The world is a stage. And the stage is changing.

We go to the theater not just to escape, but also to see our reflection. Michael Kennedy’s work explores the ties between musical theater and the world around us. A PhD candidate in musicology, Kennedy was selected as a 2017-18 Graduate School Dean’s Fellow. His dissertation, “(Re-) Orchestrating the Music: Broadway’s Postmodern Sound from ‘Hair’ to ‘Hamilton,’” examines how Broadway’s orchestral sound has undergone considerable change since the late 1960s.

Here, he discusses musicals, the relationship between politics and theater, Broadway’s legal issues, and his next act after graduation. 

KENNEDY: This is a very difficult—almost impossible—question to answer. I love all of my dissertation case studies for different reasons. In fact, what I love most about my dissertation is its diversity of topics and the variety of styles that it covers, from traditional musicals to arty concept musicals to revivals to rock and hip-hop musicals, and beyond. 

KENNEDY: My dissertation examines how Broadway’s orchestral sound has undergone considerable change since the late 1960s. I use comparative score studies while integrating research on socio-economics, technological advancements, and trade unionism to reveal the effects of artistic and business practices on Broadway’s musical pluralism. And it is this plurality of styles that makes me especially enjoy this post-modern era of musical theater.

KENNEDY: Yes. Some of my previous work has dealt with this issue as well. In my master’s thesis, I studied how the musical Chicago grew in popularity from its original production (1975) to its smash-hit revival (1996) and subsequent Oscar-winning film adaptation (2002) has paralleled American society’s changing attitudes towards crime, deviance, and celebrity worship—from reactionary conservatism of the 1970s to narcissistic consumerism of the 1990s.

My PhD dissertation involves the politics of unionism, labor negotiations and public relations campaigns, as these topics greatly influence the dispositions of Broadway orchestras. And with our current tense political climate, I do expect this to remain a relevant issue and something that I will continue to study. 

KENNEDY: Musicals have always both reflected and informed societal perspectives and cultural norms, and they will continue to do so. This is what especially fascinates me when researching musical theater as well as film music. It’s worth noting that musical theater is an American-born genre and much about this art form’s development echoes our national identity.

KENNEDY: Hair and Hamilton serve as my dissertation’s chronological bookends, but they are not the only two shows that I am studying. To illustrate my dissertation’s diverse topics, I utilize several case studies of musicals that represent seminal examples of Broadway orchestrations since 1968.

Hair (1968) served as a significant turning point towards this postmodern age by establishing a rock aesthetic and amplified sound, along with various elements of American counter-culture. And Hamilton (2015) provides an excellent endpoint because it incorporates many of my topics—the integration of high art and popular music styles, technological advancements in instrumentation, and the notion of orchestral sound informing a complex narrative, which utilizes racial and cultural diversities to tell the story of America. 

KENNEDY: I have been extremely interested in how legal issues have influenced Broadway’s orchestral sound during recent decades. Broadway orchestras consist of members from the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 and this union negotiates collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the Broadway League of Producers and Theatres.

These CBAs concern musicians’ wages, working conditions, the minimum number of musicians hired, uses of electronic synthesizers, etc. Certain economic and legal factors affect each of my case studies deeply in some way, and I am fascinated with how the different orchestrators of these shows developed their own idiosyncratic styles within these various constraints. 

Perhaps what has surprised me is that the majority of people whom I have interviewed—orchestrators, music directors, contractors, musicians, producers—have acknowledge that there are opposing forces within the Broadway industry: commercial and artistic. But they also agree that it is actually of great benefit for Broadway. They form a synergy that propels Broadway musicals toward success, both commercially and artistically.

KENNEDY: I will finish and defend my dissertation next summer. And after earning my PhD, I hope to become a professor of musicology at a university or college and, of course, continue to contribute scholarship to my field of study.

I also would like to continue having a performing outlet, by music directing and conducting for musical theater productions and orchestras.