University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2006 A 16 Bar Cut: The History Of American Musical Theatrean Original Script And Monograph Document Rockford Sansom University of Central Florida Part of the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Sansom, Rockford, "A 16 Bar Cut: The History Of American Musical Theatrean Original Script And Monograph Document" (2006). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 1070. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/1070 A 16 BAR CUT: THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE An Original Script and Monograph Document by ROCKFORD ALLEN SANSOM B.F.A., Acting, University of West Florida, 2003 B.A., English Literature, University of West Florida, 2003 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in the Department of Theatre in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2006 © 2005 Rockford Sansom ii ABSTRACT Believing that a thesis should encompass all aspects of a conservatory training program, I will write and perform—in collaboration with my classmate Patrick John Moran—a new musical entitled A 16 Bar Cut: The History of American Musical Theatre as the capstone project for my Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. A 16 Bar Cut will be a two-man show that tells the entire history of American musical theatre from the ancient Greeks to today in a tongue-in-cheek manner. The goal of the project is to pay homage to an original American art form in a night of zany silliness and hilarity. The show will feature an informative perspective on the rise and current status of American musical theatre, several new songs, complete irreverence, and grown men singing, dancing, and making utter fools of themselves. Creating my thesis show will test and stretch my knowledge base of the musical theatre art form and virtually every skill that I have developed in my course of study. Since A 16 Bar Cut centers on the historical journey of musical theatre, constructing the new work will demonstrate my understanding of musical theatre history and literature. Performing the show will also challenge my ability and craftsmanship as an actor, singer, and dancer. Not only will I create a through-line character—a heightened, silly, professorial version of myself, but I will also create approximately fifty additional characters used throughout the show. The vocal and dance requirements for my track will also be numerous and demanding. And since the show travels through the major movements of musical theatre history, I will have to dance, sing, and act in the various styles and qualities of each movement and time period. Other significant challenges will center on script development. The first obstacle will be synthesizing music theatre into a single evening while maintaining an arc, storyline, and Patrick iii and my specific point of view about the genre. Another complexity to the show will be accessibility to the audience—how to be respectful to and informative about musical theatre, while at the same time being entertaining and funny to a wide array of audience members who will vary in musical theatre knowledge. In addition, developing a two-man thesis will require a complete collaboration with Patrick Moran. Since musical theatre is rarely—if ever—a solo art, working as a team will expand and exercise my collaborative abilities. And producing the show with Patrick will test supplementary skills such as marketing, resourcefulness, design and technical elements, etc. The Research and Analysis portion of my monograph document will be structured according to the M.F.A. Thesis Guidelines as applicable to my specific project. The (A) Research section will consist of a biographical glossary on all of the composers and lyricists referenced in A 16 Bar Cut. Librettists’ information will be included when their work is pertinent. Additionally, each composer, lyricists, and librettists will be discussed in regards to their significance in musical theatre history. The (B) Structural Analysis section will describe the show’s organization and construction and how the structural problems mentioned above are solved. The (C) Role Analysis section will have three sub-sections focusing on my different roles in the production as a playwright, producer, and actor. iv For my mother, Brenda For my father, Jerry For my sister, Katie And for my brother, Patrick v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In every creative and collaborative effort, there are always a plethora people that give so much of their time, energy, and effort, and they never receive enough thanks and glory—such is the case with my thesis. I never could have succeeded in my thesis project nor could I have survived the last ten months of my life without each of these wonderful people. This acknowledgment page is my feeble attempt to give them the thanks and glory that they so richly deserve. In no particular order, many thanks go to: Justin Fischer for his talent, genius, musical guidance, and willingness to be paid pennies instead of what he is really worth; Chris Staffel and Josephine Leffner for offering to house manage; Debbie Tedrick for generously offering her vast musical theatre library and for her willingness to help with anything; Chris Layton for proving to me that there are voices in my head; the Orlando Repertory Theatre for hiring and promoting artists; James Cleveland for having the most talented ears I know and for getting paid in vodka; Dave Upton for picturesque lighting and for getting paid in beer; Simone Smith for seamless sewing and for getting paid in chocolate; John Bell for admitting me into the MFA program, helping to make me a theatre artist, agreeing to chair my committee, taking extra time from his life to workshop the script, encouraging me to always do my best, keeping me sane this year, and for being my friend; Jim Brown for many deep discussions at Subway, letting me be your teaching assistant, and for serving on my committee; Nick Wuehrmann for opening up the world of operetta, connecting me to myself as a performer, and for serving on my committee; Steve Chicurel for teaching me to sing more than the vowels; Gary Flannery for being the only person that truly took the time to teach me to dance; Earl Weaver for making me a historian and for all the free therapy; all the UCF professors I’ve mentioned for making me proud to be their student; my classmates: Mark vi Hardin, Rebecca Johnson, Katie Kelly, Chris Layton, and Patrick Moran for learning with me, teaching me, and putting up with me for two years; Rebecca Johnson for joining Patrick and my crazy roommate world and for letting us use your furniture; Isaac and Lizzy Kreiger for the vocal and life coaching; Karen Hiscoe for knowing all the answers; Gary Cadwallader for being a shining beacon of hope in an otherwise maddening sea of insanity; Musetta Jensen for being my dearest friend and costume advisor; Linda Esser-May for kicking me around in my youth and for the brilliant poster; Mark Hardin for knowing that true friends will take pictures of you in drag; Donna and Daniel Moran for making me feel so welcome in their family, sewing my dresses, and helping with the set; my crazy extended family for being you; my best pal Patrick for being the best collaborator and friend I could ever wish for; my dad, mom, and sister for unconditional love, driving across the country to hear me sing, and encouraging me to follow my dreams (I’ll be sure to tell Larry King that you were supportive.); and any one I have forgotten. I will remember you when I get the book deal. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................................................xiv LIST OF TABLES.....................................................................................................................................................xv INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................1 A 16 BAR CUT: THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE ........................................................3 ACT ONE ...................................................................................................................................................................7 Pre Show ..............................................................................................................................................................7 Opening: “It’s Greek To Me, Me, Me”................................................................................................................9 Scene One: “Cirque du Sucker” ........................................................................................................................13 Scene Two: “Vaude-strelsy”..............................................................................................................................17 Scene Three: “The Operetta Opus”...................................................................................................................22