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All students working in the department are welcome to post their scholarly papers in the Graduate Student Paper Series. To inquire about submitting a manuscript please email musicdpt@fas.harvard.edu Copyright remains with the author on all papers.

Alaimo, Lucie: "Disciplined Freedom: Expressive Musical Performance of the Military Band" Craft, Elizabeth: "'Is this what it takes just to make it to Broadway?!' Marketing in the Heights in the twenty-first century"

Lucie Alaimo, School for Studies in Art and Culture, Carlton University, Ottawa "Disciplined Freedom: Expressive Musical Performance of the Military Band"

Abstract: Drill and military music performance has moved a long way from what Foucault described as the docile body of eighteenth century soldiers. In fact, many times military bands mock the very structures and ideologies on which they were founded by adding elements of surprise and humour not only through the musical repertoire but through the performance itself.  This paper will address how the visual element of a musical performance is as important as the auditory in interpreting the expressive content of military music performances and how military bands use this knowledge to stage drill routines that are rich in traditional military practices but are also creative and ‘entertaining’ in an effort to appeal to a wider audience.

Elizabeth Craft, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA "'Is this what it takes just to make it to Broadway?!' Marketing in the Heights in the twenty-first century"

Abstract: Tony winning musical In the Heights defied box office odds when it recouped its $10 million investment only ten months after opening on 9 March 2008 on Broadway. The marketing campaign of this unlikely `hit', which blends musical theatre, Latin and hip hop styles to portray a group historically underrepresented onstage - namely, the Hispanic community of Manhattan's Washington Heights neighbourhood - was as innovative as its subject and style. Close examination of the musical's savvy marketing campaign reveals how it carefully negotiates the show's hip hop and Latino identities and uses a range of media to attract new audiences while also cultivating the traditional Broadway fan base. Drawing upon ethnography and multimedia analysis, this case study provides a glimpse into the rapidly changing theatrical marketplace of the early twenty-first century.