ancient to us but baby compared to preceding theater forms
• 5 generations = time for tradition to feel ancient to child
• No one alive today witnessed its beginning in 1866
• Traditions take on "constant feeling" over generations

Artistic Generations in Theater

• 25 years = average dividing line between eras as tastes change
• American musical currently in 6th artistic generation
• Just passed "ancient marker" - milestone achievement
• Transition from teenage art form to young adult
• Art form is growing up, time to address growing pains

Current Industry Avoidance

• Industry avoiding aging art question since 1970s nostalgia craze
• Lack proper language for these conversations
• Many older shows difficult for modern audiences
• Difficulty = direct sign of progress (would be worried if sensibilities hadn't changed in 156 years)

Framework Philosophy

• Think of theater as alive, not static museum piece
• Contains creator's soul living on in work
• View as dynamic, aging community member
• Key questions:
  • What is piece trying to communicate?
  • Still communicating message effectively?
  • Does something else communicate message better now?
  • Doing more help than harm?

Five-Category Framework

• Personal framework taught to students globally
• Not perfect, lifetime of refinement needed
• Provides language for discussing aging in modern zeitgeist
• Categories have porous divisions - subjective interpretations

Category 1: "Active"

• Piece communicates message effectively without problems interfering
• Example: "The Sound of Music"
  • Message of heart, hope, humanity resonates worldwide
  • Most performed regional/community/educational theater piece
  • Still teaching lessons to audiences

Category 2: "Tricky"

• Problems can be mitigated through direction/performance
• Most flexible part of framework
• Examples: "Oklahoma!" and "South Pacific"
  • Landmark revivals in last 15 years
  • Changed current generation's view without changing single word
  • Material has strength for modern retelling with responsible lifting

Category 3: "Troublesome"

• Problems baked into piece itself
• Still resonates but may cause discomfort upon close examination
• Example: "The King and I"
  • Worthwhile messages: lifelong learning, equality, cooperation
  • Problematic aspects: white saviorism, East Asia treatment, underwritten Siamese women

Category 4: "Augmented"

• Need complete redo of aspect to make palatable
• Concept of "revisal"
• Example: "Flower Drum Song"
  • Written from deep love/respect for Asian American community
  • Oscar writing from perspective of community he couldn't truly join
  • 2002: David Henry Hwang (Asian American playwright) dramatically revised
  • Used zeitgeist songs as soundtrack for honest representation

Category 5: "Archived"

• Has historical value but doesn't need public performance
• More value as "where we've been" than "where we're going"
• Not synonymous with "bad" - typically extremely useful in their day
• Example: 1927's "Show Boat"
  • Inarguably one of most important musicals in American canon
  • Changed onstage conversations, revolutionized musical possibilities
  • Ceased creating productive discussion with modern audiences
  • Book rewritten ad nauseum pulling into modern era
  • More valuable as historical example than forward-looking guide

Conclusion and Call to Action

• Disagreement on placements acceptable - shows could exist in different categorical permutations
• Important to have discussions with proper language
• Conversations = only way to grow
• Must make conscious decisions about what art serves community going forward
• Need difficult conversations with grace and consideration