Exploring musical theatre performance synergy: Accessing seven performative processes

Abstract

To meet the demands of the ever-evolving musical theatre industry, performers are expected to craft inspiring performances across eight shows a week, seamlessly integrating their triple-threat expertise. Most actors undertake intensive training to achieve the complex skillset required to execute this art form, yet professional success can be elusive. It appears that a key element to building and maintaining a musical theatre career is performance synergy. This phenomenon is described colloquially as stage presence or X-factor. Whilst the literature regarding the field of musical theatre training is wide-ranging, little formal research has been undertaken on the ephemeral subject of performance synergy as it pertains to the work of the musical theatre actor. To address this lacuna in the literature – and to determine whether performance synergy can be described, comprehended, taught or learned – semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 Australian actors and creative directors active in the musical theatre industry. Collected data captured expert opinions on the elements, constructs and praxis of musical theatre performance synergy. Following a thematic analysis of the data, a framework of seven performative processes was constructed towards a clearer understanding of the practical aspects of this multifaceted phenomenon.