Abstract:
This thesis project worked in tandem with the THEA 434 course, the capstone course for
B.F.A. Theatre Majors in the Musical Theatre Option. Worth three credit hours, this course is
titled “Immersion Experience”. Informally it is referred to as the “Cabaret Class”. This is due to
the course’s focus on, and exploration of cabaret performance. Cabaret performance manifests in
song, dance, drama, etcetera, and is categorically performed in a bar, restaurant, casino, hotel, or
nightclub that has a stage. In the musical theatre industry, this is more specifically the
intertwining of music and a monologue or spoken word to tell a story and connect with the
audience. The theme was “Berlin and Blake...Musical Theatre Pioneers of the 1920's”, referring
to composers Irving Berlin and Eubie Blake. Each of the eight assignments for the course must
include a song by Irving Berlin and/or Eubie Blake in some capacity. As previously stated, there
are eight assignments for this course. We were given one to two weeks for each assignment.
During that time we were expected to find the sheet music for the piece, create a story, intertwine
the two, and have materials prepared to communicate our idea to our accompanist, all before
performing these new pieces for our peers. Through this course, I aimed to examine the balance
of honesty and entertainment in cabaret performance.
