Abstract
This thesis examines Walt Disney Theatrical Production’s construction of masculinity in live performance in the original 1994 Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast. Through an analysis focusing on the key male players–the antagonist, Gaston; the father figure, Maurice; and the protagonist, the Beast–this study critically discusses the techniques Disney utilized in order to create and metamorphose characters’ masculinity in live performance. As primary sources, I turn to both the Broadway libretto and Broadway cast recording of Beauty and the Beast. From an analysis of the script, music and production photos, I discuss the symbols and signs attributing to a characters’ gender. Additionally, I critique characters within Disney films created prior to the animated film version of Beauty and the Beast. Each film under discussion in this study was scrutinized regarding male roles and archetypes contained therein. From an analysis of the animated characters I clarify how each character in live performance evolved from elements of their animated counterparts. Lastly, I also consult literature on gender studies to further examine Disney’s presentation of manhood and masculinity. Ultimately, I prove how Disney presented, created and metamorphosed male gender roles in the original Broadway Production of Beauty and the Beast through various theatrical techniques and semiotics.