Literature: "Teamwork in the performing arts"

"Teamwork in the performing arts" by William Rouse, Rebecca Rouse (2004)
Proceedings of the Institute of electrical and electronics engineers, vol 92, no.4. 

WILLIAM B. ROUSE (He is responsible for leadership of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, as well as development and management of its human and financial resources. He has over 30 years of experience in research, education, management, marketing, and engineering related to individual and organizational performance, decision support systems, and information systems)

REBECCA K. ROUSE (She works as a playwright, lyricist, director, performer, and occasional theatrical carpenter and master electrician)

This literature addresses teams and teamwork in the performing arts. It has been found that success does not flow automatically from these so it aims to look at "the true nature of teamwork, the role it plays, and how it can be fostered." 

"Such teams are of particular interest because the team performance, in itself, is the outcome of interest, rather than a means to some other ends such as profit, safety or victory. This characteristic, we suggest, enables getting much closer to the essence of teamwork."

The paper firstly looks at business and operational teams. It then focuses on teamwork in the performing arts and how what we know about the former contributes to the latter. The paper then addresses the results of an interview study conducted with performing arts leaders and how these results suggest an “ecology” of performance.

Ecology: "The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings." (Oxford dictionary)


Business and operational teams

When using team models. 'Hackman' believes the following are common mistakes that can "undermine anticipated success, often leading to frustration." 

• Using a team for work that is better done by individuals
• Calling the performing unit a team but managing its members as individuals 
• Falling off the authors balance beam
• Dismantling existing organisational structures so that teams will be fully empowered to accomplish the work
• Specifying challenging team objectives but skimping on organisational support
• Assuming that members already have the skills they need to work as a team

He also believes there are 2 obstacles to success

• The co-op obstacle: debating values, purposes and collective directions endlessly 
• The corporate obstacle: gradual diminution of performance and commitment as teams encounter long standing and team unfriendly organisational arrangements

To avoid the above mistakes and obstacles, he believes we should answer the fundamental questions of: "who decides, who is responsible, who gains and who learns."

Paris et Al believe the following variable influence how a team performs

• Team selection: individual skills and traits, as well as team size, composition, and stability
• Task design: workload and time constraints, team structure, and technology from both the perspectives of the task domain and the nature of supports for team performance.  
• Team training: content of training, the nature of performance feedback, and instructional strategies for improving performance. 

Klein believes the 5 cognitive processes of teamwork are:

• Control of attention
• Shared situation awareness
• Shared mental models
• Application of strategies to make decisions, solve problems and plan
• Metacognition

The nature of the above are often dictated by the demands and constraints of the tasks and environment.

Rouse et al. discuss the role of shared mental models in team performance. Fig. 1 shows mental models to be "the mechanisms whereby humans are able to generate descriptions of why something exists and its form, explanations of its functioning and what it is doing, and predictions of what it will do in the future." 

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It has been shown that teams benefit from support and training that enhances the knowledge content of shared mental model - see Fig. 2.

Theatre Teams

Fig. 3 summarises a wide range of exercises for training ensemble teams which are most often employed during the first few days of the rehearsal period, after which the team often selects a handful of these to use before every rehearsal and performance. 

"Aside from accomplishing the objectives indicated, these exercises foster close personal relationships among team members."

'Teamwork' is not the same as 'taskwork'. 

"There are important activities, associated with people working together to create a shared product, beyond everyone doing their own task-related work."

Performing arts work best when a collaborative product is created rather than just a sum of solos.

Mechanisms are needed so that people can anticipate others’ actions and needs, i.e. shared mental models, and a means is needed for fostering these shared mental models. Training being one and leadership in order to design and coordinate the teamwork.

The research analysed in this paper aims to assess arts leaders’ perspectives of the role and nature of teams and teamwork in the performing arts. Therefore, the roles of leaders are key. 

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The above experiences in Fig. 7 reflect the team performing beyond what was normally possible. In eight of these cases, success was attributed to teamwork, while in four it was attributed to teamwork and team training. Participants saw well-functioning teams as helping to address the challenges experienced.

With regard to a memorable, as opposed to recent, experience where team work made a difference, "...interviewees most often mentioned instances of high levels of collaboration. Also mentioned were experiences of very high energy levels, feelings of community, joys of performing, and failure due to lack of teamwork."

Fig. 8, as seen below, looks at the impact team size has on performance. Regarding the impact of the leader also performing, "five interviewees, mainly from theatre, argued that the leader (director) should “give” the production to the performers, at the latest upon opening. Two interviewees indicated that the leader should not perform, and one each indicated that the leader is needed less if the team is well trained." The leader performing becomes risky should any problems occur backstage and if no one is available to monitor performance and behaviour both on and off the stage.

The interviewees offered several overall observations on the nature of performing arts. They noted the inherent collaborative nature of the performing arts - first-rate performances depend on everyone, not just a few team members. They also emphasized the role of energy, passion, and drive in people who pursue the performing arts. One interviewee discussed the role of body language in team communication during performances. Another em- phasized the role of mutual respect in team performance in the arts. 

"It was noted that performance skills are a given in professional performing arts organizations, but team skills are not."

It appears that five dimensions are useful for differentiating the 12 performing arts organizations studied:

1) size of performance—number of performers and other participants

2) complexity of performance—extent of required coordination

3) locus of coordination—rehearsal versus performance

4) familiarity of team members—ensemble versus pickup

5) role of leader—prepares team; does versus does not perform

I would say that Musical Theatre epitomizes a large number of performers that require extensive coordination and considerable rehearsal; involving mostly ensemble performers conducted by a leader who rarely performs with the team. 

Fig. 10 provides a summary of potential relationships among key variables. The primary outcome of interest is the extent of team training in order to foster teamwork. The solid arrows in Fig. 10 designate crisp relationships, with upward-pointing deltas indicating positive relationships, and downward-pointing deltas indicating negative relationships. The dotted arrow designates a less crisp relationship.

It is clear that arts leaders recognize the importance of teamwork beyond taskwork. Collaborating is central to excellence in the performing arts. 

"The performance product is inherently a 'group product.' Individual accolades seldom occur without the whole functioning well. This is manifestly true to the audiences of arts performances. Quality is immediately rewarded; lack of quality meets faint praise."

We can see that an established product planning team is quite different from a pickup new product development team. Depending on the task complexity involved, coordination of the pickup team could be enhanced by selection and/or training. In the absence of both of these types of support from the leader, team performance is likely to suffer. 

Team training may “come and go” with changing composition of performing teams and we can apply this to selecting new cast members for our production. If we are just aiming to replace one or two members of the team, it is quite common to ask people back who have done the show before - that way you already have the familiarity and less training is required. When new cast members join, it can often change the dynamic of the team as well as affect creativity. We had an actor join the show for a short period of time and it was amazing how much it altered the performance by the relationships he formed on and off the stage. He was also a fantastic team member - little additional coordination and rehearsal was required to put him into the show and he also brought a great energy to the production.

Module 3 Skype

Wednesday 29th March

Participants:

Paula Nottingham
Lauren Hoskins
Laura Hopkinson


We began the session by reassessing the 5 stages of inquiry and discussing where we are at in the process. All 3 of us have completed our research activities (stage 3) and are moving onto analysis (stage 4); however I am still trying to approach the more academic style literature from emerging themes within my inquiry. Since writing my module 1 critical reflection, I have definitely learned quality overrides quantity, but do feel a bit low on the ground in regards to how many academic styles of literature I have. This doesn't concern me as yet because my sources up to now have been studied in detail. I do also feel that there is time but am only giving myself 1 more week to continue focus on stage 2. I have sourced literature on teamwork in the performing arts, social practice in theatre and the teaching of collaborative skills through dance. I have found it difficult to source academia on relationships and communication specifically between people in musical theatre.

ARTEFACT

Think about your audience! Mine is primarily my current company; as well as other musical theatre companies and my BAPP community. It should be presented in a way that they understand. Think about their: experience, interests, multiple intelligences. What is the aim? I hope to share the understanding, appreciation and knowledge that I have gained. I hope to present my findings positively and interestingly, as well as boost morale amongst our company. I hope it will be a good reminder of what I've found to be the core of theatre - LOVE, ENJOYMENT & OUR AUDIENCES. *remember to consider ethics in relation to permissions and copyright*

CRITICAL REVIEW

We were reminded of the triangle from our module 3 handbook and how it must include perspectives from all the 3 areas. It was also good to acknowledge how this academic style of presentation is a useful activity for us to do. As performers, we spend the majority of our time doing. This will be beneficial for life outside of the theatre and give us an all round learning experience.

           Literature    
                🔼
      Data         Experience 


ORAL PRESENTATION

This can include elements of the critical review and artefact. It provides a good opportunity to present and summarise the main findings, sources, theories and practitioners in relation to our inquiry topic. *mental note: i must talk with my tutor about the logistics of this with my new work schedule*

TIPS!

• SAVE, SAVE, SAVE
• Read the handbook
• Keep in touch with tutor
• DRAFTS
• Continue blogs & Sigs

*I discovered during the session that the portfolio i.e. Critical review, artefact and oral presentation, are marked as whole. They don't possess an individual percentage of the overall mark. This is to benefit us as students which I really like!

Megan: "everyone gets it, it's just the execution of it"

Paula: "as creatives, if we get anxious we find it hard to think."

I think the above quotes from today's session are nice little reminders that we all feel the stresses and strains of our studies and that we definitely are not alone.

REFLECTION 

As I am approaching the end of my studies, my professional practice is taking an interesting directional change which I plan to discuss as part of my critical reflection for this module. Watch this space!

Social network analysis

http://www.orgnet.com/sna.html

"Social network analysis is the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organisations...."

This is a kite diagram developed by David Krackhardt. The nodes represent the people and the links represent relationships. "Social network analysis provides both a visual and mathematical analysis of human relationships." Drawing one of these based on the interactions discovered during research activities with my participants would provide an image and quantitative explanation of my very wordy and qualitative data. This form of analysis is very common in organisations and companies. Organisational network analysis "reveals the managerial nervous system that connects everything." It's a great way of discovering influential roles within a company and highlighting important networks of communication.

I attempted to draw a kite diagram representing my chosen participants during a pre and post show situation.

Degree centrality

We can see above that the head carpenter node has the most direct connections during pre and post show set up - he is therefore known as the hub.

Betweenness centrality and closeness centrality 

We can see that the company manager/resident director is the main broker in the network. He is between two important constituencies, the cast and the crew. Therefore he acts as our main point of communication and has a responsibility to relay information. He also, both directly and indirectly, has the quickest access to all nodes in the network. It means that he is a great influencer and innovator of ideas that go through it and has the best insight in to the goings on within the company. This responsibility makes him an integral figure in regards to our company's success and facilitation of roles.

Peripheral players

On the diagram we can see that the performers, wig and departments have least direct connections during the pre and post show set ups. We can therefore conclude that this process is more focussed on the technical elements of the show coming together.

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I really struggled to draw a diagram representing the daily show situation - there were links everywhere and visually, it looked confusing! Althouh we have discovered from previous literary sources that hierarchy and leadership/directorial roles are required within theatre, this in order to successfully manage and organise interdisciplinary practice, it seems a bit more complicated than a business organisation or company in regards to social network analysis. I believe this is because it holds less of a linear formation in relation to hierarchy. As it is more of a collaborative and interpersonal process, it means there are more links involved between nodes. 

Audition day!

Dirty Dancing auditions
Monday 27th March - Pineapple Studios

Today I assisted the dance captain/associate choreographer during the auditions. It was so interesting to be on the other side of things and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have written a personal journal on the day which I intend to use as part of my research.

The process made me realise several things but one of the most impactful was how as performers we put this huge amount of pressure on ourselves; whether it's with our delivery, outfit choices, song choices etc. In actual fact the panel are human beings theirselves - at the end of the day, they are totally relaxed and just want to find great people for the job. I hope this puts me at ease in future when auditioning myself an improves my success rate. Nerves often get the better of me, particularly during vocal calls. The more relaxed I am and the more I enjoy the process, the better I perform so hopefully having experienced the other side of things helps.

Another thing I came to realise was just how many factors and opinions are involved during the selection process. In the past, if I haven't managed to get through a round or get the job, I have automatically thought that I'm not good enough in regards to my dancing/singing/acting ability. Hopefully in future, I will take things less personally and be able to move forward with the same amount of confidence.

I discovered throughout the auditions how much I loved teaching and helping to get the best out of others. I enjoyed being on the creative side so much and the day has definitely inspired me to work towards dance captain and associate roles.

Evaluating research methods

After completing my final research activity just yesterday, i decided to reflect on the data collecting process and tools - having made several notes on my devices and in my note book.

Because i chose to conduct inside research using my practice as a case study, i sent out an email to the entire company in preparation for conducting activities. I think this really benefited me during the process because people generally showed a real interest and didn't feel out of the loop or unimportant if not selected for direct participation.

I chose to "communicate with the head of each department because they should ideally possess the most expertise and be senior members of staff" (Louch 2016), however after conducting my interviews/observations, i came to discover another role within the company that seems to be a strong point of communication for several departments. Therefore, i am contemplating approaching said person if i feel i can take on another set of activities time wise. Having come across the 'social networking theory' in relation to my inquiry, i feel their position could be an intriguing one in regards to the diagram i plan to draw up.

I chose to conduct interviews and practical demonstrations because "the theatre can be a very intimate and expressive environment." Therefore i felt social scientific research and qualitative methods would have been the most appropriate forms of data collection - "it is what the professionals will understand and expect - we are used to being recorded and asked questions." (Louch 2016). It was interesting for me to see how each person reacted to the process.

Scheduling: Everyone preferred different time slots because of their individual timetables, breaks, days off etc which made it quite difficult to organise and involved lots of re-arranging and adapting as a researcher. Social media and watsapp was a blessing in regards to this and made it so easy to communicate.

Team work: During practical demonstrations, although i was working with the head of departments, other members of their department were naturally involved. This was because i was participating in their day to day activities - it was in a real situation. This meant added ethics forms were required.

Practicality: Because all activities were done at work, i did experience environmental problems such as interruptions from backstage calls, problems with dim lighting, sound etc. These are things, particularly when video recording that i would take into consideration much more should i conduct another inquiry.

Consistency: the location of the activity was different for every person because it was conducted in their specific department and normal surroundings. I think this benefited their approach as they were comfortable and it was also much more convenient for them. I feel it benefited me as a researcher in regards to validity. It definitely pushed me out of my own comfort zone though.

Body language: I chose to audio record and take notes after so the interview would feel more personal. My aim was for it become more conversational in order to address the relationship element of my inquiry. I think this was a great decision because i could use eye contact and smiling as forms of positive communication.

Feedback: It was great because i actually received some personal feedback on my show from departments i never see. In regards to the methods, a few people did find the wording of my questions a bit unclear which may have affected how they answered. It was really hard not to paraphrase it or push them toward my own preconceptions. I tried to avoid this by using pauses after questions as suggested by Adesola. It made them think about the question rather than me rewording it.

Participation: I found that the amount of participation i had during the practical demonstrations varied. This is something i would like to explore in regards to relationships with trust, and skills with difficulty and prerequisites I.e. Was it because of those things that it varied?

Relationships: Generally i tried to conduct the practical demonstration and then follow it with my interview questions.This so it didn't take up too much of my participants time. I found that the approach to the interview varied massively between the people who had done the practical demonstration beforehand and those who hadn't, but also to me as a researcher. A more conversational approach definitely occurred post demonstration because it had helped me to get some background information, build some trust and establish a relationship. It also gave me things i could refer to during the interview which showed that i had listened and taken a real interest. The people doing an interview cold were much more nervous in their approach and much less relaxed. I knew this from their facial expressions, more direct answers and need for reassurance, "it was probably rubbish", "was that OK?" etc.

Observation grid: I had designed an updated observation grid from my module 2 planning. This was for making notes during and post practical demonstration. I found this to be inconvenient to carry around and a hinderance toward my taking part and listening. It was much easier for me to use video/audio recording like with the interviews and make notes after. I also found that there was so much detail and that I had learned so much in a such a short space of time, that the observation grids didn't allow for such in depth note taking. Therefore I stopped using these after my first 2 participants.

Overall I really enjoyed conducting my research activities. I cannot believe how much I have actually learned from the others in my practice. I also cannot believe how quickly my relationships with these people have changed. I was invited to a wedding reception, approached on social evenings out. I have felt more comfortable asking for help or addressing department related concerns, and have also arranged to watch the show from the sound/lighting desk rather than sitting in the audience.

DANCE EAST - Check it out!

Last week we were in Ipswich with the show and my digs lady had suggested I check out 'Dance East'. It's always nice to do a class or watch a performance. When your doing the same thing everyday it is a great way of exercising your creativity as a dancer, using different muscles or giving yourself that little boost of inspiration and passion.

Unfortunately due to our schedule there wasn't a huge amount I could get involved in, but I did decide to take part in yoga on the Saturday morning. I was amazed at the sheer size of the building and how incredible the facilities and studios were.

'Dance East' hold classes, workshops, hire out studio/theatre space, deliver performances. They also run various community projects offering everybody "the opportunity to use dance for creative expression and physical and psychological therapy. Dance can energise, motivate, encourage creative thinking, and develop expressive minds and healthy bodies." 'Dance East' is a registered charity and artists/professionals are at the heart of the organisation - aiming to provide support, funding and opportunities for the development and refining of skills.

I urge you to check out their website. What an incredible establishment and set of resources!

https://www.danceeast.co.uk

Literature: Audience reviews

From previous literary sources, we have established that interdisciplinary work is essential in any theatre company. Team work, i.e. Collaborating and cooperating affectively, and communication are key interdisciplinary skills that aid the creative success of our production. We have also discovered that positive relationships and hierarchy/management is definitely required in order to facilitate such work. The two go hand in hand, as we are beginning to understand with disciplinary and interdisciplinary practice.

After conducting the majority of my interviews, I have found that many experts in my practice feel audience reaction and reception is a key indicator of how creatively successful our production is. This supports ideas formed previously in module 2. Therefore, I have decided to analyse some audience reviews from our opening in Wolverhampton which I collated as part of the planning for my inquiry.


"The constant scene changes might keep up a cracking pace but we needed pauses to allow the characters to breathe and develop and for the chemistry between Johnny and Baby to evolve: we never got it and as a result it all seemed a little flat." (Clarke 2016. Online: "Behind the arras.")

"When the strong music beats started the audience enthusiastically cheered as they were whisked back to the summer of 1963. The packed theatre excitedly watched the growing chemistry between Baby and Johnny whilst indulging in much loved hits..." (Love Midlands Theatre, 2016)

"It wast until the end that I really felt any chemistry between the two" (Norton 2016. Express and Star)


Here we have very contrasting opinions toward the onstage relationship between the two leading roles, however what we are sure of is how important that relationship is to our audiences. It is paramount to the affect our performances have on them. We've found that 'love' and 'enjoyment' from Cohen are at the root of theatre - whether you're doing it as a hobby, professionally or watching it. Therefore it is essential for us to connect with the audience, as a result of our connections formed on stage. We can effectively visualise it is a happy love triangle or a 2 directional relationship; 1 between each other and 1 between us and the audience.


"...whisking the audience off to the summer of 1963" (online at fashionmommy's blog)

"People, rightfully, expect to see the story they loved in the film retold faithfully on stage..." (Clarke 2016. Online: "Behind the arras.")

"You can relive every cheesy line, well known cliche and enjoy every loveable character." (Norton 2016. Express and Star)


I have come to the understanding, particularly with this show deriving such a famous movie, that the audience have their own pre-conceptions and imaginations of what the production should look like; and sound like creatively. Therefore it is our job to collectively, replicate this image and live up to their expectations. It is essential for them to buy into the entire production so that they can be fully transported and feel totally involved. This is why interdisciplinary work is of upmost importance.


"Johnny's room and bed are a shade small for the inevitable love scenes, causing some sniggers in the audience..."

"Outstanding contributions from the on-stage musicians add to the enjoyment for the audience who, on the first night, enthusiastically cheered the splendid cast." (Marston 2016. "Behind the arras")

"But of course the moment everyone was waiting for was the climatic lift....It was executed to perfection by the couple and brings a tear to the eye of the romantics in the audience." (Norton 2016. Express and Star)

"By the end the whole audience was dancing and the show finished to huge cheers and applause." (Love Midlands Theatre 2016)


As well as communication being key between professionals at work, the communication between us and our audiences is also a great indicator of how well or not we are working collaboratively. Audio communication in the form of cheering, whooping, applause, laughing and booing; visual communication in the form of smiles, tears and eye contact; body language and active communication such as dancing along or waving, are all great examples. The above from our audience is basically instant feedback on our work. From this we know whether we have done a good job that night, whether the show has been a success, whether things have gone right or wrong, or whether the audience felt something as a result of our performance. In conclusion, not only is communication essential between colleagues; but the communication, or lack of it, between us and our audience is essential for us in order to reflect on our practice and team work, and gage the success of the production.

Artefact research!

I am really interested in doing a behind the scenes vlog (a video blog) in order to document and present my findings, this to both my BAPP community and working company. 

Why?

I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such an iconic production and am one of few to experience it first hand, therefore i feel it would be invaluable to give my BAPP community an insight into the putting on of such a production. 

I also did a survey to find out which methods of presentation my chosen audience are most interested in and connect with the most: https://meganlouch.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/professional-artefact-ideas.html

I asked these questions to both of my target audiences: the BAPP community and my work colleagues. You can see from the first set of results, that over a third of people would be most interested in seeing a film and over another third would be most interested in a performance. From the second set of results you can see that half the number of people are most used to seeing a performance in the work place. From this I can conclude that a visual form of artefact would be most appropriate and identifying with my audience and that a film would be something interesting, yet a little different for them.

In reference to Kolb's learning theory (1974) and Gardner's multiple intelligence (1999); artistic people tend to be 'Diverging learners' and tend to be strong in regards to musical, kinaesthetic and spatial intelligence.

Diverging learners are "...interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback." (McLeod 2010. Online)

The stated intelligences are also creative, practical and visual styles. This is why I think a vlog would be appropriate. I also hope to engage in a group activity at the end of my artefact with work colleagues; not only to give something back to my participants/community of practice (Lave & Wenger 1991), but to engage in participation (Reader 1) by doing something practical together.

After doing some research, I discovered that vlogging is a very current method of journalling (reader 2) and one that enables 'connectivism' (reader 3). Paula recommended this blog (New Musical Theatre) where I found the post "#musicaltube: The top 7 Broadway.com backstage vlogs" (Annab 2016)

"The internet provides us with a connection like no other to all things musical theatre. Especially in recent years, videos have become a popular method of documenting what life is really like in the theatre world…"

"Video, as a medium, is something that is rapidly changing the world of musical theatre, and theatre in general. The opportunity to be see what it takes to be a part of game-changing musicals.... not only enhance the theatre-going experience but also remind us that theatre is an art form larger than ourselves." 

"They connect theatre lovers everywhere and remind all of us dreamers that although the road to professional theatre is hard, it is not impossible."

After looking through this blog I made some notes on key points for a successful vlog/vlogger:

~ Dynamic, charm, genuine

~ Entertaining cameos

~ Allow audience in to fittings/warm ups/set

~ Show talent

~ Make the audience a part of it

~ Reveal a little of how it gets put into the stage

I then went on to check out BROADWAY.COM on YouTube and watched various 'behind the scenes vlogs' including "I Dream of Genie" (Aladdin 2014) and "Fly Girl" (Wicked 2013). Firstly just check out how many views and subscribers they've got!

It just goes to show how many people these backstage vlogs are connecting with and reaching; be it professionals, students, auditionees, audiences, fans.

From watching the above I noticed various things that seemed to work well:

• Catch phrases
• Themes
• Subheadings stating people's roles when speaking
• Music in the background
• Very chatty and jokey approach 
• Addressing direct to the camera when speaking, makes it engaging and people feel involved 
• Home video style, more informal
• End credits to acknowledge participants and referencing
• Place yourself behind camera when talking to others
• Participation from viewers in form of questions e.g. "Ask a genie" via twitter

Other things I noticed were that although each video lasted on average between 10-15minutes (the ideal time for my artefact), these backstage vlogs were done on a weekly basis and were spanned over several episodes. It makes me believe that I will need to be very concise and selective with footage. On the other hand, if I was as to conduct future inquiries or expand on my topic, the vlog would provide a great platform and starting point for presenting further findings - I could also create more episodes.

I realised what a great tool the 'selfie stick' can be for filming as it enables distance between myself and the camera as well as the ability to turn the camera both ways with ease.

Whilst conducting my activities I also experienced this but I did notice trouble in relation to sound and light. Working back stage, it is likely that you will experience interference from calls over the tannoy or dim lighting. I must schedule filming at times when best to avoid this.

SIG's and CAKE!

So I've become accustomed to finding a different coffee shop each day on tour and making myself a little study spot within it for the afternoon. Today's chosen spot was Berridges in Ipswich! (Definitely recommend it!) I often post a picture on Instagram so that other people on tour can then go check out the places I find.






Whilst engaging in some research for the final artefact, I caught up with Lizzie on the phone whilst she was on a lunch break. It's always great just having a natter and a catch up to keep ourselves at ease during the study period.

Talking points:

• Where/how we study
• Separating different tasks and inquiry activities such as literature, interviews, analysis, CR
• Combing the above for analysis
• Literature - bullet pointing important points vs in depth writing
• Artefact ideas
• Continuing to blog, blog, blog
• Having our module 2 work in hard copy as a reference 
• Interviews - audio recorded vs note taking, informal vs formal
• Scheduling the coming weeks i.e. Our POA

I'd actually just come from a physio appointment where I'd been complaining of headaches and eye aches. During the session I received work on trigger points at the base of my skull and cracking to my upper spine which released so much tension! Advice? Try to avoid looking down too much when studying so it doesn't pull on your neck muscles and dim the screen when possible to avoid strain.

Many module 3 students have said how we wish we'd had more emphasis on literature in module 2 because it is proving to be the most time consuming. I know fellow student have found it convenient to bullet point important points. I find that reading and writing in depth, although time consuming, will help me when writing up the final project analysis so have opted for sourcing fewer pieces but studying them in detail. 

We both agreed that blogging regularly is a huge help and can be used in analysis, as appendices and as references so reminded ourselves to do that. Blog away people!

We discussed our opposing methods of recording data during interviews. I chose to audio record and then make notes on these afterwards. Because I am interviewing colleagues and wanting to build on relationships as part of my inquiry, I wanted to create a more informal atmosphere and have a more conversational approach. I think taking notes during this would've detracted from this and prevented me from giving participants engaging body language such as eye contact and smiling etc - things which I feel make participant more comfortable and at ease during the process as well.

I discussed with Lizzie the upcoming weeks and how I plan to dedicate the final 4 weeks of the study period to analysis and the execution of the artefact. How are you going about the final study period? Would love to hear other people's POA's!

Documentary: "The Heat Is Back On" - Literature

The heat is back on: the remaking of Miss Saigon (2015) Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Steam Motion & Sound U.K. production for Universal Pictures

This documentary follows the remaking of Miss Saigon for the Prince Edward Theatre in 2014, 25 years on from its opening in 1989 at Drury Lane. I found it absolutely fascinating to watch. In reference to previous literary source, Cameron is the most successful theatre producer in English history and has a reputation for producing fabulous shows, therefore he is someone who I would love to work for. I was intrigued to gain an insight into what makes him so successful and how, in reference to my inquiry 'Understanding interdisciplinary skills within a Musical Theatre Production', how all the elements and disciplines in theatre come together to create the spectacle that is Miss Saigon.

It was interesting to watch a documentary rather than read a piece of literature because you can see people's actions as well as hearing their words - and as the well know saying goes, "actions speak louder than words." A big thing I noticed was how involved Cameron was as a producer. A producer is "responsible for making arrangements for every aspect of the production in order to prepare it for presentation to the public on stage, subsequently managing it during the course of its production run and finally making all necessary closure arrangements" (Stage One). In my practice, the producer is effectively the boss and he/she ultimately makes all final decisions. Previously, I have always come into contact with producers, particularly during initial and final stages of rehearsals, but I've never quite seen involvement like I did in this documentary with Cameron. He seemed very attentive at the rehearsals and very hands on creatively.

At 4:35 minutes into the documentary, they filmed a great discussion and musical process that involved Cameron Mackintosh (producer), Claude-Michel Schoenberg (concept, book, music), Bob Avian (Choreographer), the musical director, associate choreographer and pianist. They were reworking an extension to the musical number 'American Dream' in order to enhance the narrative. It was amazing to see this creative process led by Mackintosh in regards to the idea and Claude-Michel leading the orchestration and execution of it. The ideas and execution were then enhanced and fulfilled by the creative people underneath. It confirms my belief that leadership and managerial skills are essential to successful interdisciplinary work and thus creative success. It also leads me to believe that the context practitioners in theatre are given to work with, i.e. The music and the book, are at the core of both great disciplinary and interdisciplinary work. We can connect this with the recent campus session where Adesola said that "theories should be at the core of your inquiry." Context to a musical theatre production is like theory to an inquiry. It feeds the creativity and the topic. It is why I feel my current production, Dirty Dancing, is so successful. "As long as she says 'i carried a watermelon', 'nobody puts baby in a corner' and the lift happens, the audience go nuts." (Head Carpenter). This show was created as a result of the film which in it has the above iconic moments. Because everybody loves the film and loves the popular music used throughout it, then as long as we live up to their expectations and experience of that - the audience love it!

Another thing I found fascinating to watch was how they introduced the children of the company and initiated their involvement. The assistant director led this first stage and before doing any rehearsal or material from the show, aimed to form bonds between the children and adult company - this so that the children "get used to the actors" and "build trust". He used group play, dance, contact in the form of hugging and activities involved in the show but done out of context in order to help this.

Watching the above stressed the importance of relationships within a company and how connecting with your co-workers is paramount for optimum professional success in the theatre. We can link this to 'affiliation' (reader 3) which is the forming of close relationships. The activities that the adults took part in with the children were effectively accentuated versions of what we also do as adults to form bonds - things like the meet and greet at the start of a rehearsal period or going to the pub afterwards to wind down and get to know one another.

I believe that positive feedback and providing support are both essential elements of these relationships and successful, interdisciplinary work. There was evidence of the above in people's actions as well as in their words. You could see the girls and guys working together in big dance number, 'The Heat is on', to alter grips. They were working collaboratively to get better assistance or increased comfort in their partner work. There was positive body language in the form of hugging, laughing, tears of joy and applause - particularly after the 'sitzprobe' for example or at the end of a working day. "A Sitz Probe is the first meeting of orchestra and cast. They sing and play through the show together for the very first time at this rehearsal, without any staging or other production elements." (Renegade Theater Company, 2014). It not only shows support of one another's skills and expertise but appreciation for it, creating a positive working environment and aiding affiliation i.e. close relationships and emotional attachments to the community of practice. It makes me believe that the environment and atmosphere we work in, created by us collectively as practitioners, aids interdisciplinary work and excellence in creativity.

There was also verbal feedback and support which seemed to come more from the hierarchical positions, such as the director and producer. Examples of these were "well done", "thank you" and questions like "do you feel safe?" It is important to reassure the company and reiterate that you've a) done a good job, b) been appreciated and c) feel comfortable in your working environment. We can again connect this back to the concept of affiliation and having "a network of support that will help is when we are in need" (Crisp & Turner, 2007).

We got a great insight into the iconic moment that is the HELICOPTER and quickly discovered that it takes people from Set + Projection + Light + Sound in order to "....deliver this incredible beast" (Set designer). This infamous part of the show is a great example of the team work required and the combining of several creatives/experts needed to execute such a moment.

https://www.londontheatredirect.com/post/754/7-reasons-london-will-miss-saigon.aspx

So, why was the show so successful?

"We have made a quantum leap with both the ambition and the execution." (Cameron Mackintosh, Producer)

"There's something about the deity of passion and extremety of emotion in that show which really seems to spill out beyond the theatre and even beyond word of mouth, and hit something in people's minds." (Dominic Cavendish, reviewer for The Telegraph)

"It was the smoothest, easiest, most satisfying first preview of any show I've done." (Manager)

From watching this documentary and using it as a literary source, many ethical considerations were highlighted. I have discovered that you have to be extra careful when transcribing data. It took much longer than anticipated to gain accurate quotations than in literature; and there were so many people talking at different times, that it made it harder to identify roles accurately and easier to paraphrase. 

It was also extremely beneficial for myself as a practitioner learning about and putting names to all these influential creatives within my industry. I have extended my knowledge of choreographers, directors, composers and so on. Cameron produces many of the most successful musicals to date including Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Follies and Mary Poppins, and several practitioners stated in the documentary that they have worked for Cameron before. We can link this to 'communities of practice' (Lave & Wenger) and 'networking' (module 1). If I was to come across or work with any one of these individuals, I am in turn opening my communities of practice and networks up by several circles, this due to their involvement in many a show and with many other experts. The knowledge gained from this documentary in regards to experts in my field is therefore invaluable and could even benefit me in auditions or meetings with these people. If I have made an effort to get to know the experts and their work, it demonstrates positive character traits such as  interest and appreciation - traits that will only benefit me in my approach and thus my practice.

It was amazing watching the end credits and realising how many people were involved in the making of this show. The list felt endless and it really hit home how much of a team effort putting on a musical theatre production is. The end credits to a documentary feels to me like the bows at the end of a show. I sat and watched them all, astonished by the sheer amount of effort and input involved. In a production however, it is normally only the performing company that take a bow. We can argue that the applause is for the production as a whole but it would be great if we could acknowledge the backstage and front of house crew. During my interview with the head carpenter, he told me about how on the last night of a show he did, the leading man stopped the applause to do a thank you to the crew. "No ones every done that before, that was a nice little touch at the end of the tour." This demonstartes how important a little appreciation and acknowledgement for others and their work is in the work place. 

I have learnt that both disciplinary and interdisciplinary work is key to putting on a musical theatre production. You require experts in a particular field, who can demonstrate great discipline specific skills, to come together in interdisciplinary practice. A practice in which they share knowledge in order to collaborate and to combine and facilitate one another's creative ideas. I have learnt that affiliation, support and management are essential in successful interdisciplinary practice; and that skills such as being adaptable, time efficient and passionate, are key interdisciplinary skills for myself as a dancer as well as any theatre practitioner.

"There's so many people that play a vital role in this production and now is our chance to show everybody, even the people who aren't on stage, the lights, the sound - everyone shined that night." (Eva Noblezade, Actress playing lead role of Kim)

"You think you know a lot of things, no you don't. As soon as you talk to him you go 'oh yeah, that makes sense!' He's great." (Jon Jon Briones, actor playing The Engineer in reference to the fight choreographer)

"He's called the engineer because he mechanically works his way through everybody and gives them what they didn't fix in situations." (Laurence Connor, Director)

"You've got to make decisions quickly and adapt to changes." "You've got to be able to react fast." (Bruno Poet, Lighting design)

"They're all the creme de la crime. You're working with the best in every field in stage, in the orchestra pit, front of house, so you've just got to keep up." (Mick Potter, Sound design)

Campus session & SIG's

16th March 2017

"How we use theory in what we're doing" - session led by a Adesola Akinleye

I must admit, I was so excited to go on to campus! It's the first session I've been able to make because of touring and it felt so strange. Actually seeing the university and meeting my tutors and peers in the flesh was quite a surreal experience.

This session on THEORY was great for me personally. In module 2 i was using a lot of experience and examples in relation to practice, so some of my feedback was to try and source the more academic style  literature and theoretical explanations from practitioners.

We reminded ourselves of module 1 theories: CONNECTIVISM, REFLECTION, NETWORKING

Adesola helped us to understand that the inquiry is about absorbing the theories and then using them in order to make decisions and steer what you're doing. It isn't a case of trying to justify what you're doing because of the theories - your actions and choices are a bi-product.

Linking this idea with my own practice in a Musical theatre production definitely helped my understanding. I asked myself - what is the theory of 'Dirty Dancing'? I came to the conclusion that it is effectively the context. The reason we do certain moves or dance in a certain style is because of the story and the decade it was set in. The theory or context behind the show directs the creativity.

You can see on the image of 'rhizome' above that the theories and ideas, as well as the different stages  in the inquiry and the degree itself, should be connecting. It opposes the linear structure of education today - prior to degree and professional level. I was glad to be reminded of the aforementioned module 1 theories because I can now see how they could be linked to theories cropping up in my module 3 inquiry - social networking theory and organisational theory. Networking across  departments, reflection from hierarchical positions in addition to self reflection, connectivism in relation to social media  and team work/communication in the work place. 

We touched on ETHICS and how they can highlight exceptions to theories. The use of analysis and journal king helps to explain any differences or alternative choices and why. 

"Ethics is an ACTION not a THING" (Akinleye, A. 2016) They raise questions and thoughts, they are not a set of rules. I pointed out that it is perhaps why we often have a code of conduct in the workplace- so that any individual differences in ethics/morals are managed. 

To summarise theories:

Look at it.....reflect on it....:develop our own thoughts on it.....whilst remaining open to interpretation and raising questions!

Victoria and I went for coffee afterwards to catch up and talk through how we were getting on, what our concerns were. It was so nice to have a face to face conversation with a fellow BAPP SIG. 

one of our topics of conversation was the artefact and oral presentations. Victoria actually watched the previous module 3's and you can check out her blog on how she found it here!

Literature review: "The future is Interdisciplinary"

"The future is interdisciplinary" by William F. Condee, 2004. Theatre Survey 45:2

This literature written by Condee, a professor of Theatre and director of The School of Interdisciplinary Arts at Ohio university, seeks to make explicit how interdisciplinary studies and interdisciplinary research are essential approaches to education and 'theatre history' as a topic - this in order to reform and continually develop them. He opens with a question that I hope to gain more understanding towards in connection with my own own practice, a performer in a Musical Theatre production:

"Is interdisciplinarity still interdisciplinary, or is it now a discipline?" 

If I was to relate this to my own practice, I feel it would imply that Musical Theatre is now a discipline that has formed from several other disciplines. In other words, I initially trained in dance and only began to study acting and singing when I realised that Musical Theatre was what I wanted to do. "Musical theatre combines music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. Also called 'musicals', they are usually performed in theatres" (BBC 2014). I was additionally told that the 3 individual disciplines would be required from me in that field, in order to become successful. When commencing Laine Theatre Arts aged 18, I had the option of completing my diploma in 'Musical Theatre', i.e. The combining of dance, acting and singing; or 'dance' as a stand alone subject. What this question could be suggesting is that 'Musical Theatre' is now a discipline in its own right, yet it has stemmed from interdisciplinary studies. I do believe that Musical Theatre is a genre of performance, and also a discipline in its own right. This is because the execution of the 3 sub disciplines are expected amongst performers today and therefore requires interdisciplinary skills from us as practitioners.

Interdisciplinary practice is essential when putting on a musical theatre production.

"The common view is that interdisciplinarity employs more than one discipline to address a complex problem" and "Interdisciplinary studies tend to privilege unity"

In order for the whole production to come together ready for an audience, many expert practitioners profound in many individual disciplines are required; these from lighting, sound, wardrobe, make up, stage management, actors and so on. However we must work as a team and come together to produce the one goal or "complex problem" - the production itself. The group of people who put on a Musical Theatre production are known as a 'company', which can also be defined as "being with another or others, especially in a way that provides friendship and enjoyment" (Google, 2017). The above suggests to me that cooperation and collaboration which enable "unity" are key qualities of interdisciplinary practice, and are more successful when you have positive relationships and passion amongst company members.

Following on from this, I firmly believe that the creative success of a production in connection with my inquiry, can only benefit from interdisciplinary practice.

"Thus while a discipline sets forth a field of study, offering creative and research opportunities, it also limits the range of creation"

The more experts we have, the more knowledge and ideas we should possess collectively. "Each scholar, then, builds on the work of another, taking what is helpful from other scholars." As a dancer in Musical Theatre, I could work with a director who brings out storytelling in my performance for example. I could work with a costume designer who could make something that would complement or accentuate my movements. Working collectively and combining our individual skills, increases the "range of creation" and provides the opportunity for maximum creativity.

Interdisciplinarity enables us as professionals to continually develop and improve our Musical Theatre productions. I watched a documentary, "The Heat is Back on", which follows the making of Miss Saigon during its return to London for the 25th anniversary. Even though it is one of the most successful shows in history and produced by the most successful producer of our time, Cameron Mackintosh, the show undergoes several changes and tweaks to the underscore, set design, choreography etc.

"This form of interdisciplinarity might be called discipline-based, in which disciplinary work is essential to interdisciplinary studies, and interdisciplinary studies are essential to the future development of the discipline. The scholar must have a disciplinary home, but also have knowledge of cognate disciplines."

If we look at Miss Saigon as the "discipline" we hope to develop, and Mackintosh as the "scholar", it suggests that as well as his ability to produce he must have knowledge of the other disciplines involved in creating the show. In an interview with him that I studied previously he says he has a talent for recognising "'that doesn't work - why not try that?' I'm good at making other people go the extra yard." This literature fails to mention the leadership roles, such as the producer, or management in regards to successful interdisciplinary work - something I plan to study further along with organisational theory.

If the production had remained the same, it may not have been as successful with audiences today.


"If, however, one accepts that theatre history must undergo a constant transformation, then this interdisciplinary education is central to theatre history. Interdisciplinary studies provide the essential mechanism by which the discipline questions itself and opens itself up to external examination—ultimately perpetuating reform. Disciplinarity without interdisciplinarity is a dead discipline."


As creatives, we are continually looking to self improve and further ourselves and I do believe it's because we love what we do. In order to achieve this we must "reflect" (Module 1) on previous work and seek feedback or critique from other experts - whether this be on stage, in an audition, during training sessions or in the rehearsal room. This combined with our own knowledge and experience helps us to "reform" and refine our individual disciplines. Interdisciplinarity accommodates the fusion of these and thus helps to transform a production, in this case, Miss Saigon. What the literature doesn't mention is the ever advancing technology and training that also aids this transformation. Audiences have expectations in regards to what they know and love from previous productions, but they also have modern day expectations. Therefore I feel it is imperative to acknowledge imperatives for interdisciplinary work.

Ultimately, disciplinary and interdisciplinary work should co-exist. Using disciplinary knowledge, but seeking information externally to advance and improve the whole, is key to a Musical Theatre production.


"Disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies should permeate and infuse one another, operating in a complementary relationship"


To conclude, disciplinary work (myself as a dancer) should participate in interdisciplinary work (cooperation and collaboration with other experts/departments), allowing the continual enhancement of the ongoing discipline that is a Musical Theatre production.

"Thinking creatively for your Professional Inquiry." Module 3 Skype

Session led by: Paula Nottingham
Participants: Megan Louch & Lauren Hoskins

We began the session by looking at an image Paula had displayed. The task Was to try and figure out what it was showing us.....

Both Lauren and I could see what we thought was a landscape image of mountains and sky. I could then make out a sculpture of a face looking to the right. Paula then revealed it was actually the interior of a bowl she had. This demonstrates how different perspectives and understandings can be interpreted from the same thing.

Paula's Tips:

1. When attempting analysis, try voicing to your SIG's what you have learned or understandings you have come to from literature/data. That way you can see if they can make sense of it as an audience or help you to communicate your findings better. 
2. Drafts, drafts and more drafts.
3. Look for connections and patterns within literature and data. 
4. Re-read the handbook and readers.
5. The inquiry should be "the voice of the artist." i.e. What did Megan think?

Paula and I had spoken the day before about 'social networking theory' in relation to my inquiry. Looking at relationships and interpersonal skills as interdisciplinary within a musical theatre production. I have also chosen to look further into 'organisational theory' after reading "The future is interdisciplinary" (Condee, F. W. 2004) I spoke briefly with Paula about my practice as an organisation. We came to the conclusion that a Musical Theatre production is:

• A temporary organisation - short contracts
• Less opportunity to build on interpersonal and thus interdisciplinary skills
• Some people may know each other from before, some may not know anyone
• Links to Lave and Wenger's theory about entering the circles and making our way into the community of practice from outside
• 
  

I also discovered from this literature, Richard Wagner's concept of Gesamtkunstwerk - which means 'total work of art' and something I additionally will be looking into further.

"all of the senses, acting in harmony, are awakened and lead to more profound appreciation and experience. "

(Wolfman, U. 2013. Online at:

http://www.interlude.hk/front/richard-wagners-concept-of-the-gesamtkunstwerk/) 

It was good to reasses where we thought we were in regards to the 5 stages of inquiry from reader 7.

From such difficult schedules and problems organising activities due to holidays, day offs, work complications, hours etc - stage 3, DATA, had taken priority in my inquiry process. Althouh I haven't finished collecting data I am now going back to stage 2, LITERATURE, and having small attempts at stage 4 - ANALYSIS. I'm combongin 3 stages and hoping to find links/intertwining of ideas as I progress through.

On one of the slides, Paula has posted this quotation:

"Emersing yourself in a domain that you truly love will allow the foundations for creativity to be in place."

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

This resonated with me after discovering how love and passion plays a big part in Musical Theatre and its practitioners. This from reading Cohen's "Working together in theatre" in which he discussed amateur dramatics and how the word 'amateur' comes from the French word meaning lover. I'm actually going to watch my friend in an amateur production of 'Spamalot' tonight and i can't wait! It's in a theatre and with a society I grew up with so it will be a really nice feeling being in the audience and showing my support. Enjoyment and passion is also evident from interviewing participants.

"I always enjoyed showing off"
(Dance captain)

"You have to enjoy it and put in 100%"
(Head of sound)

"I just loved all the lights and the colours"
(Head of sound)

"I loved it so much and the rest is history"
(Head of wigs)

Therefore, I feel that  love and enjoyment are key character qualities from individuals when discussing the creative success of a production in relation to one of my inquiry questions:

"What interdisciplinary skills should I possess as a dancer in order to impact positively on the creative success of a production?