How Modern Audiences Can Talk about Aging Art | Margaret Hall | TED

TL;DR

In this content, Margaret Hall discusses the importance of addressing how aging art is approached in the American theater, using a framework to categorize shows based on their relevance and impact in modern times.

Transcript

Hello, everyone. As he said, my name is Margaret Hall. I'm a musical theater historian, writer and teacher, and I'm here to talk to you about how we talk about art. Theater is, at its core, a collaborative art form. It's a way for human beings to communicate with one another. Why then do we struggle to communicate about the art form itself? There i... Read More

Key Insights

• 😮 The American musical is a relatively young art form compared to other forms of theater, but it has already gone through six artistic generations, signifying growth and change.
• 😅 Older shows can be difficult for modern audiences, but that is a sign of progress and changing sensibilities over time.
• 🤔 The industry has been avoiding the question of how to approach aging art, leading to a lack of language and framework for discussing it.
• 🎭 Theater should be viewed as something alive and dynamic, with pieces that may need to be evaluated and updated to effectively communicate their messages.
• 📚 A framework for categorizing shows based on their ability to communicate their messages and potential problems: Active, Tricky, Troublesome, Augmented, and Archived.
• 🎵 Examples of shows within each category, such as "The Sound of Music" as an Active show and "Flower Drum Song" as an Augmented show.
• 💬 These categorizations may vary depending on individual perspectives, but it is important to have discussions and language to evaluate and make conscious decisions about art.
• 🌟 Difficult conversations and considerations about aging art are necessary for growth and progress in the theatre community.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do we struggle to communicate about the art form of theater?

Margaret Hall suggests that theater is a collaborative art form meant to communicate with one another, yet we struggle to communicate about the art form itself. She believes that one of the reasons for this struggle is the avoidance of a foundation-shifting question: How do we approach aging art?

Q: How old is the American musical as an art form?

The American musical, if using 1866's "The Black Crook" as a marker, is only 156 years old. While this may seem old to us, it is relatively young compared to other forms of theater that precede it. Although the American musical feels like it has always been a part of our lives, it has gone through five generations and is currently in its sixth artistic generation.

Q: Why does the avoidance of the question of aging art in the American theater industry concern Margaret Hall?

Margaret Hall is concerned about the avoidance of the question of aging art in the American theater industry because it hinders progress. She believes that ignoring the difficulties and changes that come with aging art does not benefit the art form. By addressing this question, the industry can evolve, grow, and have important conversations.

Q: How does Margaret Hall suggest approaching aging art in the American theater?

Margaret Hall suggests a framework to approach aging art in the American theater. She categorizes shows into five categories based on their ability to effectively communicate their message and potential problems associated with them. The categories include "Active," "Tricky," "Troublesome," "Augmented," and "Archived." This framework allows for critical analysis and discussion about the relevance and impact of aging art in the modern zeitgeist.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker is a musical theater historian, writer, and teacher, addressing a group about how to talk about art and specifically how to approach aging art.

• The American musical is a relatively young art form, and it is important to discuss how older shows may be difficult for modern audiences due to changing sensibilities.

• The speaker proposes a framework for categorizing older musicals based on their effectiveness and relevance in the modern zeitgeist, including categories such as "active," "tricky," "troublesome," "augmented," and "archived."