Actors As Musicians - Is The Face of Musical Theater Changing?

Is the face of musical theater changing? Doproduce musicals. Additionally, it may have been
professional musical theater actors need to bethe beginning of the need for more actors who
singers, dancers, actors,..and musicians? Is aare trained as "quadruple" threats, those who can
theater revolution at hand? Judging by what hassing, dance, act, and play a musical instrument.
occurred within the last few years on BroadwayCertainly, those who have acquired all four skills
and in London, the answer appears to be morewill be at an advantage in gaining employment,
and more, a yes.should this style of theater continue to grow.
Attention began to be paid to this concept ofHow many Broadway and West End shows have
actor- musicians here in America, in 2006, withbeen produced since the inception of "Sweeney
the Broadway revival of Steven Sondheim'sTodd" with the actor-musician at the Watermill?
"Sweeney Todd" at the Eugene O'Neill Theater.You may be surprised to find out. Following Doyle
For Broadway, the staging of this well-knownwinning a Broadway Tony Award for Best
musical in such a way, was a new one. JohnDirector of a Revival for "Sweeney Todd", he
Doyle, the acclaimed British director, came to Newwent on to direct a Broadway revival of
York to illustrate his conception of "Sweeney"Company". It received the Tony Award for Best
Todd", with the orchestral score performed byMusical Revival before closing in July, 2007. Doyle
the actors.just recently returned to the Watermill Theatre, in
Doyle will be the first to admit that actors playingNewbury, to direct another Sondheim classic,
the musical score has been done before and that"Merrily We Roll Along". The Watermill, has also
his employment of this technique is not an originalrecently presented an actor-musician version of
thought. "It's not a gimmick or a concept - it's an"Honk". "Mack and Mabel" a Jerry Herman Musical,
alternative approach.", he declared, in a recentwas revived in England in 2005 and toured before
interview. He explains that not every piece ofplaying at the West End's Criterion Theatre from
work can be adapted this way and, it was duringApril to July 2006.
the 1980's and 1990's, when theaters wereRegional Theater and National Tour productions
desperate for cash that actor as musicianshave also been effected by this new trend.
became a necessity of invention. Doyle had beenCurrently, in the United States there is a national
a regional theater director for years and realizedtour of "Sweeney Todd" which is based on John
that if he wanted to do a big musical, he neededDoyle's Broadway revival conception. Watch, also,
to do a show without the expense of a largefor those lesser known shows that were originally
orchestra. This was the impetus for using actorsconceived with actor-musicians in mind. These
that could sing, dance, act, and play instruments,include "Buddy" - The Buddy Holly Story and
too. The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, England"Pump Boys and Dinettes".
was where Doyle perfected his interpretation ofBoth of these shows are experiencing a surge in
this concept. The Watermill is spatially challengedproduction across the United States.
and faced economic challenges, at the time.So what's an actor or actress to do in light of
Doyle's "approach" to "Sweeney Todd" at thatthese new theatrical developments, which will
theater, was highly acclaimed and following its runmost likely continue in these unsure economic
there, moved first to London's West End attimes for theater? My advice is to take that old
Trafalgar Studios and then the New Ambassadorsguitar out of the closet and give yourself a brush
Theatre. From London it went to Broadway.up, or just start with your favorite instrument
Thus, began what many consider to be theand go from there. It may be the difference
salvation of Broadway...a cost effective means tobetween your landing a job or not.