Queens, Teams and the Chance to be Seen: 'Herstory', Feminism and Biographical Musical Theatre (2016-present)

This PhD project focuses on the neglected genre of the biographical musical and poses rarely considered questions about female agency within the construction and performance of these musicals. It builds on Stacy Wolf's groundbreaking work on female characters within musical theatre and it develops and challenges Grace Barnes' explorations of female representation and gender inequality, predominantly in commercial English-language musicals. Whilst their research provide a broad overview and analysis of women's representation in musical theatre, my study takes into consideration the impact of the MeToo movement, and focuses specifically on biographical musicals. Aside from a glancing reference to biographical musicals, this genre remains near absent from musical theatre scholarship. This is despite the important opportunity the productions offer to explore women's representation, particularly, as Ursula Canton argues, marginalised or forgotten lives. Ranging across commercial, fringe, and subsidised theatrical contexts, my selected case studies provide dynamic space for female experiences and progressive interpretation of female historical figures, but have received little to no academic consideration. The main body of the thesis will be split into four chapters which will look at the 'notorious' woman, women in traditionally male-dominated professional places, women in the entertainment industry, and collectivity amongst women. The core case studies explored in each respective chapter include: Tokyo Rose (2019), Wasted (2017), Miss Littlewood (2018), and SIX (2017). This research will explore these key research aims: 1. The ways in which biographical musicals post-2016 reflect the resurgence in intersectional feminist activism 2. To what extent biographical musicals expand the possibilities for female representation in relation to agency 3. To what extent post-2016 biographical musicals increase opportunities in the musical theatre industry for female practitioners