Theories for Corporate Theatre
Morris, Michael.
2019
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My dissertation introduces significant conversations and
corresponding constructs in organizational theory (a subfield of organizational
and management studies) to theatre and performance scholars. I hope this will
expand the theory and historiography toolkit which these scholars can apply to the
study of corporate theatre—theatre and performance produced by corporations of all
kinds. First, ... read moreI apply organizational theory to one of the most studied
corporations in contemporary American and international theatre and performance
studies—Disney Theatrical Group, a division of the Walt Disney Company that
oversees the production and licensing of all of the company's live stage
entertainment outside of its theme parks and cruise ships. I combine a review of
the literature on organizational legitimacy with a historical case study. Through
the case study, I explore how conceptions of organizational legitimacy illuminate
the organizational actions of Disney. Specifically, I explore how Disney
Theatricals shifted its theatre-producing strategy on Broadway after Beauty and
the Beast. Next, I introduce the literature on organizational reputation with a
historical case study of the Hale Centre Theatre, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation
located in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. I use constructs from the
literature on organizational reputation to illuminate how the Hale sought to
rebrand itself as a "professional family theatre." This is followed by a review of
the scholarly conversations around the construct of organizational identity in
conjunction with a historical case study of theatre produced by The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I consider the Church's changing theatrical
practices in the context of its organizational identity. Finally, I consider
multiple approaches to exploring the heavily contested possibility of
organizations acting semi-autonomously from the individual human beings who lead
or comprise them. I propose that corporations exhibit a dual nature functioning
both as semi-autonomous social actors and as aggregations of individual human
beings.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2019.
Submitted to the Dept. of Drama.
Advisor: Heather Nathans.
Committee: Noe Montez, Barbara Grossman, and David Whetten.
Keywords: Theater history, Organization theory, and Theater.read less - ID:
- x920g9176
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- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
