Collaboration in Theatre

The Completed Paper

Collaboration in Theatre

According to the reading, Collaboration in Theatre, several essential components stand out with regards to working together to create musical theatre. On the one hand, it is evident that such productions necessitate interprofessional teamwork between individuals and groups with experience, as well as expertise in different areas. For instance, the successful creation of the musical theatre required collaboration between the Department of Theatre and the College of Music to portray key issues regarding issues (Roznowski and Kirk 80). On the other hand, the production called for the inclusion of relevant stakeholders in the decision-making and problem-solving processes throughout the preparation stages. This way, stakeholders such as the director, the designers, the actors, and technical production team had the opportunity to give their points of view and contribute to pointing out the areas that needed improvement.

Similarly, the other significant aspects identified in the creation of the musical theater entail the depiction of a vision of the final product and various steps necessary for achieving it. For instance, the director develops an idea of the final product and proceeds to incorporate individuals and groups that would help him achieve the desired goals. These aspects can be identified in the steps he took to define the production to the other stakeholders and collaborators to ensure that they understood what was required and how to achieve it (Roznowski and Kirk 83). They thus play a significant role in the description of the various requirements of creating a musical theatre through collaboration. For instance, some of the lessons learned in the actions and decisions made include ensuring commitment and dedication among the various stakeholders.

Most fundamentally, these lessons are coupled with conducting in-depth research, familiarization with the topic, and the identification of the core components. On the one hand, the director and his team of collaborators spent sleepless nights listening to cast recordings, reading librettos, and scouring catalogs. This shows the level of determination and commitment in the group as well as the desire to achieve the vision laid out by the director (Roznowski and Kirk 80). On the other hand, conducting in-depth research facilitated the identification of the core components based on the team’s familiarization with the topic. For instance, to understand the requirements of the production, the director searched for images for the designers that would refine and further funnel the various tasks in the direction envisioned (Roznowski and Kirk 86). Here, I learned the importance of communication and ensuring comprehension of the requirements in each step as it would facilitate the achievement of the different goals.

Consequently, the collaborators’ ‘The Life’ impacts several elements in my life by creating a sense of determination to succeed in all endeavors I seek. Firstly, the musical production is based on the premise and theme of escaping from the constraints of prostitution. The determination of the female characters to redefine their lives and escape the limitations of the pimp brings about the desire to succeed regardless of the barriers and challenges ahead. Most fundamentally, in the assessment of the musical, the director proceeds to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and the limited knowledge of his collaborators (Roznowski and Kirk 84). This way, he identifies vital aspects such as the need to incorporate his skills in helping the actors create unique characters.

Similarly, he identifies the need to mentors others, maintains the professional respect of his colleagues, and challenges him as well as others to create something that previous productions had not shown. These aspects bring on the urge to remain unique and maintain professionalism in all endeavors by understanding the abilities and shortcomings of other people (Roznowski and Kirk 85). Arguably, the lessons from these elements that I can transfer to my future interests include remaining focused on the goal and working collaboratively with individuals who can facilitate the achievement of the various objectives.  

Works Cited

Roznowski, Rob, and Kirk Domer. “Part II: Collaboration in Practice.” Collaboration in Theatre: A Practical Guide for Designers and Directors, 1st ed., Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, pp. 77-131.