From revolution to revolt in theatre artistry: A shift in American attitude from Vietnam to Watergate reflected in the musicals "Chicago" and "Hair"

This thesis traces how the artistry of the Broadway musical reflects the condition of the American attitude as influenced by the events of its time. From two historical events, Vietnam to Watergate, there is a shift in attitude evident in two pieces of musical theater, Hair and Chicago. What is fascinating is that both Vietnam and Watergate are tragic events: one because of the unnecessary loss of life, and the other because of a loss of faith. Hair is a revolutionary play that indicates the survival of spirit and compassion through rock music and lyrics that reflect the culture of its characters. Chicago, however, treats murder with a tongue-in-cheek attitude in its seductive dances and vaudeville acts, luring an audience into inhumanity. Commercial art thrives on plays that appeal to its target audience as proven by today's successful runs of Rent (a musical often compared to Hair) and the revival of Chicago.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Theatre Arts

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1998

Author dc:creator

• Auerbach, Erin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jeffrey Koep

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/890

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1889