American musical theater songs are popular with the general public, and many college and university voice students are familiar with them. Some voice teachers also use musical theater repertoire to varying degrees in voice instruction. Such familiarity and interest lend significance to this study of the songs in a teaching context. There is therefore a need for the establishment of repertoire-selection guidelines and pedagogical analysis of selected musical theater songs so that additional teachers will become well informed.Following the introduction in Chapter One, the results of a survey sent to one hundred members of the National Association of Teachers of Singing are presented. The survey posed questions concerning the current use of musical theater songs. Among other things, the results revealed strong interest in the analysis and application of this literature in the voice studio. Guidelines for repertoire selection (also used by the author in selecting songs that address specific aspects of singing) are introduced in Chapter Three, along with a description of analytical procedures. Chapters Four through Eight include summaries of the analyses and suggested applications in the voice studio:Developing the ability to sing longer phrases"You'll Never Walk Alone" (Rodgers)"Where Is Love?" (Bart)"After the Ball" (Harris)• Developing the ability to sing wide intervals in a legato fashion "Lost in the Stars" (Weill)"Warm All Over" (Loesser)"Green Finch and Linnet Bird" (Sondheim)•Developing the ability to articulate words rapidly "My Darling, My Darling" (Loesser) "Seventy-Six Trombones" (Willson) "Soliloquy" (Rodgers)•Developing the ability to move smoothly between registers "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Gershwin) "Where or When" (Rodgers) "O1' Man River" (Kern)•Managing a large range and mature quality "Maria" (Bernstein)"Memory" (Lloyd Webber) "One More Kiss" (Sondheim)Conclusions in Chapter Nine include: (1) teachers should judge musical theater songs by the same criteria as other songs; (2) musical theater literature offers useful material for students who are striving to develop certain aspects of singing; (3) analyses of selected songs demonstrate their suitability for pedagogical use; and (4) there is a need for additional critical analysis of musical theater literature. / School of Music

The work of a Broadway music director is complex and requires a wide range of musical and extra-musical skills. Using three research questions, this dissertation investigates (1) what it is that a music director does, (2) how they learn to do various components of the job while at the same time navigating the pathway that leads to Broadway and (3) what is needed to maintain a career on Broadway. A review of literature reveals that peer-reviewed publications are practically silent on the topic of Broadway music directors. Answers to the first question are found in published literature, but a consensus definition does not emerge. Meanwhile, answers to the second and third questions are only indirectly addressed by the literature. This lack of information is a primary argument in favor of this study. The answers to these questions are explored using qualitative research methods to examine what individuals with real-world experience have to say about working as a music director on Broadway. The findings include a description of the necessity for piano skills, the importance of networking, the invaluable learning experience that comes from “being in the room,” and a need for resilience to overcome the challenges of working as a freelancer. Using the framework of the Theory of Expertise, important milestones and stages that Broadway music directors have navigated in their careers are discussed. Finally, barriers to entry into the field are identified along with a description of pipelines that are being built to help the next generation of aspiring music directors achieve success.

Problem: Performing on Broadway is a challenging profession. Physical therapy is provided to help treat and prevent physical injuries. However, voice services are not typically provided, despite the grueling vocal demands placed on musical theatre performers. Methods: This constructivist grounded theory study looks at the phenomenon of vocal coaching in Broadway musicals with the aim of understanding the role more thoroughly. There are three phases of this study. Phase one is a survey with actors who had a vocal coach provided to them during the run of a Broadway show. Phase two is interviews with people who have been production vocal coaches on Broadway shows. Finally, phase three is a survey with producers and general managers of Broadway shows. Each phases’ data was coded using constant comparison to identify themes based on in vivo and thematic coding. Results: Three frameworks were constructed based on the data. The first identifies the skills required to vocal coach on Broadway. This framework could serve as the basis for curriculum development or could assist producers when hiring a vocal coach for a Broadway show. The second framework establishes the habilitation specialist as the leader of the voice team that also includes a laryngologist and a rehabilitation specialist. Performers could move between each specialist as needed. Finally, the last framework identifies the specific steps each voice team member plays as performers move from performance to medical care and back to performance. All three frameworks enhance our understanding of the role of the Broadway production vocal coach and will hopefully create pathways for more production vocal coaching in the future.