ExploringtheRoleofGenderinMusicalTheatreanditsImpactonAudiencePerceptionthroughTheLastFiveYearsDepartmentofFilm,Television,andTheatreCreativeSeniorThesisProject2016-2017PrincipalInvestigator:SamanthaSqueriFTTFacultyAdvisors:Dr.SusanOhmerandDr.AntonJuanFTTThesis&HonorsCommitteeDirector:Dr.ChristineBecker

Squeri1

Introduction

Initswonderfullyevocativeworlds,itsenchantingmusicanditsdynamic

physicality,[musicaltheatre]excitesallsortsofpassionswithinus.Butthose

worldshaverelationshipswiththerealworld,andlikeallart,thereflectionofthe

realworldthatisrevealedin‘themusicandthemirrorandthechancetodance’can

teachusagreatdealaboutourrelationships,ourattitudesandourideologiesinreal

life(TaylorandSymonds2)

InStudyingMusicalTheatre:TheoryandPractice,Dr.MillieTayloroftheUniversityof

WinchesterandDr.DominicSymondsoftheUniversityofLincolnhighlighttheimportance

ofunderstandingtherelationshipbetweenmusicaltheatreandreallife.Theroleofgender

inmusicaltheatreisareflectionofsocietyonstagewhichisinformednotjustbytheatre

practitioners,butbythemusicaltheatreaudienceaswell;withoutanaudience,there

cannotbeashow.Thisthesisseekstoexploretheroleofgenderwithinmusicaltheatreand

howitimpactstheaudience’sperceptionthroughahistoricalandacademicanalysisaswell

asanaudiencesurveyconductedduringaspecialproductionofJasonRobertBrown’sThe

LastFiveYearsatNotreDameonDecember4-5,2016.Itisimportantformusicaltheatre

artists,academics,andaudiencememberstounderstandhowgenderaffectsanaudience’s

perceptionofapiecesothatwecanthinkmoredeeplyaboutwhatthesereactionssay

aboutgenderinsocietyandhowmusicaltheatrecanpotentiallychangetheconversation.

Squeri2

JasonRobertBrownandTheLastFiveYears

TheLastFiveYearswaswrittenandcomposedbyJasonRobertBrownand

premieredinthesummerof2001inSkokie,ILattheNorthlightTheatre,directedbyDaisy

Prince,beforetransferringforabriefOff-BroadwayruninMarch2002attheMinettaLane

Theatre.Itisan80-minuteoneact,"sung-through"musicalthattellsthestoryofaman

namedJamieWellersteinandawomannamedCatherineHiattwhofallinandoutoflove

overthecourseoffiveyears.Theshowusesaninterestingstorytellingmechanismwhere

Cathytellsherstoryinreversechronologicalorder(endtobeginning)whileJamietellshis

storysimultaneouslyinchronologicalorder(beginningtoend).Theoriginaltwo-person

ChicagocastfeaturedLaurenKennedyintheroleofCathyandNorbertLeoButzintherole

ofJamie,wholaterreprisedthisroleOff-BroadwaywithSherieReneScottasCathy.The

LastFiveYearsreceivedglowingreviewsinitsChicagopremiere;theChicagoTribune’s

chieftheatrecriticRichardChristiansencalledit“exciting,innovative,andaltogether

inspiring”and“aplaytofallinlovewith”inhisMay25,2001review(Christensen).The

productionwascommissionedbytheLincolnCenterTheatreinNewYorkandwastohead

thereafteritsChicagotestrun,butanumberoflegalissuesanddisagreementsaboutthe

showledtoitsremovalfromtheLincolnCenterschedulein2002.

Thetheatrecommunityatthetimealsobuzzedaboutapotentiallawsuitfrom

Brown’sex-wife,TheresaO’Neill,thatwasthepossiblecauseoftheshow’snowunclear

future.Therewasmuchspeculationthat,eventhoughBrowndeniedit,TheLastFiveYears

waslooselybasedonhisownshortmarriagetoO’Neill.AccordingtotheNewYorkPost,

“O’Neillissaidtobedeeplyunhappyaboutthemusicalandclaimed,inalettersentto

Squeri3

LincolnCenterbyherlawyer,thattheshowviolatesthetermsofherdivorcesettlement.

Thesettlement,sourcessay,barsBrownfromwritingaboutcertainaspectsoftheir

marriage”(Riedel).Indeed,BrowndidedittheshowaftertheNorthlightTheatre

productionanditseventualOff-Broadwaypremiere.Theseeditsmostlycenteredaround

themainfemalecharacterCathy,changingtheoriginaloverlyIrish“KathleenRyan”tothe

moregenerallynon-Jewish“CatherineHiatt”andnotablyreplacingJamie’ssong“ICouldBe

InLoveWithSomeoneLikeYou”abouthisdesireforanIrishgirlwith“ShiksaGoddess”

abouthisdesireforanon-Jewishgirl.

Nevertheless,TheLastFiveYearsbeganitsOff-BroadwayrunattheMinettaLane

TheatreonMarch3,2002afterthreeweeksofpreviewsthatbeganFebruary12.After

mixedreviewsrangingfromVariety’spraiseoftheproductionas“short,bittersweetand

nearlyperfect…awinningcombinationofmusicandbook”(Hofler)totheNewYorkTimes’

criticismoftheshowas“prettytedious”(Brantley),TheLastFiveYearsendeditsOff-

BroadwayrunonMay5,2002afterjust72performances.Sincethen,TheLastFiveYears

hasseenprofessionalproductionsandconcertperformancesaroundtheworld,andithas

beenlicensedforamateurproductionbyMusicTheatreInternational,makingitaperennial

favoriteofmanycolleges,universities,andamateurtheatregroups.In2013,theshowwas

revivedOff-BroadwayforalimitedengagementattheSecondStageTheatre,directedby

JasonRobertBrownhimselfwithAdamKantorasJamieandBetsyWolfeasCathy.Likeits

predecessor,thisOff-Broadwayrevivalwasalsometwithmixedreviews.TheLastFive

Yearswasgivenanewaudiencein2014throughafilmadaptationofthesamename,

directedbyRichardLaGraveneseandstarringJeremyJordanasJamieandAnnaKendrick

Squeri4

asCathy.InSeptember2016,Ihadthepleasureofattendingabenefitconcertversionof

TheLastFiveYearsatTownHallinNewYork,directedbyMr.BrownandfeaturingCynthia

ErivoasCathyandJoshuaHenryasJamie.Mr.BrownalsodirectedanewproductionofThe

LastFiveYearsinlate2016foralimitedengagementattheSt.JamesTheatreinLondon,

featuringSamanthaBarksasCathyandJonathanBaileyasJamie.

JasonRobertBrown’sotherpreviousmajorworksasacomposerincludea1995

songcycleentitledSongsforaNewWorld,andParade(1999)forwhichhewontheTony

AwardforBestOriginalScoreandaDramaDeskAwardforBestMusic.Afterhisworkon

TheLastFiveYearsin2002,hewrotefivesongsfor,orchestrated,arranged,andmusic

directedthecountrymusicalUrbanCowboyin2003whichwasadaptedfromthe1980film

ofthesamename,andearnedhimaTonyNominationforBestOriginalScore.In2007,he

composedthecoming-of-agemusical13,whichopenedonBroadwayin2008andisthe

onlyBroadwaymusicalevertohaveacastandorchestracompletelycomposedof

teenagers.2013sawtheout-of-towndebutofTheBridgesofMadisonCountyand

HoneymooninVegas,bothofwhichBrownadaptedfromtheiroriginaltexts(asnoveland

movie,respectively),writingthemusicandlyrics.TheBridgesofMadisonCountysawits

Broadwaydebutin2014,andHoneymooninVegaspremieredonBroadwayin2015.

Brown’smusicalstyleisadistinctfusionofpop-rockandmusicaltheatrelyricism,

andhiscompositionsareknownfortheirdeepemotionalconnectiontothelyricsandthe

narrative.Brownmeticulouslyuseseverysinglenotetoexpresssomethingaboutthe

character,withafocusonstorytellingthroughthetempo,texture,andlanguageofthe

musicthathewritesformusicaltheatre,ashedescribesinhisblog(Brown).“The

Squeri5

complicatingfactorinthetheateristhatcharacters,asarule,can’tsitinoneplace

emotionallywhilethey’resinging–musicissuchadynamicforcethatitpushescharacters

outofonestateofmindandintoanother;theatricalmusic,bymeredintofitspresence,is

active”(Brown).Becauseofthis,JasonRobertBrown’smusicalsarebestcharacterizedby

theircompellingcharactersandtrulymovingmusicwhichcouldtellthestorybyitself,

whichisexactlywhatisattheheartofTheLastFiveYears.Eachofthefourteensongsin

thismusicaladdmuchtothestorythroughtheirmusicalformandfilltheaudiencewitha

varietyofemotionsthroughthedifferentcompositions,fromtheslow,hauntingmelodyof

“StillHurting”,tothebeautifulharmoniesof“TheNextTenMinutes”,tothecheekyyet

upbeatgrooveof“AMiracleWouldHappen”,totheirregularstructureanddissonanceof

“NobodyNeedstoKnow”.Thecombinationofthevocalmusicandbeautifulstring

accompanimentinthisshowliterallysetsthestagefortheactionofthecharacterswithin

thenarrative.AspartoftheaforementionedNotreDameproductionofTheLastFiveYears,

theactorsandIhadthepleasureofexploringandexperimentingwithJasonRobert

Brown’smusicanddiscoveringhowhiscompositionsinfluencethestoryandthe

perceptionofthecharacters.

GenderRolesinTheLastFiveYearsatNotreDame

BecauseTheLastFiveYearsisamusicaltheatrepieceabouttherelationship

betweenamanandawoman,itisinevitablethatgenderrolesplayapartinthestory.This

show,likemanyothersinthegenre,portraysstereotypicalgenderroleswithinthecontext

ofaheterosexualrelationship.Itcontainsalloftheclassicmale/femaletropesofa

Squeri6

“traditional”musical:themasculinemanwhoisthe“breadwinner”andthefemale

characterwhoisextremelyemotional,desperatelyinlove,andreliantonhermanfor

supportbecauseshecannotkeepasteadyjob.TheshowopensonCathyathermost

vulnerable,cryingandpiningforherhusbandJamie,whohasjustlefther.TheLastFive

YearsusesastorytellingmechanismoftheshowwhereCathytellsherstorybackwards,

beginningattheendandJamietellshisstoryforwardsfromthebeginning.Becauseofthis,

weareintroducedtoJamiethrivingintheprimeofhislifewhenhehasjuststartedhis

relationshipwithCathyandispublishinghisfirstnovel,poisedforsuccess.Itisthesevery

distinctgenderrolesofthecharactersthatIhopedtoexperimentwiththroughmythesis

productionofTheLastFiveYearsoncampus.

AfterIfirstsawthe2014movieadaptationoftheshow,Ihadavehementdebate

withmyuncleoverwhowasmoretoblameforthefailureoftheirrelationship.Heblamed

Cathyfornotrealizingthattheirrelationshipwasoverandbeingtooneedy.IblamedJamie

forcheatingonCathy,andempathizedmorewithCathybecauseJamiedidn’ttrytomakeit

workwhentheybegantohavemarriagetrouble.Thisdebatewithmyunclemademe

wonderifwewouldfeeldifferentlyaboutthecharactersiftheirgenderswereinverted:do

ourgenderbiasesasbothmenandwomenaffecthowwefeelaboutthecharactersand

theiractions?Myinstinctiveanswertothisquestionisthatyes,weallhaveinherent

genderbiasesasfemaleandmaleaudiencemembersandconsumersofmediaasaresultof

societalandculturalnorms.ThisiswhatIaimedtoobservethroughthetheatreaudience

viasurveydatacollectionformythesisproject.

Squeri7

OneclarificationtonoteaboutTheLastFiveYearsinthecontextofthisresearch

projectandperformance:thisprojectisnotanattackonMr.Brownforneitherhisfailed

marriagethatinspiredtheshownorhiscreationofstereotypical,heteronormative

charactersinthisshow.Thisstoryisbasedonrealeventsandrealpeople,whichmustbe

recognizedbutisnotconsideredforthepurposesofthisresearch.Thisresearchevaluates

JamieandCathyascharactersinthecontextofthestoryasafictionalnarrative,andnotas

therealpeoplethattheywereinspiredbyandtherealeventsthattheywereapartof.

TheLastFiveYearsinparticularisagoodshowforthistypeofgender-inversion

experiment,notonlybecauseitservedastheinspirationfortheproject,butbecauseofits

relativelyfewvariables,two-personcast,minimalproductionrequirements,andname-

recognitionandaudiencedrawduetothefilmadaptation.Thetwo-personcastis

especiallyimportantforthegender-inversionpartoftheexperimentbecauseitismuch

simplertomeasureaudienceresponsetogenderinversionbetweenamaleandafemale

characterwithoutafullcastofotherpeoplethatmayalsobeaffectedbythischange.Ihad

originallyhopedtostagetwodifferentfullversionsoftheshowonthetwonights:onefull

versionwiththetraditionalcastingonthefirstnight,andthesecondversiononthesecond

nightwiththefullshowwiththegender-invertedcasting.AfterconsultingJasonRobert

Brownaboutmaintainingtheintegrityofhisshow,wesettledonstagingthefullshowasit

isoriginallyintendedwiththestandardcasting(fourteensongs)andthenabrief

intermissionfollowedbyafewexcerptsofthosemoreheatedorpivotalmomentsinthe

showwiththegender-invertedcasting(sixsongs).Bydoingthisassortofadoublefeature,

itwasmyhopethatthisformatallowedtheaudiencetofullyunderstandthecharactersas

Squeri8

theyareoriginallyintendedthroughthefullnarrativeoftheshow,andthenrealizeiftheir

perceptionsofthecharactersatcertainmomentschangedwiththeinvertedcastingofthe

excerpts,throughthecollectionofsurveydatainrealtimethroughouttheperformance.

Thiswasanextremelyinterestinggenderdynamictoinvert,andithasalreadyledtomany

insightfuldiscussionsabouttheroleanddepictionofgenderintheatre,especiallymusical

theatre,whichseemstobeaworseculpritofthesestereotypical“traditional”genderroles

onthestage.

GenderRolesinMusicalTheatre

Intheirtext,StudyingMusicalTheatre:TheoryandPractice,TaylorandSymonds

emphasizetheimportanceofgenderinmusicaltheatre:

Becauseperformanceintheatreisviewedasareflectionoflife,thedynamicsof

genderthatoperateoffstagebecomeinscribedwithwhatappearsonthestage(and

ofcourseontelevision,infilmsandmusicvideostoo),wheretheperformanceof

genderismagnifiedandexaggerated,andthereforepowerfullyinfluential.(136)

Dr.SusanBennettoftheUniversityofCalgaryconfirmsthisideawhenshenotesthat

“culturalassumptionsaffectperformances,andperformancesrewritecultural

assumptions”(Bennett2),whichiswhyitisimportanttocareabouttheportrayaland

importanceofgenderinmusicaltheatreperformances.Musicaltheatreisarguablythe

mostbroad-reaching,culturallymainstreambranchoftheatrearts,andithasseena

resurgenceinpopularityinrecentyearswiththerunawaysuccessofshowslikeHamilton,

aswellastherecentreturnofthelivetelevisionmusicaleventwithNBC’sTheSoundof

Squeri9

MusicLive!,PeterPanLive!,TheWizLive!andHairsprayLive!,andFOX’sGrease:Live.The

genreofmusicaltheatre,alongwithotherformsofartandmedia,hasthepowertoaffect

andshapeculturalassumptionsandsocietalbiases,butitcanalsoreinforceexisting

culturalbiases,forasDr.Bennettalsonotes,“theatrecanneverbedivorcedfromthe

culturewhichproducesitandwhichit,inturn,serves”(Bennett98-99).

Therefore,itisimportantthatwestudyandanalyzetheimpactanduseofgenderin

musicaltheatretoensurethatitisnotnegativelycreatingorreinforcingsocietalgender

biases.SociologistDr.ScottColtraneoftheUniversityofOregonmakesanimportant

distinctionbetweenaperson’sbiologicalsexandtheirsociallyconstructedgender,arguing

thatthereisnoinnategenderedmasculinityorfemininity;instead,theseareconceptsthat

havebeencreatedbyoursocieties—aproductofnurture,notnature.Dr.Coltranenotes

that“[d]espiteresearchandtheoriestothecontrary,mostpeoplecontinuetoconceiveof

genderdifferencesasinnatelygiven,reflectingsomeunderlyingessentialdichotomy

betweenmenandwomen"(qtd.inBrod&Kaufman45).Thisnotionthatgender

differencesareinnatelygivenhasbeenreinforcedbymanyfacetsofoursociety,fromart

andmediatomarketingandadvertising.HereIwillspecificallyexplorethevariousrolesof

genderwithinmusicaltheatre,asobservedbyacademicsandtheatreprofessionals.

FemaleRoles

TaylorandSymondsnotethatoneofthegreatestsetbacksforfemalerolesin

theatreisthelackofwomeninpositionsofpowerintheatre.Aswithmanypartsofsociety,

menhaveheldpositionsofpoweroverwomen,assertedtheirauthority,andbenefited

Squeri10

fromgreateropportunities,andintheatre,malewritersandtheatrepractitioners“havefar

moreofavoicethanwomen”(TaylorandSymonds136).Thisisevidentinboththescript

presentedonstageaswellasthebackstageenvironmentofmusicaltheatre,accordingto

manyaccountsthatIhavereadabouttheexperiencesoffemalepractitioners,aswellasin

aninterviewthatIconductedwithMarySugar,whoisaBroadwaypianistandmusic

director.Shetoldmethatwhenshefirstenteredtheindustry,shewasinformedthatshe

wouldneverbeamusicdirectorsolelybecauseshewasawoman,butshecontinuedto

emphasizethatalthoughthingsarenotperfect,thingsaregettingbetterintheindustry,as

therearenowahandfuloffemalemusicdirectorsontheGreatWhiteWay,includingJason

RobertBrown’scurrentwife,GeorgiaStitt.

Unfortunately,itseemsthatthereisanevenslowerspeedofchangeinthenumber

offemalewritersinmusicaltheatre;mostofthefemalerolesthathavebeenwrittenupto

thispointreflectthisdisparity.Barnesarguesthatwhenmalewritersofmusicalscreate

femalecharacters,"thewomenbecomethemouthpiecetoexpressamaleideaofhowa

womanthinksandbehaves,orhowmenwantthemtothinkandbehave.Thewoman's

voiceis,ineffect,silencedandreplacedwithamaleone"(Barnes37-38).Traditionally,

similartoopera,therearethreetypesofrolesforwomeninmusicaltheatre:thesoprano

female(oftenhelpless)ingénuewhofallsheadoverheelsforthetenorromanticmalelead,

thealtofemaledeviousand/oroverlysexualizedcharacter,orthealtofemalecomedic

sidekickcharacter.ThehelplessfemalesopranorolebestfitsthecharacterofCathyinThe

LastFiveYearsasshecannotkeepasteadyjobandisconstantlyrelyingonJamie’ssuccess

togetby.AsinTheLastFiveYears,themeninmusicalsareoftenatthecenteroforthe

Squeri11

mainfocusofthenarrative,whichmakessenseduetothedominanceofmalewritersand

composersinthegenre.AsTaylorandSymondsnote:

Likemanyarts,musicaltheatre'scanoniclegacyisalmostexclusivelymale,sothe

challengeofthisagendaistofindamongsttheMonteverdis,Mozarts,Wagners,

GershwinsandSondheimsanywomenwhohavecontributedtotherepertoire.Of

course,therearemanybuttheirworkhastypicallybeenovershadowedby

historiographythathasemphasizedmenandoccupiedwomen.(147)

Largelyduetothisissue,thereisalackoftrulypowerfulandempoweringfemalerolesin

themusicaltheatrecanon—strongandsmartwomenwhocanovercomeadversityontheir

ownanddonotneedtorelyonaman.AsplaywrightLaurenGundersonnotesinher

HuffingtonPostblogpost,theatreneedsatheatricalversionoftheBechdelTestusedfor

filmswhichnamesthefollowingcriteria:topassthetest,afilmmusthaveatleasttwo

[named]womeninitwhotalktoeachotheraboutsomethingbesidesaman(Gunderson).

Thesecriteriamayseemelementary,butthenumberoffilmstodaythatstillfailthissimple

testissurprisinglyhigh,andthesamecouldbesaidofmusicals.Icancountononehandall

oftheleadingfemalerolesinmusicaltheatrethataccomplishthisfeat,whichshowsthat

maleandfemalewritersandtheatrepractitionersalikehavealotofcatchinguptodoto

havetheirworkproperlyreflectwhatitmeanstobeawoman,especiallyinthe21st

century.

Squeri12

MaleRoles

Musicaltheatreandmasculinityhasalwaysbeensomewhatatoddsbecauseinlife,

spontaneouslysinginganddancingisnotexactlytheprototypicalbehaviorofmasculinity.

Butintheworldofthemusical,theleadingmantraditionallyfitsthehegemonicdefinition

ofmanhood.AuthorandsociologistDr.MichaelKimmeldescribesthissocially-constructed

ideaofmasculinityas“amaninpower,amanwithpower,andamanofpower.Weequate

manhoodwithbeingstrong,successful,capable,reliable,incontrol.Theverydefinitionsof

manhoodwehavedevelopedinourculturemaintainthepowerthatsomemenhaveover

othermenandthatmenhaveoverwomen"(qtd.inBrod&Kaufman125).Althoughthis

maydifferwhenitcomestoassertingthemasculinityofthechorusboys,themusical’s

leadingmanmustbebrave,stoic,powerful,andtough.AccordingtoauthorHaroldClum,

musicaltheatretellsusthat“[m]enshouldnotbeweakwiththewomentheylove...They

shouldnotdisplaytheirinsecurities...Nochanceforasensitiveman.Menneedtobetough

andstrong...strongenoughtotametheshrew"(Clum104).Thisalignswiththedefinition

ofmanhoodaccordingtopsychologistRobertBrannonin1976,whosaidthat

"[m]asculinityistherelentlessrepudiationofthefeminine...Masculinityismeasuredby

power,success,wealth,andstatus...provingyou'reamandependsonnevershowingyour

emotionsatall.Boysdon'tcry...[menmust]exudeanairofmanlydaringandaggression."

(Kimmel125-126)

Thishegemonicdefinitionofmanhoodandmasculinitybasedonindependence,

aggression,competition,control,anddominationishighlyproblematic.“Surface

appearancesaside,nomaniscompletelyabletoliveuptotheseidealsandimages…[they]

Squeri13

allcontinuetoexperiencearangeofneedsandfeelingsthataredeemedinconsistentwith

manhood”(Kaufman148).Thisunrealisticidealofmasculinitypresentedbysocietyand

reinforcedthroughartandmediapressuresmentosuppressthetraitsandemotionsthat

aremostoftenassociatedwithfemininity,suchasnurturing,receptivity,empathy,and

compassion.DirectorandtheatrepractitionerGraceBarnesasksthisofmodernmusical

theatre:

Whydon'tweseepowerfulwomeninsocietyreflectedonstage?Wherearethestay-

at-homedadsinmusicaltheatreorthecareerwomenwhoaresupported

emotionallybytheirmoreliberal-mindedhusbands?Isthisnotagoodstory?There

aremeninsocietytodaywhoarefeministintheiroutlook,whoadoresmart,

independent,andstrongwomenandarehappy—eager—tosharethechild-rearing

responsibilities...couldn'tweseeoneofthemrepresentedinamusical?(54)

Althoughtherearemoreandmoreworkingwomenintheworldtoday,thissocietalshiftis

notreflectedinthecommercial,mainstreammusicaltheatredominatedbymaleproducers

andtheatrepractitionersbecausebeingthesupportivepartnerandstay-at-homedadis

consideredemasculating.Maledependencyisnotoftenportrayedonthestage,butwe

exploredtheconceptinthegender-invertedexcerptsofTheLastFiveYearsatNotreDame,

wherethemalecharacterbecomestheactorwhoisstrugglingtokeepajobandfinds

himselfashissuccessfulwife’sarmcandyinboth“APartofThat”and“ClimbingUphill”,

whichwillbediscussedlaterinthispaper.

Squeri14

HeterosexualRelationships

Inadditiontothesestockgenderroles,Dr.SusanWolfofPrincetonUniversity

arguesthatgenderaffectsmorethantheindividualfemininityandmasculinityofthe

charactersinamusical:

Gendermakesmeaningforindividualcharactersbutalsoinrelationtoother

charactersandtheirgenders.Whenmanypeoplethinkofmusicaltheatre,they

thinkofalovestoryorromanceor'boymeetsgirl,boylosesgirl,boygetsgirl.'...

Thisheteronormativenarrativeissodeeplyembeddedinmusicaltheatre's

historicaltrajectorythatfewcommentatorsevennoteitasaconventionratherthan

afactorrequirement(Wolf8)

Becausemanymusicalsareorganizedaroundtheformationofoneormoreheterosexual

couples,genderalsofunctionsasaconventionalorganizingelementofmusicaltheatre.Dr.

RickAltmanproposesthatthereisaheterosexualdualfocusnarrativestructuretomany

musicals,whichfollowamalecharacterandafemalecharacterastheynavigatelifeand

love,eventuallypairingthemtogetherattheend(Altman16-27).AuthorHaroldClum

arguesthatthisheterosexualnarrativefocusisespeciallytrueofmanyclassicmusicals,like

thoseofRogers&Hammerstein,which“defineandcelebrate‘proper’genderroles”(Clum

107),makingmusicaltheatreespecially“heterosexist”(Clum28).

Thisheterosexualdualfocusnarrativedefinesthegenderofthemaleandfemale

romanticleadsascompleteoppositesinabinarystructurethatarereinforcedbyother

oppositetraitsofthecharacters.Dr.StevenCohannotesthat“thisparadigmaticstructure

definessexualdifferenceintermsoftheprimaryoppositionofmasculinityandfemininity

Squeri15

andthisbinaryinturngeneratesaseriesofsecondaryopposingvalues”(Cohan90).This

heterosexualromancestructurecreatesabinaryfocusoncharactersbeingeitherentirely

masculineorentirelyfeminineinsteadofplacingthecharacters’genderidentitiesona

morefluidspectrumwheremostsociologistswouldarguethatgenderactuallyexists.Dr.

ScottColtraneassertsthat"genderisoneofthemostimportantorganizingprinciplesof

societiesthroughouttheworld"(Coltrane44),andtheworldofmusicaltheatreisno

exception.Althoughsmalldetailsaboutthecharacter’spersonalitymaychange,the

acceptedperceptionsofgenderremaininmostroles,leadingtoanabsenceofothertypes

ofromanticpairingsduetothisstrictgenderbinary.

ThereareveryfewBroadwaymusicalsthathaveseenahomosexualrelationshipat

theheartofthenarrative,andwhenthinkingaboutgenderinversionwithinTheLastFive

Years,itishardtoignorethepossibilityofonlyinvertingthegenderofoneofthe

characterstocreateahomosexualrelationshipbetweentheCathyandJamiecharacters.

Unfortunately,Ididnothaveenoughtimeorresourcestoexplorehowthiswouldchange

theeffectofgenderonaudienceperceptionwithahomosexualcouplingversusa

heterosexualcoupling,butthiswasactuallydonebyaproductionofTheLastFiveYearsat

OberlinConservatoryin2014.Areviewoftheproductionnotedthatthedirector’schoice

tocastbothCathyandJamieaswomeninahomosexualfemalerelationship“exposedthe

musical’smisogyny”and“castacriticallightonthetraditionalgenderrolespresentedin

theoriginalversionofthemusical”(Liles).

Squeri16

GenderInversion

Genderinversionintheatreisnotanewconceptbyanymeans,especiallyfor

productionsofShakespeare’splayswhicharenotboundbystrictcopyrightlawslikemany

otherworks.TherehavebeenmanyproductionswithafemaleHamletorafemale

“Prospera”inTheTempest,amongmanyothers,especiallymorerecentlyintheUKdueto

genderequalcastinginitiatives,suchasthatofShakespeare’sGlobeinLondon,which

committedtoa“50/50”splitofmaleandfemaleperformersunderitsnewfemaleartistic

director,EmmaRice(Clark).Genderinversioninmusicaltheatre,ontheotherhand,israre,

asidefromamateurorschoolproductionsthatrequirefemaleactressestoplaya

traditionallymaleroleduetocastingpoolrestrictions.Thisislargelyduetolicensing

agreementsformusicaltheatrepiecesthatrequiremusicaltheatreartiststoperformthe

pieceaswrittenorasoriginallyintended,i.e.notgender-inverted.In2013,however,

musicaltheatrehistorywasmadewhenPatinaMillerwontheTonyAwardforherroleas

theLeadingPlayerintherevivalofPippin.Thiswasthefirstandtheonlytimethatbotha

maleandfemaleactorhavereceivedtheTonyAwardforthesamerole,fortheoriginal

productionofPippinin1972featuredamaleactor,BenVereen,astheLeadingPlayer.

Thechoicetocastanactoroftheoppositegenderinaroletraditionallyfilledbyan

actorofadifferentgenderintheatrecanleadtoveryinterestingordifferent

interpretationsofthecharacterorexposenewelementsofthecharacterthatwere

previouslyhidden.AsidefromthemanynewproductionsofShakespeareandramasthat

frequentlyutilizegender-invertedcasting,somemodernplaywrightshavealsotoyedwith

andmanipulatednotionsofgenderintheirworks,mostnotablyBritishfemaleplaywright,

Squeri17

CarylChurchill.Dr.Bennettobservesthat“[t]heoverttheatricalityofChurchill’s

presentationworksagainstaconventionalrelianceonplotandcharacterandinsteadasks

thataudiencesquestiontheirassumptionsnotonlyabouttheatrebutaboutthemore

generaloperationofculturalvalues”(Bennett159).InoneofChurchill’smostwell-known

plays,CloudNine,shecastsmaleactorsasfemalecharactersandfemaleactorsinmale

roles,challenginganypreconceivednotionsaboutgenderandsexualitythatareheldbythe

audience.BritishactoranddirectorMichaelPattersonobservesthatinCloudNine,oneof

thefemalecharacters"isplayedbyamaninordertoshowhowfemininityisanartificial

andimposedconstruct"(Patterson84).

AlternativecastingwasactuallyastrategyusedbytheSherrodCurryProductions

stagingofTheLastFiveYearsinAustininApril2016wherethecompanywasableto

circumventpotentiallicensingcontractinfringementbyhavingtwofemaleactorsplaying

CathyandJamie,buttheyportrayedthecharactersasintendedintheoriginalgender,i.e.

thewomanplayingJamieplayedhimasamanwithmalepronouns.Theproducer’snotein

theprogramreads:“Itisthedirectintentofthewriter(JasonRobertBrown)andhis

licensethatnoaspectofTheLastFiveYearsbeadaptedoradjusted.Therefore,the

pronouns(HIS,HIM,HE)inreferencetoJamieWellersteinhavenotbeenchanged.Forour

intentandpurposes,JamieWellersteinidentifieswiththemalepronounalthoughtheactor

playinghimisafemalewoman”(SherrodandCurry).JustaswiththeOberlinproduction,

thereviewswereverypositiveaboutthisdifferentcastingchoice,asShanonWeaverofThe

AustinChroniclenoted:“Herethetraditionalgenderbinaryisvisuallyremoved,subtlyand

brilliantlyallowingaudiencestoabsorbthestoryinacompellingfashion...Ourinstinctsto

Squeri18

observe,process,andjudgethestorybasedonourpreconceivedconstructofgender

evaporates,andit'sfascinatinghowthesimpleabsenceofthemasculineachievesthis”

(Weaver)

InCloudNine,theeffectofthealternativeorgender-invertedcasting“istothrowthe

audienceoff-balance.Intheabsenceofunderstanding,theymaywellreactwithlaughter.

Suchareactionis,atthispoint,adefensemechanismwhichprotectstheirprivileged

positionasaudience”(Bennett158).Thisaudiencereactionoflaughterisoftencausedby

discomfortoruncertaintyatwhatisbeingpresentedonstage,andthisissomethingwhich

occurredinthegender-invertedexcerptsaspartoftheproductionofTheLastFiveYearsat

NotreDame,asisdiscussedlaterinthispaper.

TheLastFiveYearsatNotreDame:ProductionProcess

IreachedouttoJasonRobertBrowninlateMay2016topresentmyoriginalideaof

stagingtwofullversionsofTheLastFiveYears:onewiththetraditionalcasting,anda

secondwithcompletelygender-invertedcasting.Becausethiswouldinvolvesomeslight

languagealterationaroundthegenderedpronounsandsomereimaginingoftheroles,I

neededtoaskMr.Brownforexplicitpermissiontodosobecauseotherwiseitwouldbea

breachofcontractthroughthelicensingrightsthatIreceivedthroughMusicalTheatre

InternationaltoperformtheshowwiththeNotreDameFilm,Television,andTheatre

Department.Mr.Browngraciouslyrespondedtomyrequest(seeAppendixA),but

suggestedthatwedothegenderinvertedportionsoftheprojectasexcerptsinsteadofa

fullshow,whichledmetothefinalstructureoftheshow:afullproductionofthe

Squeri19

traditionally-castshow,followedbysixgender-invertedexcerptsfromtheshowaftera

briefintermission.

Afterassemblingaproductionteam,settingavenue,

determiningabudget,securingfunding,andacquiringthe

rightstostageTheLastFiveYearsoverthesummer,in

Septemberitcametimetocasttheshow.Thisshowis

brutallychallengingforanactorbecauseitalmost

completelysungbythetwocharacters,andJasonRobert

Brown’sbeautifulmusicisverydifficult.Incastingthis

show,Iwaslookingfortwodynamicactorsandsingers

whocouldbeconvincinginboththetraditionalgender

rolesofthisshow,aswellasifthoseroleswerereversed.Throughouttherehearsal

process,Iworkedtirelesslywiththetwoactorstofostercharacterdevelopmentandtheir

understandingofthecharacters’desiresandmotivations,bothineachsceneandinthe

largernarrativeoftheirrelationship.Ourfirst“sing-through”oftheshowconsistedofus

runningthroughthesongsinchronologicalordersothatwecouldbestunderstandthe

trajectoryofthecharactersandwhattheyweregoingthroughateachpointintheprocess.

Ithentookthetimetoworkthrougheachsongindividuallywiththetwoactors,andbefore

workingoneachsong,wewoulddiscusswhatthecharacterisgoingthroughduringthe

songandwhattheyaretryingtoconveyinthatparticularmoment.

Inworkingwiththeinvertedgenderdynamicinthisshow,Idecidedthebestwayto

approachittomaketheswitchmorepowerfulwastodevelopthecharactersastheyare

TheLastFiveYearsNotreDameProductionPromotionalPoster

Squeri20

traditionallycastfirst;workingwithJamieasmaleandCathyasfemale,asifitwerea

typicalproductionofTheLastFiveYears.Thedevelopmentofthecharactersinthisway

servedasasortof“control”fortheexperiment.Oncewehadsuccessfullyblockedandrun

thefulltraditionalshow(whichwaseffectivelyourfirstact),Ithenaskedtheactorsto

choosetheexcerptsthattheythoughtwouldbethemostinterestingandpowerfulifthey

weretobegender-inverted.AlbertOlszewski,whoplayedtheroleofJamie,chosetosing

“StillHurting”,“APartofThat”,and“ClimbingUphill”aswhatwecalled“Jamie2”,themale-

equivalentofCathyinthegender-invertedexcerpts.ElizabethBuckman,whoplayedthe

roleofCathy,chosetosing“ShiksaGoddess[ShegetzGod]”,“AMiracleWouldHappen”,and

“NobodyNeedstoKnow”as“Cathy2”,thefemale-equivalentofJamieinthegender-

invertedexcerpts.Withtheseexcerpts,wedecidedtoinvertalloftherelevantgender

pronounsandreferencesinthelyricstomakeitafullygender-invertednumber.Thiswas

harderinsomesongsthanothersbecausesometimesthiswouldcompletelychangethe

meaningofthewords,suchasin“NobodyNeedstoKnow”,wheretheoriginallyricsungby

Jamieis“comebacktobedkid,takemeinsideyou”,butwehadtochangethisto“takeme

besideyou”whensungbyCathy2.Theannotatedoriginallyricsofeachofthesesixsongs

withthegender-invertedlyricsusedinthisproductioncanbefoundinAppendixB.

Alchose“StillHurting”becauseitissuchanemotionallydifficultandexposedsong

whereCathypoursouthersoul,whichissomethingthatweneverreallyhearamale

characterdoonstage.Hechose“APartofThat”becauseitdepictsthewomanputtingaside

herdreamsforthesakeofherhusband’sanditwouldbeaninterestinggenderdynamicto

invertwiththemansacrificinghisdreamsforthesakeofhiswife’s.“ClimbingUphill”was

Squeri21

chosenbecauseitshowsthehardshipsthatthefemaleactressgoesthroughinauditions

andtheobjectificationthatshefacesintheprocess,makingitanotherinterestingsongto

invert,especiallyduetotheendofthesongwhereCathyproclaimsthatshewantstomake

somethingofherselfandnotjustbeanothersuburbanhousewife.Lizziechosetoinvert

“ShiksaGoddess”becauseitisaboutthemanglorifyinghisprevioussexualexploitswith

women,whichissomethingthatisnotacceptableforwomentobragaboutbeforestarting

anewrelationship.Shechosetosing“AMiracleWouldHappen”and“NobodyNeedsto

Know”becausetheydealwiththehusbandcheatingonhiswife,arelationshipdynamic

whichisarguablymoreinlinewithgivensocietalnotionsofsexualitythanthatofthewife

cheatingonherhusband.

Itwasextremelydifficulttochoosejustthreeadditionalsongstoinvertforeach

charactertosingduringtheexcerpts,butunfortunatelyitwasnotpossibleforusto

performtheentireshowgender-inverted.Manyoftheaudiencemembersexpresseda

desiretoseetheentireproductiongender-invertedbecausetheynotedthatitwasdifficult

tofillintheblanksbetweentheinvertedsongsinordertoformafullopinionaboutthe

characterswiththegender-invertedsongsinthesecondactofourproduction.Two

additionalsongswhichIbelievecouldhavebeeninterestingtohaveseengender-inverted

are“SeeI’mSmiling”and“IfIDidn’tBelieveinYou”,andafewoftheaudiencemembers

notedsuchintheirsurveyresponses.“SeeI’mSmiling”wouldbeinterestingtoexploreasa

gender-invertedsongbecauseitshowsCathy’sstruggleandfrustrationwithherhusband’s

infidelityandherowninsecuritiesinhercareerthrougharangeofemotions,something

thatasin“StillHurting”,leadingmendonotusuallydisplayonstage.“IfIDidn’tBelievein

Squeri22

You”exhibitsJamie’sfrustrationwithwhatheseesasCathy’swaningsupportforhiscareer

duetoherownlackofsuccess,whereheviciouslysays,“Iwon’tfailsoyoucanbe

comfortable,Cathy.Iwon’tlosebecauseyoucan’twin”(Brown).Inasimilarwayto“I’mA

PartofThat”,thissongexploresaverydifferentdynamicwhengender-inverted,onethatis

notoftenexplored,wherethemanfeelssubordinatetohisstrongandsuccessfulwife.The

annotatedoriginallyricstothesesongscanalsobefoundinAppendixB.

TheLastFiveYearsatNotreDame:AudienceSurveysandAnalysis

AsDr.SusanBennettsaysofperformanceandtheatreaudiences,“aperformance

canactivateadiversityofresponses,butitistheaudiencewhichfinallyascribesmeaning

andusefulnesstoanyculturalproduct”(Bennett167).Oneofthemostnotable

observationsofthedifferenceinaudiencereactiontothetraditionalandgender-inverted

versionsofthecharacterswasthepealof

laughterthattrickledthroughthe

audienceonbothnightswhenthefemale

JamieproposestothemaleCathyinthe

gender-invertedexcerpts.Whatwasa

tendermomentinthetraditionallycast

firstpartoftheshowbecamecomicalto

theaudiencewhenitwasthewomanon

herknee,proposingtothemanbecausethatisoppositewhatisconsideredtobethe

societally-establishedgendernorm.Bennettexplainsthatsemioticanalysisemphasizesthe

Productionstillsfromthefinaldressrehearsal,showingJamieproposingtoCathyinthefullperformance(left)andCathy

proposingtoJamieinthegender-invertedexcerpts(right),whichsparkedaninterestingreactionfromtheaudience.

Squeri23

importanceofthissortof“homogeneityofresponse”intheatreaudiences,whichoften

occurdespiteanydifferencesintheculturalvaluesorexpectationsofeachindividual

spectatorandacknowledgesthesharedunderstandingofeachonanindividualandprivate

basis(Bennett163-164).Dr.CarolineHeimofQueenslandUniversityofTechnologyin

Australiacitesasharedempathyasthereasonforthisreaction,andnotesthat“[a]udience

memberscatchorareinfectedbythecontagionoflaughter,crying,andevenapplause.

Emotionalcontagionisanempatheticresponse.Itisoftenthroughtheemotionalcontagion

thattheindividualaudiencememberbecomespartoftheaudiencecollective”(Heim22)

Thisempathyandunderstandingoftheperformanceoftheaudienceasawholeaswellas

onanindividuallevelisacrucialpartofthelivetheatreexperience,anditisimportantto

understandthisimpactofthissortof“group-think”audiencementalitywhenthinking

aboutthesurveyresponses.

Itisespeciallyimportanttonotethatthisproductionandresearchisnotanexact

sciencebecausethedataisformedbypeople’sopinions,andasthemembersofthe

audiencesaidthemselves,it’shardtoseparatetheactorsfromthecharactersandmake

completelyunbiaseddecisionsaboutthecharacters.Withthisinmind,theaudienceused

inthesurveysitselfisslightlybiasedaswell,forasBroadwaydirectorWestHylernotedin

aninterviewthatIdidwithhim,aNotreDameaudienceisverydifferentfromaNewYork

audiencewhichisverydifferentfromanAustinaudience.Eachtheatreaudiencebringsits

ownbiases,preconceivedvalues,andnotionsofthetheatreexperiencetoeach

performance,whichispartoftheappealoflivetheatrebecauseitisacompletelydifferent

audienceandaudienceexperienceeachnight.Thiswasevidentinevenjustthetwonights

Squeri24

ofTheLastFiveYearsthatwedidatNotreDamebecauseontheFridaynightperformance,

theaudiencewassilentbetweeneachsong,concentratinggreatlyontheirfeelingsandthe

surveys,whereastheSaturdaynightaudienceclappedbetweeneachsongasismore

standardinmusicaltheatre,soitwasagenerallylesstenseenvironment.

Aspreviouslymentioned,theinversionofgenderintheatreisbynomeansanew

topicofstudy,butthereisaliveperformanceaudiencesurveydatatosupporttheliterary

andqualitativeanalysisoftheexpertswhohavewrittenextensivelyonthesubject.Upto

thispoint,thereisverylittledirectandrealtimedatathathasbeencollectedfromtheatre

audiencesbecausecollectingdatainthemiddleofaperformanceishighlydistractingand

woulddisrupttheenergyofatheatreperformance.Duetothis,audienceperceptionisnot

measuredoftenandanysuchdataisquiterare,sotheresearchconductedanddata

collectedmythesisproductionofTheLastFiveYearsisquiteunprecedented.Iusedthese

showsasakindofexperimenttocreateanewtypeofdiscussionwiththeaudience(aswell

astheactors,staff,andproductionteam)andheartheirthoughtsaboutthecharactersat

eachoftheperformances,anddeterminewhetherornottheirthoughtssupportor

disprovemyhypothesis.Todothis,Idevelopedanaudienceevaluationsystemthat

involvedbriefpre,during,andpost-showsurveysbasedonaudienceevaluationresearch.

MostoftheseevaluationtechniqueshavebeendrawnfromCapturingtheAudience

Experience:AHandbookfortheTheatre,whichwasajointstudyonaudienceevaluation

donebytheNewEconomicsFoundation,theIndependentTheatreCouncil,theSocietyof

LondonTheatre,andtheTheatricalManagementAssociation.

Squeri25

Becauseofthename-recognitionofTheLastFiveYearsandinterestgenerated

aroundthisparticularshowasaresultofitsfilmadaptation,wewereabletodrawa

sizableaudienceforthesurveycollectionandsellouttheshowonbothnights.Overtwo

daysonDecember2-3,2016,Iwasabletocollectvaliddatafrom145respondents(8

surveyshadtobevoidedduetoalackofconsentreceivedorincompletion).Acopyofthe

surveythatwasgiventotheaudiencecanbefoundinAppendixC.Basedonthe

informationabouttheaudiencecollectedinthesurveys,asdemonstratedbythegraphsin

AppendixD,approximatelytwo-thirdsoftheaudienceidentifiedasfemale,whichisan

accuratereflectionofgeneraltheatreaudiences(Gunderson).Justunderhalfofthe

audiencehadpreviouslyseenTheLastFiveYearsoneitherthestageorthescreen,which

createssomepreviousbiastowardsthecharacters,butthirtypercentoftheaudiencehad

neverseenitatall.Alittlelessthantwothirdsoftheaudiencehadpreviouslyworkedor

beeninvolvedintheatreinsomecapacity,mostlyschool/amateurproductions,butafew

hadprofessionalexperience.Finally,therewasaquestioninthesurveythatevaluatesthe

genderbiasesoftherespondent,whichissomethingthatIwasrecommendedtodointhis

surveybyamemberoftheOfficeforHumanResearchoncampus.Basedonresearchinto

genderbiasquestions,Iselectedaverypointedquestionthataskedtherespondentsto

indicatetheiropinionaboutthefollowingstatement,“Therearesomeprofessionsand

typesofbusinessthataremoresuitableformenthanwomen”.Thisaudienceprovedtobe

asomewhatprogressive-leaningintermsofthinkingaboutgenderinthattwothirdsofthe

audiencedisagreedorstronglydisagreedwiththisstatement,whereasjustunderaquarter

oftheaudienceagreedorstronglyagreedwiththestatement.Thefactthattheyalso

Squeri26

knowinglyattendedaperformanceforaseniorthesisregardinggenderintheatreand

participatedinasurveyforthethesisalsocorroboratestheideathatthisisamore

progressive-leaningaudienceintermsofthinkingaboutgenderasasocialconstructand

supportinggenderequality.

Inadditiontothegeneralaudienceobservationspreviouslymentioned,thereisa

strongindicationofaneffectofthecharacters’genderontheaudience’sperceptionofthe

charactersbasedonthesurveydatacollected.Aftereachsongintheshow,theaudience

wasaskedtoindicatehowtheyfeltabouteachofthemaincharacters(CathyandJamie)in

thatmomentbymarkingeither“stronglylike”,“like”,“indifferent”,“dislike”,or“strongly

dislike”.ThedatagraphsshowninAppendixDcomparetheresultsofthesesurveysfor

eachofthesixsongsthatweregender-invertedbyshowingthe“stronglylike”and“like”

responsesasa“positive”reactionrepresentedbythebluebars,the“indifferent”response

representedbythegreenbars,andthe“stronglydislike”and“dislike”responsesasa

“negative”reactionrepresentedbytheredbars.Asisshowninthebargraphs,thereis

definitelyaclearoverallpatterninthedataforbothcharactersthatreflectsthedifferent

pointsinthenarrative.Notably,themostnegativeresponsewastoboththemaleand

femaleversionsofJamieduring“NobodyNeedstoKnow”whenweseehim/hercheating

onhis/herspouse,whereasthemostpositiveresponsetoJamieasbothmaleandfemale

wasduring“ShiksaGoddess”,whichismuchlighterandmoreendearing.Overall,therewas

amorenegativeresponsetotheJamie(novelist)characterandamorepositiveresponseto

theCathy(actor)character.Unliketheaudience’sverydynamicresponsetoJamiethat

changeddrasticallywitheachsonginthenarrative,theresponsetoCathywasgenerally

Squeri27

consistentlypositiveacrosseachsonginthenarrative,withtheexceptionbeingthegeneral

indifferencetoCathyduring“NobodyNeedstoKnow”whereshedoesnotevenappearon

stage.

Theoveralltrajectoryoftheaudience’sopinionsofthecharactersismostclearly

showninthestackedlinegraphsattheendoftheappendix.Thesegraphschartthe

audience’sreactiontrajectoryforeachofthecharacterswhereeachlinerepresentsa

differentmemberoftheaudience,andthelineriseswhenthecharacteris“liked”or

“stronglyliked”andthelinefallswhenthecharacteris“disliked”or“stronglydisliked”.

Althoughthereappearstobeageneraltrajectoryforeachofthecharacters,thesegraphs

aresomewhatmisleadingbecauseeachindividualaudiencememberreactedvery

differentlytothecharacters,whichoftencancelledoutanymajorlyvisibletrendsinthe

dataacrosstheentireaudience.Thisoffsettingeffectisalsoevidentwhenlookingat

minimalchangesinthebargraphsforeachofthecharacterswherethereappearstobe

littlechangebetweenthechanginggendersofthecharacters,butthepurplebargraphs

showthataroundfiftypercentoftherespondentschangedtheiranswerswiththechange

incharacters’gender.Thedatashowsthattherewasachangeintheaudience’sreactions,

butthepolarizingnatureofTheLastFiveYearshadverydifferenteffectsoneachmember

oftheaudience,sothechangesinreactionsarenotasobviousintheaggregate.

Interestinglyenough,thedatashowsthattheaudiencerespondedmorepositively

tothegender-reversedportrayalsofthecharacters,withanoveralllessnegativeresponse

toJamie(novelist)asawomanandamorepositiveresponsetoCathy(actor)asaman,

whichisbestseeninthebargraphsinAppendixD.Basedontheirwrittenresponses,this

Squeri28

seemstobelargelybecausemanyofthewomenintheaudiencedislikedthemaleversion

ofJamie,butthenfoundthefemaleversionoftheJamiecharactertoberelatableasa

strong,career-drivenwomanwhoexpectshermantosupporther.Asonerespondent

noted,“I’mconfused-IthoughtIhatedthecharacterofJamie.Iamshockedthatswitching

thegenderhadsuchabigimpactonhowIviewedthecharacters.IthinkIsawhow

someonecanfalloutoflove,despitethebestintentions”.Anotherwrote,“Oneofmy

frustrationswithCathyintheoriginalishowdependentsheissoIenjoyedseeingthe

strongerindependentportrayalofafemale[intheroleofJamie]”.Alongwiththis,they

likedseeingthemaleCathycharacterasa“supportive”and“endearing”spouseasopposed

whattheydescribedastheoverly“passive”and“dependent”traditionally-castversionof

Cathyasawoman.Onerespondentnoted,“IthinkthatIlearnedthattheremightbean

underrepresentationofmalecharacterstrulycommittedtotheirspousefemalecharacters.

IfeltastrongerconnectiontoJamieintheflippedversionbecausehestoodouttomeas

beingsocommittedtohiswife”.

Someaudiencemembers,howeverhadverydifferentexperienceswiththe

differenceinthegenderroles.Afewnotedthattheyrelatedmosttothecharacterwith

theirowngender,inboththetraditionally-castandgender-invertedproductions,

regardlessoftheactualcharacter.Onerespondentwrote,“Eitherwaythegirlinthepieceis

doomed-maybebecauseit’swrittenbyaman”,whichisinterestinginlightoftheresearch

thatcorroboratesthelinkbetweenmalewritersandalackofstrongfemalecharacters.

Otherrespondentsnotedthatgender-inversiondidn’taffecttheirperceptionsofthe

charactersandtheyfeltexactlythesameaboutthem.Evenso,manyoftheserespondents

Squeri29

stillhadapositiveexperiencewiththisaudienceexperiment,asonesaid,“thegender-

invertedexcerptsworkedverywellwiththisshowtochallengegenderroles.Mostofmy

feelingsarethesamebutIamalsointriguedandenthusedafterseeingthatinterpretation”.

Overall,manyoftheaudiencemembersweresurprisedatthedegreetowhichthe

gender-invertedperformancesaffectedthem,whetherornottheyexpectedanychangein

theirperceptionsattheoutset.Onerespondentnoted,“justsomethingaboutgenderroles

inrelationshipshasaprofoundimpactonviewingthenarrativeinawayIdidn'texpect

(notthatIdidn'texpectnochange,Ididexpectsomedifferences)”.Justaboutallofthe

audiencemembersnotedthatitwasdifficulttoranktheirfeelingsandwishedthatthey

couldhaveseenthefullshowinthegender-invertedstyletogetamorefullsenseofthe

characters.Regardlessoftheinherentflawsandbiasesinthisexperiment,87%ofthe

respondentsfeltthattheylearnedsomethingfromtheexperience,and96%oftheaudience

membersnotedthattheyenjoyedtheexperience.

Conclusion

Dr.SusanBennettinsiststhat“[t]heinvolvementoftheaudienceinthetheatrical

eventisundoubtedlycomplex”(Bennett177),andanytheatrepractitionerandaudience

memberwouldagree.Theaudienceisaconsumeroftheatre,butalsobringstheirown

experiences,opinions,andprejudicestotheperformancethatchangeshowtheyviewthe

piece.Thisalsoappliestotheroleofgenderinaudienceperceptioninmusicaltheatre,as

hasbeensupportedbytheaudience’sresponsetoTheLastFiveYearsandthegender-

invertedexcerptsatNotreDame,andtheanalysisofthesurveydatacorroboratesthe

Squeri30

notionthatgenderdoes,infact,influenceaudienceperceptioninanumberofcomplex

ways.AndasBennettnotedwithherstudyoftheatreaudiences,thereisa“necessityto

viewthetheatricaleventbeyonditsimmediateconditionsandtoforegrounditssocial

constitution”(Bennett184).Notonlydidtheaudiencemembersoverallfeeldifferently

aboutthecharacterswhentheirgenderswereinvertedinthisproductionofTheLastFive

Years,butmanyofthemnotedhowdifferentitwastoseebothastrongfemalecharacter

portrayedinthefemaleJamieandamoreeffeminateandendearingstraightmalecharacter

portrayedbythemaleversionofCathy.

Movingforward,Ibelievethatitisimportantthataudiencemembersareconscious

ofandchallengetheirownperceptionsoftheatre,aswellasothermedialiketelevisionand

film,andhowtheyareinformedbyotheroutsideinfluences.Ialsobelievethatitis

importantfortheatreandmediacreatorstotellmorestoriesonthestageandscreenand

representdifferentvoices.Asanartformthathasseenarecentresurgenceinpopularity

throughthesuccessofgroundbreakingworkslikeHamilton(2015)andDearEvanHansen

(2016)thathavepresentednewformsandwaysofthinkingaboutissuesofraceand

patriotism(inthecaseofHamilton)andmentalillness,depression,andsuicide(inthecase

ofDearEvanHansen),musicaltheatreartistsshouldcontinuetousethegenretocreate

discussionaboutimportantissues,includingideasofgenderequalityandfemale

empowerment.AsformerTreasureroftheUnitedStates,RosieRios,notedinatalkat

NotreDameinMarch2017,womenmakeuphalfoftheworld’spopulationbutarenot

properlyrepresentedorcelebratedinsociety.Riosisfightingtoincreasethevisibilityof

powerfulwomenintheUSbyfightingtoincreasefemalepublicrepresentationthrough

Squeri31

statues,monuments,andeventheUScurrency,whichthankstoRios’effortswillinclude

HarrietTubmanonthe$20billby2020,thecentennialcelebrationofthenineteenth

amendmenttotheUnitedStatesConstitution(Rios).Inasimilarway,theatreartistsmust

takeituponthemselvesto“right”history,asRiosputsit,andcreatefullerfemale

charactersandtelltheirstories.AsLaurenGundersonnotes,

Theatershouldbeinthecomplexandnecessarybusinessofilluminatingthehuman

condition,ofinspiringempathyandcommunity,ofprovokingunderstanding,of

entertainingandsurprisingandexposingandmakingbeautifulthecompleteworld

ofourtime.Youknowwhathelpsthat?Tellingeveryone’sstories.

Weshouldhavemorestrongfemalecharactersinmusicaltheatrewhocanbesupportedby

equallystrong,yetmaybemoreunderstandingandsupportivemalecharacters.Theatre

andmediaisanimportantcomponentofthecultureofanysociety,andifitdoesnotreflect

thepresentandlooktothefuture,thanasthesocietythatconsumesit,wewillremain

stuckinthepast.

Squeri32

WorksCited

Altman,Rick.TheAmericanFilmMusical.Bloomington,IN:IndianaUP,2010.Print.

Barnes,Grace.HerTurnonStage:TheRoleofWomeninMusicalTheatre.Jefferson,NC:

McFarland,2015.Print.

Bennett,Susan.TheatreAudiences:ATheoryofProductionandReception.NewYork:

Routledge,1990.Print.

Brantley,Ben."NovelistandanActressSharingaLeakyBoat."Rev.ofTheLastFiveYears.

TheNewYorkTimes4Mar.2002.NYTimes.com.TheNewYorkTimesCompany,4

Mar.2002.Web.8Jan.2017.

Brod,Harry,andMichaelKaufman,eds.TheorizingMasculinities.ThousandOaks,CA:Sage

Publications,1994.Print.

Brown,JasonRobert."WhatIThinkaboutWritingMusicfortheTheater."Blogpost.

Jasonrobertbrown.com.JasonRobertBrown,6Mar.2016.Web.24Apr.2017.

"Brown:LastFiveYearsinLastTwoWeeks;toCloseMay5."Playbill.PlaybillInc.,24Apr.

2002.Web.08Jan.2017.

Christiansen,Richard."APlaytoFallinLovewith."Rev.ofTheLastFiveYears.Chicago

Tribune25May2001.ChicagoTribune.com.ChicagoTribune,25May2001.Web.08

Jan.2017.

Clark,Nick."WilliamShakespeare:GlobeTheatreArtisticDirectorVowsto'reclaim'Bard's

PlaysforWomen."TheIndependent.IndependentDigitalNewsandMedia,05Jan.

2016.Web.16Mar.2017.

Squeri33

Clum,JohnM.SomethingfortheBoys:MusicalTheaterandGayCulture.NewYork:St.

Martin's,1999.Print.

Cohan,Steven."‘Feminizing’theSong-and-DanceMan:FredAstaireandtheSpectacleof

MasculinityintheHollywoodMusical."HollywoodMusicals,theFilmReader.Ed.

StevenCohan.NewYork:Routledge,2002.87-101.Print.

Gunderson,Lauren."Theater'sAudiencesAreMostlyFemale:WhyNottheRoles?"Blog

post.TheHuffingtonPost.TheHuffingtonPost.com,05Apr.2012.Web.29Apr.2017.

Heim,Caroline.AudienceasPerformer:TheChangingRoleofTheatreAudiencesinthe

Twenty-firstCentury.NewYork:Routledge,2016.Print.

Hofler,Robert."Review:‘TheLastFiveYears’."Rev.ofTheLastFiveYears.Variety(2002).

Variety.com.VarietyMedia,LLC,03Mar.2002.Web.08Jan.2017.

Liles,Louisa."HowOberlin'sAll-FemaleProductionofTheLastFiveYearsExposesthe

Musical'sMisogyny."FearlessandLoathing.Fearlessandloathing.comLLC,26Feb.

2015.Web.16Mar.2017.

Patterson,Michael.TheOxfordGuidetoPlays.Oxford:OxfordUP,2007.Print.

Riedel,Michael."LawsuitKOsNewMusical."NewYorkPost.NYPHoldings,Inc.,26Oct.

2001.Web.08Jan.2017.

Rios,Rosie."AnEveningwithRosieRios,43rdTreasureroftheUnitedStates."Isban

Auditorium,GuglielminoAthleticComplex,NotreDame,IN.27Mar.2017.Lecture.

Sherrod,MeganandSarahMarieCurry.TheatreProgram.“ANotefromtheProduceron

thisStaging.”TheLastFiveYears.CTXLiveTheatre,2016.

Squeri34

Taylor,Millie,andDominicSymonds.StudyingMusicalTheatre:TheoryandPractice.

London:Palgrave,2014.Print.

Taylor,Millie.MusicalTheatre,RealismandEntertainment.Farnham,Surrey,England:

Ashgate,2012.Print.

Weaver,Shanon."Review:‘TheLastFiveYears’attheInstitutionTheater."AustinChronicle

1Apr.2016.Austinchronicle.com.AustinChronicleCorp.Web.

Wolf,Stacy.ChangedforGood:AFeministHistoryoftheBroadwayMusical.NewYork:

OxfordUP,2010.Print.

Squeri35

AppendixA.EmailcorrespondencewithJasonRobertBrown.

Squeri36

AppendixB.TheLastFiveYearsSongLyrics-withannotatedgender-invertededits

“StillHurting”(Cathyversion-Original)JamieisoverandJamieisgone.Jamie'sdecidedit'stimetomoveonJamiehasnewdreamshe'sbuildinguponAndI'mstillhurtingJamiearrivedattheendofthelineJamie'sconvincedthattheproblemsaremineJamieisprobablyfeelingjustfineAndI'mstillhurtingWhataboutlies,Jamie?WhataboutthingsThatyousworetobetrueWhataboutyou,JamieWhataboutyouJamieissuresomethingwonderfuldiedJamiedecidesit'shisrighttodecideJamie'sgotsecretshedoesn'tconfideAndI'mstillhurtingGoandhideandrunawayRunaway,runandfindsomethingbetterGoandridethesunawayRunawaylikeit'ssimpleLikeit'sright...Givemeaday,JamieBringbacktheliesHangthembackonthewallMaybeI'dseeHowyoucouldbeSocertainthatweHadnochanceatallJamieisoverandwherecanIturn?CoveredwithscarsIdidnothingtoearnMaybethere'ssomewherealessontolearnButthatwouldn'tchangethefactThatwouldn'tspeedthetime

Squeri37

Oncethefoundation'scrackedAndI'mstillhurting

“StillHurting”1(Cathyversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)CathyisoverandCathyisgoneCathy'sdecidedit'stimetomoveonCathyhasnewdreamsshe'sbuildinguponAndI'mstillhurtingCathyarrivedattheendofthelineCathy'sconvincedthattheproblemsaremineCathyisprobablyfeelingjustfineAndI'mstillhurtingWhataboutlies,Cathy?WhataboutthingsThatyousworetobetrueWhataboutyou,CathyWhataboutyouCathyissuresomethingwonderfuldiedCathydecidesit'sherrighttodecideCathy'sgotsecretsshedoesn'tconfideAndI'mstillhurtingGoandhideandrunawayRunaway,runandfindsomethingbetterGoandridethesunawayRunawaylikeit'ssimpleLikeit'sright...Givemeaday,CathyBringbacktheliesHangthembackonthewallMaybeI'dseeHowyoucouldbeSocertainthatweHadnochanceatallCathyisoverandwherecanIturn?CoveredwithscarsIdidnothingtoearnMaybethere'ssomewherealessontolearnButthatwouldn'tchangethefactThatwouldn'tspeedthetime

1Theeditsin“StillHurting”weremainlypronouns,andtheinterestingpartofthissongwhenitwasgender-invertedwasreallytherawemotionconveyedthroughthissongthatwetypicallydonotseefromamaleperformerinamusical.

Squeri38

Oncethefoundation'scrackedAndI'mstillhurting

“ShiksaGoddess”(Jamieversion-Original)I'mbreakingmymother'sheartThelongerIstandlookingatyouThemoreIhearitsplinterandcrackFromninetymilesawayI'mbreakingmymother'sheartTheJCCofSpringValleyisshakingAndcrumblingtothegroundAndmygrandfather'srollingRollinginhisgraveIfyouhadatattoo,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouhadashavedhead,thatwouldbecoolIfyoucamefromSpainorJapanOrthebackofavanJustaslongasyou'renotfromHebrewschoolI'dsay,"NowI'mgettingsomewhere!I'mfinallybreakingthrough!"I'dsay,"Hey!Hey!Shiksagoddess!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeonelikeyou"I'vebeenwaitingthroughDanicaSchwartzandEricaWeissAndtheHandelmantwinsI'vebeenwaitingthroughHeatherGreenblatt,AnnieMincus,KarenPincusandLisaKatzAndStacyRosen,EllenKaplan,JulieSilberandJanieSteinI'vehadShabbasdinnersonFridaynightsWitheveryShapiroinWashingtonHeightsButtheminuteIfirstmetyouIcouldbarelycatchmybreathI'vebeenstandingfordayswiththephoneinmyhandLikeanidiotscaredtodeathI'vebeenwanderingthroughthedesertI'vebeenbeaten,I'vebeenhitMypeoplehavesufferedforthousandsofyearsAndIdon'tgiveashit!Ifyouhadapiercedtongue,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouoncewereinjailoryouoncewereaman,

Squeri39

Ifyourmotherandyourbrotherhad"relations"witheachotherAndyourfatherwasconnectedtotheGotticlanI'dsay,"Well,nobody'sperfect"It'stragicbutit'strueI'dsay,"Hey!Hey!Shiksagoddess!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeonelike..."You,breakingthecircleYou,takingthelightYou,youarethestoryIshouldwriteIhavetowrite!IfyoudroveanR.V.,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouliketodrinkblood,Ithinkit'scuteIfyou'vegotapowerfulconnectiontoyourfirearmcollectionI'dsay,DrawabeadandshootI'myourHebrewslave,atyourserviceJusttellmewhattodoIsay,"Heyheyheyhey!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeoneI'vebeenprayingforsomeoneIthinkthatIcouldbeinlovewithsomeonelikeyou”

“ShiksaGoddess”[ShegetzGod](Cathyversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)I'mbreakingmymother'sheartThelongerIstandlookingatyouThemoreIhearitsplinterandcrackFromninetymilesawayI'mbreakingmymother'sheartTheJCCofSpringValleyisshakingAndcrumblingtothegroundAndmygrandfather'srollingRollinginhisgraveIfyouhadatattoo,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouhadashavedhead,thatwouldbecoolIfyoucamefromSpainorJapanOrthebackofavanJustaslongasyou'renotfromHebrewschool

Squeri40

I'dsay,"NowI'mgettingsomewhere!I'mfinallybreakingthrough!"I'dsay,"Hey!Hey!Shegetzgod1!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeonelikeyou"I'vebeenwaitingthroughDanielSchwartzandEricWeissAndtheHandelmantwinsI'vebeenwaitingthroughHaroldGreenblatt,AaronMincus,KevinPincusandLeoKatzAndStanleyRosen,EvanKaplan,JasonSilberandJoeySteinI'vehadShabbasdinnersonFridaynightsWitheveryShapiroinWashingtonHeightsButtheminuteIfirstmetyouIcouldbarelycatchmybreathI'vebeenstandingfordayswiththephoneinmyhandLikeanidiotscaredtodeathI'vebeenwanderingthroughthedesertI'vebeenbeaten,I'vebeenhitMypeoplehavesufferedforthousandsofyearsAndIdon'tgiveashit!Ifyouhadapiercedtongue,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouoncewereinjailoryouonceweren’taman2,Ifyourmotherandyourbrotherhad"relations"witheachotherAndyourfatherwasconnectedtotheGotticlanI'dsay,"Well,nobody'sperfect"It'stragicbutit'strueI'dsay,"Hey!Hey!Shegetzgod!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeonelike..."You,breakingthecircleYou,takingthelightYou,youarethestoryIshouldwriteIhavetowrite!IfyoudroveanR.V.,thatwouldn'tmatterIfyouliketodrinkblood,Ithinkit'scuteIfyou'vegotapowerfulconnectiontoyourfirearmcollectionI'dsay,DrawabeadandshootI'myourHebrewslave,atyourservice3Justtellmewhattodo

1"Shegetzgod"wastheclosestmaletranslationof"Shiksagoddess"thatwecouldcomeupwith.Shiksaisamuchmorewidely-usedtermdenotinganon-Jewishfemale,andShegetzisthelesser-usednon-Jewishmaleequivalent.

2Thiswasabitofastretch,butit'sallthatwecoulddowithonlyonesyllable.

3TheaudiencereactedmuchmorestronglytothislinewhenitwassungbyLizzieasafemaleinsteadofAlasaman.

Squeri41

Isay,"Heyheyheyhey!I'vebeenwaitingforsomeoneI'vebeenprayingforsomeoneIthinkthatIcouldbeinlovewithsomeonelikeyou”

“APartofThat”(Cathyversion-Original)Onedaywe'rejustlike"LeaveittoBeaver"Onedayit'sjustatypicallifeAndthenhe'soffonAtriptoJamie-landStaringcatatonicoutthewindowBarelyevenbreathingallthewhileAndthenhe'llsmileHiseyeslightupanddeepwithinthegroundWithoutasoundAmomentcomestolifeAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatNextdayit'sjustlikeItneverhappenedWe'remakingdinnersWe'remakingplansThenhegetsontheMuletraintoJamie-landHandfulafterhandfulofDoritosCirclingtheapartment,loggingmilesAndthenhesmilesHiseyeslightupAndhowcanIcomplain?Yes,he'sinsaneButlookwhathecandoAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatAndit'strueItendtofollowinhisstrideInsteadofsidebyside

Squeri42

ItakehiscueTrue,butthere'snoquestionThere'snodoubtIsaidI'dstickitoutAndfollowthroughAndwhenIdoThenhesmilesAndwhereelsecanIgo?Ididn'tknowTherulesdonotapplyAndthenhesmilesAndnothingelsemakessenseWhileheinventsTheworldthat'spassingbyAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatAren'tI?I'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI’mapartofthat

“APartofThat”(Jamieversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)Onedaywe'rejustlike"LeaveittoBeaver"Onedayit'sjustatypicallifeAndthenshe'soffonAtriptoCathy-landStaringcatatonicoutthewindowBarelyevenbreathingallthewhileAndthenshe'llsmileHereyeslightupanddeepwithinthegroundWithoutasoundAmomentcomestolifeAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatNextdayit'sjustlikeItneverhappened

Squeri43

We'remakingdinnersWe'remakingplansThenshegetsontheMuletraintoCathy-landHandfulafterhandfulofDoritosCirclingtheapartment,loggingmilesAndthenshesmilesHereyeslightupAndhowcanIcomplain?Yes,she'sinsaneButlookwhatshecandoAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatAndit'strueItendtofollowinherstrideInsteadofsidebysideItakehercueTrue,butthere'snoquestionThere'snodoubtIsaidI'dstickitoutAndfollowthroughAndwhenIdoThenshesmilesAndwhereelsecanIgo?Ididn'tknowTherulesdonotapplyAndthenshesmilesAndnothingelsemakessenseWhilesheinventsTheworldthat'spassingbyAndI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatAren'tI?I'mapartofthatI'mapartofthatI’mapartofthat

Squeri44

“AMiracleWouldHappen/WhenYouComeHometoMe”(Jamie/Cathyversion-Original)JAMIEEveryonetellsyouthattheminuteyougetmarriedEveryotherwomanintheworldSuddenlyfindsyouattractiveWell,that'snottrueItonlyaffectsthekindofwomenYoualwayswantedtosleepwithButtheywouldn'tgiveyouthetimeofdaybeforeAndnowthey'rebangingdownyourdoorAndfallingtotheirkneesAtleastthat'swhatitfeelslikebecauseyouCan.Not.Touch.Them.Infact,youcan'tevenlookatthemCloseyoureyes,closeyoureyes,closeyoureyesExceptyou'resittingthereEatingyourcornedbeefsandwichAndallofasudden,thispairofbreastswalksbyAndsmilesatyouAndyou'relike"That'snotfair!"AndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndeveryothergirlwouldflyawayAndit'dbemeandCathy,AndnothingelsewouldmatterButit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineImean,I'mhappyAndI'mfine,I'mfine,I'mfineIt'snotaproblemIt'sjustachallengeIt'sachallengetoresisttemptationAndIhavetosaythatWhatexacerbatestheproblemIsI'matthesepartiesI'mthecenterofattentionI'mthegrandfromageAndhereshecomes:

Squeri45

"Let'sgetacupofcoffee.Willyoulookatmymanuscript?"AndI'mshowinghermylefthandI'mgesticulatingwithmylefthandAndthenWHOOMP!There'sCathy!'Causesheknows(Theyalwaysknow)Andthere'sthatreallyawkwardmomentWhereItrytoshowIwasn'tencouragingthis(ThoughofcourseIsortofwas)AndIdon'twanttolookwhippedinfrontofthiswomanWhichisdumb-Ishouldn'tcarewhatshethinksSinceIcan'tfuckheranyway!AndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndeverygirlwouldlooklikeMisterEdAndit'dbemeandCathyAndnothingelsewouldmatterButit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineYouknowIloveherAndit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineIt'swhatIwantedAndI'mfine,I'mfine,I'mfine!It'snotaproblemIt'sjustachallengeIt'sachallengetoresisttemptationCATHYWhenyoucomehometomeI'llwearasweetersmileAndhopethat,forawhile,you'llstayWhenyoucomehometomeYourhandwilltouchmyfaceAndbanishanytraceofgraySoon,alovewillriseanewEvengreaterthanthejoyIfeltJustmissingyouAndonceagain,I'llbeSoproudtocallyou"mine"

Squeri46

WhenfinallyyoucomehometomeJAMIEI'llbetheresoon,CathyI'llfinishupthischapterandbeoutthedoorIswearI'llbetheresoon,CathyDon'tgiveuponmeyetIamsoproudofyou,babyYou'redoingwhatyounevergottodobeforeAndIwillbethere,ripeandcrawlingIffuckin'RandomHousestopscallingDon'tlosefaithDon'tgetdownDon'tdespairI'llbethereAndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndthatdaywouldfinallybehereAndit'dbemeandyouRidingittogetherAndthethingswedoGoin'likeweplannedWe'regonnamakeitthroughAndnothingelsewillmatterWe'llbefine,we'refineWe'refine,we'refine,we'refineI'llbetheresoon,Cathy...IswearIwill“AMiracleWouldHappen/WhenYouComeHometoMe”(Cathy/Jamieversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)CATHYEveryonetellsyouthattheminuteyougetmarriedEveryotherguyintheworldSuddenlyfindsyouattractiveWell,that'snottrueItonlyaffectsthekindofmenYoualwayswantedtosleepwith

Squeri47

Buttheywouldn'tgiveyouthetimeofdaybeforeAndnowthey'rebangingdownyourdoorAndfallingtotheirkneesAtleastthat'swhatitfeelslikebecauseyouCan.Not.Touch.Them.Infact,youcan'tevenlookatthemCloseyoureyes,closeyoureyes,closeyoureyesExceptyou'resittingthereEatingyourcornedbeefsandwichAndallofasudden,thissetofabswalks1byAndsmilesatyouAndyou'relike"That'snotfair!"AndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndeveryotherguywouldflyawayAndit'dbemeandJamie,AndnothingelsewouldmatterButit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineImean,I'mhappyAndI'mfine,I'mfine,I'mfineIt'snotaproblemIt'sjustachallengeIt'sachallengetoresisttemptationAndIhavetosaythatWhatexacerbatestheproblemIsI'matthesepartiesI'mthecenterofattentionI'mthegrandfromageAndherehecomes:"Let'sgetacupofcoffee.Willyoulookatmymanuscript?"AndI'mshowinghimmylefthandI'mgesticulatingwithmylefthandAndthenWHOOMP!There'sJamie!'Causeheknows(Theyalwaysknow)Andthere'sthatreallyawkwardmomentWhereItrytoshowIwasn'tencouragingthis(ThoughofcourseIsortofwas)

1Thiswasaverydifficultlinetochangebecausethefemale"setofbreasts"doesn'treallyhaveasimilarsexualconnotationwheninvertedforamalebodypart,and"setofabs"wastheclosestthingthatwecouldcomeupwith,butitisimportanttorecognizethattheyarenotreallythesame.

Squeri48

AndIdon'twanttolookwhippedinfrontofthisguyWhichisdumb-Ishouldn'tcarewhathethinksSinceIcan'tfuckhimanyway!2AndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndeveryguywouldlooklikeMisterEdAndit'dbemeandJamieAndnothingelsewouldmatterButit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineYouknowIlovehimAndit'sfine,it'sfine,it'sfineIt'swhatIwantedAndI'mfine,I'mfine,I'mfine!It'snotaproblemIt'sjustachallengeIt'sachallengetoresisttemptationJAMIEWhenyoucomehometomeI'llwearasweetersmileAndhopethat,forawhile,you'llstayWhenyoucomehometomeYourhandwilltouchmyfaceAndbanishanytraceofgraySoon,alovewillriseanewEvengreaterthanthejoyIfeltJustmissingyouAndonceagain,I'llbeSoproudtocallyou"mine"WhenfinallyyoucomehometomeCATHYI'llbetheresoon,JamieI'llfinishupthischapterandbeoutthedoorIswearI'llbetheresoon,JamieDon'tgiveuponmeyetIamsoproudofyou,babyYou'redoingwhatyounevergottodobefore

2TherewasalsoamuchstrongerreactionfromtheaudiencewhenLizziesangthisasawomanthanwhenAlsangitasaman.

Squeri49

AndIwillbethere,ripeandcrawlingIffuckin'RandomHousestopscallingDon'tlosefaithDon'tgetdownDon'tdespairI'llbethereAndinaperfectworldAmiraclewouldhappenAndthatdaywouldfinallybehereAndit'dbemeandyouRidingittogetherAndthethingswedoGoin'likeweplannedWe'regonnamakeitthroughAndnothingelsewillmatterWe'llbefine,we'refineWe'refine,we'refine,we'refineI'llbetheresoon,Jamie...IswearIwill“ClimbingUphill(AuditionSequence)”(Cathyversion-Original)WhenyoucomehometomeI'llwearasweetersmileAndhopethat,forawhile,you'll...Okay,thankyouThankyousomuchI'mclimbinguphill,JamieClimbinguphillI'mupeverymorningatsixAndstandinginlineWithtwohundredgirlsWhoareyoungerandthinnerthanmeWhohavealreadybeentothegymI'mwaitingfivehoursinlineAndwatchingthegirlsJustcomingandgoingIndressesthatlookjustlikethisTillmynumberisfinallycalled

Squeri50

WhenIwalkintheroomThere'satableofmenAlwaysmen-usuallygayWho'vebeensittinglikeIhaveAndlisteningalldayTotwohundredgirlsBeltingashighastheycan!IamagoodpersonI'manattractivepersonIamatalentedpersonGrantmeGrace!Whenyoucomehome...IshouldhavetoldthemIwassicklastweekThey'regonnathinkthisisthewayIsingWhyisthepianistplayingsoloud?ShouldIsinglouder?I'llsinglouderMaybeIshouldstopandstartoverI'mgonnastopandstartoverWhyisthedirectorstaringathiscrotch?Whyisthatmanstaringatmyresume?Don'tstareatmyresumeImadeuphalfofmyresumeLookatmeStoplookingatthat,lookatmeNo,notatmyshoesDon'tlookatmyshoesIhatethesestupidshoesWhydidIpicktheseshoes?WhydidIpickthissong?WhydidIpickthiscareer?Whydoesthispianisthateme?IfIdon'tgetacallbackIcangotoCrateandBarrelwithmomandbuyacouchNotthatIwanttospendadaywithmomButJamieneedsspacetowriteSinceI'mobviouslysuchahorrible,annoyingdistractiontohimWhat'shegonnabelikewhenwehavekids?

Squeri51

Andonceagain...WhyamIworkingsohard?ThesearethepeoplewhocastLindaBlairinamusicalJesusChrist,Isuck,Isuck,IsuckWhenfinallyyoucomehometo...Okay,thankyouThankyousomuchIwillnotbethegirlstuckathomeinthe'burbsWiththebaby,thedog,andthegardenofherbsIwillnotbethegirlinthesensibleshoesPushingburgersandbeernutsandmissingthecluesIwillnotbethegirlwhogetsaskedhowitfeelsTobetrottingalongatthegenius'sheelsIwillnotbethegirlwhorequiresamantogetbyAndI...“ClimbingUphill(AuditionSequence)”(Jamieversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)WhenyoucomehometomeI'llwearasweetersmileAndhopethat,forawhile,you'll...Okay,thankyouThankyousomuchI'mclimbinguphill,CathyClimbinguphillI'mupeverymorningatsixAndstandinginlineWithtwohundredguysWhoareyoungerandthinnerthanmeWhohavealreadybeentothegymI'mwaitingfivehoursinlineAndwatchingtheguysJustcomingandgoingInoutfitsthatlookjustlikethisTillmynumberisfinallycalledWhenIwalkintheroomThere'satableofmenAlwaysmen-usuallygay

Squeri52

Who'vebeensittinglikeIhaveAndlisteningalldayTotwohundredguysBeltingashighastheycan!IamagoodpersonI'manattractivepersonIamatalentedpersonGrantmeGrace!1Whenyoucomehome...IshouldhavetoldthemIwassicklastweekThey'regonnathinkthisisthewayIsingWhyisthepianistplayingsoloud?ShouldIsinglouder?I'llsinglouderMaybeIshouldstopandstartoverI'mgonnastopandstartoverWhyisthedirectorstaringathiscrotch?Whyisthatmanstaringatmyresume?Don'tstareatmyresumeImadeuphalfofmyresumeLookatmeStoplookingatthat,lookatmeNo,notatmyshoesDon'tlookatmyshoesIhatethesestupidshoesWhydidIpicktheseshoes?2WhydidIpickthissong?WhydidIpickthiscareer?Whydoesthispianisthateme?IfIdon'tgetacallbackIcangotoCrateandBarrelwithmomandbuyacouchNotthatIwanttospendadaywithmomButCathyneedsspacetowriteSinceI'mobviouslysuchahorrible,annoyingdistractiontoherWhat'sshegonnabelikewhenwehavekids?3Andonceagain...

1TheaudienceactuallylaughedwhenAlsangthisasamanandreactedmuchmorestronglythanwhenLizziesangitasawoman.

2Again,theaudiencethoughtthatthisshoelinewasabsolutelyhilariouswhenAlsangitasaman,asopposedtowhenLizziesangitasawoman,becauseitsomehowseemedmuchmoreutterlyridiculous.

3ThislineaboutwhatCathywouldbelikewhentheyhavekidsalsoseemedtoaffecttheaudiencemorewhenAlsangitthanwhenLizziesangitbecauseitalmostseemedsillytothinkthatthefemalepartnerwouldmakeahorriblemothertoherchildren,morethanamanbeingahorriblefather.

Squeri53

WhyamIworkingsohard?ThesearethepeoplewhocastLindaBlairinamusicalJesusChrist,Isuck,Isuck,IsuckWhenfinallyyoucomehometo...Okay,thankyouThankyousomuchIwillnotbetheguystuckathomeinthe'burbsWiththebaby,thedog,andthegardenofherbsIwillnotbetheguyinthesensibleshoesPushingburgersandbeernutsandmissingthecluesIwillnotbetheguywhogetsaskedhowitfeelsTobetrottingalongatthegenius'sheelsIwillnotbetheguywhorequiresagirltogetby4AndI…“NobodyNeedstoKnow”(Jamieversion-Original)Hey,kid-goodmorningYoulooklikeanangelIdon'trememberwhenwefellasleepWeshouldgetup,kidCathyiswaiting...Lookatus,lyinghereDreaming,pretendingImadeapromiseandItookavowIwroteastoryAndwechangedtheendingCathy,justlookatmenow!Holdon,factsarefactsJustrelax,laylowAllright,thepanicrecedes:NobodyneedstoknowPutonmyarmorI'mofftoOhioBackintobattletillIdon'tknowwhenSwearingtoherthatIwasNeverwithyouAndprayingI’llholdyouagain

4Basedontheirwrittenresponses,thispartwhensangbyAlasamanabouthiswifemadetheaudienceeitherrolltheireyesbecausethisisnotarealproblemfacedbymen,oritmadethemrealizethatthiscouldbeaveryrealdilemmafacedbymenasmoreandmorewomenandcontinuetosupporttheirfamiliesandbecomethemainbreadwinnersoftheirfamilies.Eitherway,thisreactionlargelyhighlightedthedifferencebetweenthemaleandfemalevoiceswhensingingthesewords.

Squeri54

Holdon,clipthesewings-ThingsgetoutofhandAllright,it'sover,it'sdoneNoonewillunderstandNoonewillunderstand...WebuildatreehouseIkeepitfromshakingLittlemoreglueeverytimethatitbreaksPerfectlybalancedAndthenIstartmakingConscious,deliberatemistakesAllthatIaskforIsonelittlecornerOneprivateroomAtthebackofmyheartTellherIfoundoneShesendsoutbattalionsToclaimitandblowitapartIgripandshegripsAndfasterwe'reslidingSlidingandspillingAndwhatcanIdo?Comebacktobed,kidTakemeinsideyouIpromiseIwon'tlietoyouHoldon,don'tcryyetIwon'tletyougoAllright-thepanicrecedesAllright-everyonebleedsAllright-IgetwhatIneedAndnobodyneedstoknowNobodyneedstoknowAndsinceIhavetobeinlovewithsomeoneSinceIneedtobeinlovewithsomeoneMaybeIcouldbeinlovewithsomeoneLikeyou…

Squeri55

“NobodyNeedstoKnow”1(Cathyversion-Gender-inverted,editsareitalicized)Hey,kid-goodmorningYoulooklikeanangelIdon'trememberwhenwefellasleepWeshouldgetup,kidJamieiswaiting...Lookatus,lyinghereDreaming,pretendingImadeapromiseandItookavowIwroteastoryAndwechangedtheendingJamie,justlookatmenow!Holdon,factsarefactsJustrelax,laylowAllright,thepanicrecedes:NobodyneedstoknowPutonmyarmorI'mofftoOhioBackintobattletillIdon'tknowwhenSwearingtohimthatIwasNeverwithyouAndprayingI’llholdyouagainHoldon,clipthesewings-ThingsgetoutofhandAllright,it'sover,it'sdoneNoonewillunderstandNoonewillunderstand...WebuildatreehouseIkeepitfromshakingLittlemoreglueeverytimethatitbreaksPerfectlybalancedAndthenIstartmakingConscious,deliberatemistakesAllthatIaskforIsonelittlecornerOneprivateroomAtthebackofmyheart

1Accordingtotheirresponses,theaudiencefeltmorebetrayedbythefemalecharactersingingthissongtoconfessthatshehadinfactcheatedonherhusbandthanwhenthemalecharacterhadbeencheatingonhiswife.Manyoftherespondentsnotedthatthiswasbecausetheywereinclinedtobelievethatinamarriagethewomanislesslikelytocheatonherhusband.

Squeri56

TellhimIfoundoneHesendsoutbattalionsToclaimitandblowitapartIgripandhegripsAndfasterwe'reslidingSlidingandspillingAndwhatcanIdo?Comebacktobed,kidTakemebesideyou2IpromiseIwon'tlietoyouHoldon,don'tcryyetIwon'tletyougoAllright-thepanicrecedesAllright-everyonebleedsAllright-IgetwhatIneedAndnobodyneedstoknowNobodyneedstoknowAndsinceIhavetobeinlovewithsomeoneSinceIneedtobeinlovewithsomeoneMaybeIcouldbeinlovewithsomeoneLikeyou…“SeeI’mSmiling”1(Cathyversion-Original)IguessIcan'tbelieveyoureallycameAndthatwe'resittingonthispierSee,I'msmilingThatmeansI'mhappythatyou'rehereIstolethissweaterfromacostumeshopItmakesmelooklikeDaisyMaeSee,we'relaughingIthinkwe'regonnabeokayImean,we'llhavetotryalittleharderAndbendthingstoandfroTomakethisloveasspecialAsitwasfiveyearsagoImean,youmadeittoOhio!WhoknowswhereelsewecangoIthinkyou'rereallygonnalikethisshow

2Theoriginallyrichereis"takemeinsideyou",whichdoesn'tworkwhensungbyawoman.Using"beside"hereinsteadof"inside"removessomeoftheovertsexualconnotationsofthissong,butitwastheonlywaythatwecouldgetittofitandalsomakesensewhilechangingaslittleaspossible.

1Unfortunately,wedidnothaveenoughtimetoperformthissonggender-inverted,buttherearesomelyricsthatdefinitelywouldhavebeeninterestingtoexplore,asmanyaudiencemembersnotedintheirresponses.

Squeri57

I'mprettysureitdoesn'tsuckSee,you'relaughingandI'msmilingByariverinOhioAndyou'remineWe'redoingfineIthinkwebothcanseewhatcouldbebetterI'llownwhenIwaswrongWithallwe'vehadtogothroughWe'llenduptwiceasstrongAndsowe'llstartagainthisweekendAndjustkeeprollingalongIdidn'tknowyouhadtogososoonIthoughtwehadalittletimeLook,whatever,ifyouhavetoThenyouhaveto,sowhateverIt'sallrightWe'llhavetonightYouknowwhatmakesmecrazy?I'msorry,canIsaythis?Youknowwhatmakesmenuts?ThefactthatwecouldbetogetherHeretogetherSharingournightSpendingourtimeAndyouaregonnachoosesomeoneelsetobewithNo,youareYes,Jamie,that'sexactlywhatyou'redoing:YoucouldbeherewithmeOrbetherewiththemAsusual,guesswhichyoupickNo,Jamie,youdonothavetogotoanotherpartyWiththesametwentyjerksyoualreadyknowYoucouldstaywithyourwifeonherfuckingbirthdayAndyoucould,Godforbid,evenseemyshowAndIknowinyoursoulitmustdriveyoucrazyThatyouwon'tgettoplaywithyourlittlegirlfriendsNo,I'mnot,noI'mnot!2Andthepointis,Jamie,

2ThisisanimportantturningpointforCathywheresheisshownastheangryandjealouswifewhoissuspiciousofherhusband'sinfidelityandseemstobeunhappywithhistreatmentofher.Manyaudiencemembersnotedthattheywishedthatthiswasoneofthegender-invertedsongssothattheycouldseeitsungbyajealousandsuspicioushusbandandbetterseethechangeinhisfeelingstowardtheirrelationship.

Squeri58

Thatyoucan'tspendasingledaythat'snotaboutYouandyouandnothingbutyou"Mahvelous"novelist,you!Isn'thewonderful,justtwenty-eightThesaviorofwritingYouandyouandnothingbutyouMilesandpilesofyouPushingthroughwindowsandburstingthroughwallsEnroutetotheskyAndI...IsweartoGodI'llneverunderstandHowyoucanstandtherestraightandtallAndseeI'mcryingAndnotdoanythingatall3“IfIDidn’tBelieveinYou”1(Jamieversion-Original)TherearepeopleAndtheyarepublishingmybookAndthere'sapartythattheyarethrowingAndwhileyou'vemadeitveryclearthatyou'renotgoingIwillbegoingAndthat'sdoneButwhat'sitreallyabout?Isitreallyaboutaparty,Cathy?CanwepleaseforaminutestopblamingAndsaywhatyoufeel?Isitjustthatyou'redisappointedTobegoingagaintoOhio?DidyouthinkthiswouldallbemucheasierThanit'sturnedouttobe?Well,thentalktome,CathyTalktomeIfIdidn'tbelieveinyouWe'dneverhavegottenthisfarIfIdidn'tbelieveinyouAndallofthetenthousandwomenyouareIfIdidn'tthinkyoucoulddoAnythingyoueverwantedto

1Again,weunfortunatelydidnothaveenoughtimetoperformthissonggender-inverted,butasmanyaudiencemembersalsonotedintheirresponses,therearesomelyricsthatdefinitelywouldhavebeeninterestingtoexploreinthissongaswell.

3Thisisanotherreallyintimate,emotionalmomentandthiswouldhavebeenaveryinterestingsongtogender-invertandseeamanperform,anditistoobadthatwedidn'thavethisopportunity.

Squeri59

IfIwasn'tcertainthatyou'dcomethroughsomehowThefactofthematteris,CathyIwouldn'tbestandingherenowIfIdidn'tbelieveinyouWewouldn'tbehavingthisfightIfIdidn'tbelieveinyouI'dwalkoutthedoorandsay,"Cathy,you'reright"ButInevercouldletthatgoKnowingthethingsaboutyouIknowThings,whenImetyoufouryearsago,IknewItnevertookmuchconvincingTomakemebelieveinyouDon'twegettobehappy,Cathy?AtsomepointdownthelineDon'twegettorelax?WithoutsomenewtsurisTopushmeyetfurtherfromyou?AndifI'mcheeringonyourside,CathyWhycan'tyousupportmine?2WhydoIhavetofeelI'vecommittedsomefelonyDoingwhatIalwayssworeIwoulddo?Idon'twantyoutohurtIdon'twantyoutosinkButyouknowwhatIthink?Ithinkyou'llbefine!Justhangonandyou'llsee-Butdon'tmakemewaittillyoudoTobehappywithyouWillyoulistentome?!NoonecangiveyoucourageNoonecanthickenyourskinIwillnotfailsoyoucanbecomfortable,CathyIwillnotlosebecauseyoucan'twin3IfIdidn'tbelieveinyouAndhere'swherethetravelogueends

2ThesewouldbeinterestingwordstohearsungbyawomanbecauseIbelievetheywouldfeelevenmoredesperateandhurtthanwhenamansingsthem.

3ThesewordsalwayshurtmewhenIhearthembecausetheyseemtocomefromaviciousplacewithinJamie,soIthinkitwouldbeinterestingtoseehowanaudiencewouldrespondtothembeingsungbyawomantoaman.

Squeri60

IfIdidn'tbelieveinyouIcouldn'thavestoodbeforeallofourfriendsAndsaid,"ThisisthelifeIchoose-ThisisthethingIcan'tbeartoloseTripusortrapus,butwerefusetofall"That'swhatIthoughtweagreedon,CathyIfIhadn'tbelievedinyouIwouldn'thavelovedyouatall

Squeri61

AppendixC.TheLastFiveYearsAudienceSurvey

FTTThesisProductionofTheLastFiveYearsSurveySurveyInformedConsentForm:Thankyouforparticipatinginthissurvey.Yourfeedbackisimportant.Pleaseanswerthefollowingquestionsashonestlyaspossible.Thissurveyisbeingconductedforresearchpurposesregardingtheroleofgenderintheatreanditsimpactonaudienceperception.Byviewingthisperformanceandcompletingthissurvey,youarebeingaskedtoparticipateinthisresearchalongwithawidesampleofpeoplefromalldifferentbackgrounds.Youwillbepromptedtocompletesurveyquestionsbefore,during,andaftertheperformance,whichwilllastapproximatelytwohours.Yourparticipationinthisstudywillleadtoabetterunderstandingandgeneralknowledgeoftheroleofgenderintheatreandhowitaffectsaudienceperception.Therearenoanticipatedrisksorinconveniencestoyouassociatedwiththisstudy.Furthermore,yourparticipationisstrictlyvoluntaryandyoumaywithdrawyourparticipationatanytimewithoutpenalty.Allinformationcollectedwillbeusedonlyforthisresearchandwillbekeptconfidential.Therewillbenoconnectiontoyouspecificallyintheresultsorinfuturepublicationoftheresults.Inordertoparticipateinthisstudy,youmustbe18yearsofageorolder.IfyouhaveanyquestionsorconcernsregardingthesurveypleasecontactprincipalinvestigatorSamanthaSqueriatssqueri@nd.eduor(908)692-3507.Additionally,ifyouhaveanyconcernsaboutyourtreatmentasaparticipantinthisstudy,especiallyifinjuryoccursorconfidentialityisbreached,pleasecontacttheUniversityofNotreDame’sResearchComplianceOfficeatcompliance@nd.eduor(574)631-1461.Acopyofthisconsentformcanbefoundintheprogramforyourrecords.-----------------------------------------------------------------------Bysigninganddatingbelow,andcompletingthesurveyyouareverifyingthatyouhavereadtheexplanationofthestudy,andthatyouagreetoparticipate.Youalsounderstandthatyourparticipationinthisstudyisstrictlyvoluntaryandmaybewithdrawnatanytime._______________________________________________________________PrintedName________________________________________________________________ ________________________ParticipantSignature Date

Squeri62

2

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years PRE-PERFORMANCE Name: __________________________________ Email: __________________________________ Gender: □ Female □ Male □ Other Age: ______ If you are a student, what year are you? □ First Year □ Sophomore □ Junior □ Senior □ Fifth Year (Undergrad) □ Grad Student

Over the last 12 months, roughly how many times have you been to a theatre performance? (please provide an exact numerical estimate, not a range) ________ What is your past involvement, if any, in theatre? (Please check all that apply) □ Acting (school, amateur) □ Acting (professional) □ Creative team (school, amateur) □ Creative team (professional) □ Technical work (school, amateur) □ Technical work (professional) Are you previously familiar with “The Last Five Years”? (Please check all that apply) □ I’ve seen a stage production □ I’ve seen the movie adaptation □ I’ve heard a bit about it □ No

Please select the answer that best represents your opinion on the following statement: “There are some professions and types of business that are more suitable for men than women.”

□ Strongly Agree □ Agree □ No opinion □ Disagree □ Strongly Disagree Why did you come to see this show? ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Squeri63

Name:______________________________________

3

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years

DURING THE SHOW (Cathy is female, Jamie is male) DO NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE PERFORMANCE BEGINS Please record how you feel about each character (not the actor) after each song, when the house lights come up, by indicating on the character preference scale with an “X” in the box. strongly strongly like like indifferent dislike dislike

1. "Still Hurting" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 2. "Shiksa Goddess" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 3. "See I'm Smiling" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 4. "Moving Too Fast" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 5. "I'm A Part of That" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 6. "The Schmuel Song" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 7. "A Summer in Ohio" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □

Squeri64

4

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years

DURING THE SHOW (CONTINUED) (Cathy is female, Jamie is male) Please record how you feel about each character (not the actor) after each song, when the house lights come up, by indicating on the character preference scale with an “X” in the box. strongly strongly like like indifferent dislike dislike

8. "The Next Ten Minutes" - Jamie & Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □

9. "A Miracle Would Happen/ Cathy □ □ □ □ □ When You Come Home to Me" - Jamie/Cathy Jamie □ □ □ □ □

10. "Climbing Uphill " – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 11. "If I Didn't Believe in You" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 12. "I Can Do Better Than That" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 13. "Nobody Needs to Know" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 14. "Goodbye Until Tomorrow/ Cathy □ □ □ □ □

I Could Never Rescue You" - Jamie & Cathy Jamie □ □ □ □ □

Squeri65

Name:______________________________________

5

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years

INTERMISSION (Cathy is female, Jamie is male) Please record how you feel about each character (not the actor) OVERALL, based on the traditionally-casted performance by indicating on the character preference scale with an “X” in the box. strongly strongly like like indifferent dislike dislike

Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □

Why do you feel this way? Please elaborate as much as you can.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Please mark the response on the scales that correspond to how you are feeling right now after seeing this traditionally-casted production of the “The Last Five Years”.

not at all not much somewhat very

Lively □ □ □ □ Happy □ □ □ □

Content □ □ □ □

Tense □ □ □ □

Fed-up □ □ □ □

Gloomy □ □ □ □

Please explain further as you see necessary.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Squeri66

6

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years DURING THE GENDER-INVERTED EXCERPTS (Cathy is female, Jamie is male) PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE PERFORMANCE BEGINS AFTER INTERMISSION Please record how you feel about each character (not the actor) based on each gender-inverted song, when the house lights come up, by indicating on the character preference scale with an “X” in the box. strongly strongly like like indifferent dislike dislike

1. “Still Hurting" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 2. "Shiksa Goddess" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 3. "I'm A Part of That" – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 4. "A Miracle Would Happen/ Cathy □ □ □ □ □

When You Come Home to Me" - Jamie/Cathy Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 5. “Climbing Uphill” – Jamie Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □ 6. "Nobody Needs to Know" – Cathy Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □

Squeri67

Name:______________________________________

7

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years

POST-EXCERPTS (Cathy is female, Jamie is male) Please record how you feel about each character (not the actor) OVERALL, based on only the gender-inverted excerpts by indicating on the character preference scale with an “X” in the box. strongly strongly like like indifferent dislike dislike

Cathy □ □ □ □ □ Jamie □ □ □ □ □

Why do you feel this way? Please elaborate as much as you can.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Please mark the response on each scale that correspond to how you are feeling right now after seeing these gender-inverted excerpts from “The Last Five Years”.

not at all not much somewhat very

Lively □ □ □ □ Happy □ □ □ □

Content □ □ □ □

Tense □ □ □ □

Fed-up □ □ □ □

Gloomy □ □ □ □

Please explain further as you see necessary.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Squeri68

8

Audience Questionnaire: The Last Five Years

POST-PERFORMANCE Did you enjoy this experience? □ Yes □ No Do you feel like you’ve learned something from this experience? □ Yes □ No Please elaborate as much as you can.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Please share any additional comments, questions, or concerns about this production or study.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your participation. Please turn in this survey packet to the ushers at the doors as

you exit the theatre. If you would like to discuss this project further, please contact Samantha

Squeri at ssqueri@nd.edu.

Squeri69

AppendixD.AudienceSurveyDataGraphsAUDIENCEINFORMATION

Squeri70

OVERALLAUDIENCEREACTION

Squeri71

GENDEREDREACTIONTOCATHYCHARACTER(“Actor”)

Squeri72

GENDEREDREACTIONTOJAMIECHARACTER(“Novelist”)

Squeri73

OVERALLAUDIENCEREACTIONTRAJECTORIES