Broadway in the Age of American Idol: Celebrity and the Broadway Musical, 2003–2018
type: CreativeWork
description: Given the celebrity frenzy of the post-millennial climate, as described by Chris Rojek in Fame Attack and other celebrity theorists, Broadway followed suit and celebrity names were seen with regularity on Broadway marquees in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. While Broadway has nourished numerous individuals into becoming stars, those who are upheld above others for the significance of their work and accolades, celebrities are those whose private life garners more attention and interest than their work. My dissertation provides a critical reading and analysis of the performances of theatrical stars, film celebrities, television personalities, and reality television celebrities who starred in Broadway musicals from 2003-2018. The television series American Idol premiered 2002, democratically “electing” celebrities plucked from the obscurity of the ordinary. The shockwave effects began to be seen throughout the entertainment industry by the following year and the Broadway musical, as always, adjusted to the celebrity zeitgeist. However, a new shift began near the end of this period as Broadway performers began to harness their own celebrity through the internet and social media. Although it remains to be seen, this change could lead to a new shift in the production and reception of Broadway musicals, where Broadway celebrities take center stage. Each chapter of my dissertation builds upon the work of Marvin Carlson in The Haunted Stage: The Theatre as Memory Machine and Walter Benjamin in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” My dissertation discusses how the ghosts of a celebrity’s personal life haunt their performance and reception in a Broadway musical. Following an examination of three theatrical luminaries, each subsequent chapter analyzes different types of celebrities–film, television, and reality television. In his 1935 essay, Benjamin discussed the inherent loss of the artistic aura through the new technological advancement…
abstract: Given the celebrity frenzy of the post-millennial climate, as described by Chris Rojek in Fame Attack and other celebrity theorists, Broadway followed suit and celebrity names were seen with regularity on Broadway marquees in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. While Broadway has nourished numerous individuals into becoming stars, those who are upheld above others for the significance of their work and accolades, celebrities are those whose private life garners more attention and interest than their work. My dissertation provides a critical reading and analysis of the performances of theatrical stars, film celebrities, television personalities, and reality television celebrities who starred in Broadway musicals from 2003-2018. The television series American Idol premiered 2002, democratically “electing” celebrities plucked from the obscurity of the ordinary. The shockwave effects began to be seen throughout the entertainment industry by the following year and the Broadway musical, as always, adjusted to the celebrity zeitgeist. However, a new shift began near the end of this period as Broadway performers began to harness their own celebrity through the internet and social media. Although it remains to be seen, this change could lead to a new shift in the production and reception of Broadway musicals, where Broadway celebrities take center stage. Each chapter of my dissertation builds upon the work of Marvin Carlson in The Haunted Stage: The Theatre as Memory Machine and Walter Benjamin in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” My dissertation discusses how the ghosts of a celebrity’s personal life haunt their performance and reception in a Broadway musical. Following an examination of three theatrical luminaries, each subsequent chapter analyzes different types of celebrities–film, television, and reality television. In his 1935 essay, Benjamin discussed the inherent loss of the artistic aura through the new technological advancement…
author: Clark, Emily E
keywords: Theatre and Performance Studies, Broadway, musical theatre, star, celebrity, aura
date published: 2021-02-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:00:13Z
provider: City University of New York - Graduate Center
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York