https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125031 2026-05-05T21:37:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/126753 Title: Acting the song : integrating Stanislavsky’s techniques and the estill method into musical theatre training Abstract: This dissertation studies how Stanislavsky’s techniques and the Estill Method, a voice training system focused on precise control of vocal structures for versatile and healthy vocal performance, can be integrated into the practice and training of Musical Theatre. The study aims to explore how performers can embody characters and express themselves through music, connecting their emotions with the essence of the song, a process that I refer to as ‘acting the song’. Using Practice as Research as the methodology, the study involves workshops with two performers to examine in practical terms the application of these techniques in Musical Theatre training. From Stanislavsky’s vast arsenal of techniques, the research focuses on Circles of Attention (First, Medium, and Large Circle), the Magic ‘If’, and Given Circumstances. These techniques are considered essential for allowing performers to engage with their characters, enhance their focus, and respond authentically to the imagined situations of the song. The application of Stanislavsky’s techniques in Musical Theatre will be considered as an instance of transmission, where acting practices are necessarily adapted once they migrate to different contexts. In the case of the Estill Method, the study will highlight its six vocal qualities, namely Speech, Sob, Belt, Falsetto, Twang, and Opera. These vocal qualities help performers to diversify their vocal expression and adapt their singing style to suit different emotional and situational contexts within a song. Mastering these qualities enables performers to convey a wide range of emotions and intentions, making their performance more dynamic and engaging. To support its argumentation, the dissertation includes interviews with two singers and vocal coaches, Ms Pamela Bezzina and Ms Rachel Fabri Camilleri. These interviews will provide insights into the benefits of the Estill Method and its application in Musical Theatre training. Other interviews were carried out with the participants of the workshops, which shed light on the practical use and advantages of combining Stanislavsky’s techniques and the Estill Method in Musical Theatre training. The dissertation therefore combines theoretical exploration, practical workshops, and interviews to shed light on how the field of Musical Theatre can benefit from the more holistic approach of acting, rather than simply, singing the song. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125499 Title: Grease : a case study of the cinematic influence on the staging of musical theatre Abstract: Grease is a story that revolves around high school drama, love, identity, the 1950s, and Rock and Roll. The film adaptation released almost a decade after the first staging of the musical helped make it one of the most famous musicals of the twentieth century, to the extent that the musical’s origins have nearly been buried under the film’s significance. This dissertation will make use of notions from adaptation studies to investigate how the film’s popularity has impacted Grease’s journey. The timeline of how adaptations have evolved and changed the earlier stages of Grease is fascinating and its results will reflect on how mediums affect one another respectively, thus, implicating how audiences perceive and react to adaptational differences. As a case study, I will discuss Masquerade’s production of Grease. This was staged in 2023 at the Manoel theatre and through a series of observations and interviews with the cast and crew, the film’s influence will be analysed. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.) 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125374 Title: Theatrical practices to elicit political conversation : a comparative study of the techniques of Sophocles and Brecht Abstract: Theatre has been often used as a means to start political conversations. Numerous playwrights choose to not waste their opportunity of having a platform in front of an audience for the sole purpose of entertainment. Therefore, despite not being the primary intention for all playwrights, political commentary and criticism can easily find its way into a production. As seen in the works of Sophocles and Bertolt Brecht. My main research question during this dissertation is to prove how Sophocles and Brecht used similar techniques in their pursuit to provoke political commentary among their respective audiences. Since both playwrights are from distinctly different periods (Ancient Greece and 20th Century) and they are primarily renowned for their diverse approach towards theatre (tragedy and Epic Theatre, respectively), it is rather unusual to find a study arguing that the two playwrights used the same techniques to achieve a shared outcome. To prove my hypothesis, my main research will focus on the inducement or rejection of catharsis, the theme of morality and the alienation technique, all of which were key elements aimed to elicit a political conversation among the audience and can be commonly noticed within the two playwrights. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125372 Title: Actor training based on Copeau’s work Abstract: This study explores Jacques Copeau’s actor training techniques, directed towards analysing and (re-) discovering to what extent certain physical exercises can help in developing performance skills. Copeau sought a ‘natural’ way of being for actors that conditions their behaviour, gestures, and reactions on stage. Étienne Decroux, one of Copeau’s students who then went on to develop corporeal mime as an aesthetic, placed the ‘drama’ inside the moving human body. The dissertation concentrates on Copeau and his idea of establishing L’École de Vieux-Colombier, including some of the games/exercises on silent improvisation and animal improvisation. The focus is on exploring physical actor training techniques, including body and voice warm-ups that involve stretching and breathing exercises. The dissertation also highlights elements of Decroux’s corporeal mime work (such as counterweights and body coordination) to further explore and develop the improvisation technique from Copeau. The historical research into Copeau and Decroux is complemented by practical training aimed at adapting their techniques for acting purposes. To this end, the study includes a comparative appreciation of pole dance to complement and extend insights that emerge from Copeau and Decroux aimed investigating effective physical ways of training actors. Description: B.Theatre. (Hons)(Melit.) 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z