Musical theatre has changed in many ways over time, with their themes being one of the most prominent. From the original classics with stories of romance highlighted by extravagant dance numbers, to the more current musicals drawing attention to the greatest troubles in society, classic musicals such as “My Fair Lady,” “Les Miserables” and “Oklahoma” typically involve a young romance: a trope that has not completely died out, although singing and dancing would occur almost randomly in jubilant scenes involving the entire cast.

Most would begin with a form of stasis, whatever ‘normal’ might happen to be within the individual story. Almost immediately a main character is introduced, and shortly thereafter, the audience meets the protagonist’s love interest. A problem is revealed, and most of the plot that follows makes the issue worse before it is eventually resolved. Most of these famous, contemporary musicals conclude with an extravagant musical number that is complete with the entire cast onstage.

In shows such as these, the plot is central to one or two leading actors or actresses. Happy endings are always to be expected, as well as a swift resolution to a seemingly complicated problem. Since the time of classic musicals, Broadway’s way of telling stories has evolved into something more emotional and relevant than ever before.

Broadway musicals have adapted in order to address important aspects of society, such as depression and anxiety in young adults, and even the painful, arduous subject of suicide. Many modern musicals often involve serious subject matter, such as homosexuality and relationships. Some such musicals that show this evolution include “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Spring Awakening.”

These musicals tend to focus on more than one or two main characters, though they still have a few central main characters. They feature a few different yet still intertwining stories with characters living in the same world, though not entirely related to one another. This new era of musicals has not only shown itself to be relevant to current societal issues, but has also introduced musical theatre as an enjoyable hobby for a younger generation.

More than ever, young adults are interested in musical theatre. For the first time, enjoying show tunes is a well accepted hobby.  Another modern adaptation could be the more recent outpour of parody musicals, such as “A Very Potter Musical” and “The Office: A Musical Parody.” These musicals tend to choose one or two aspects of society that contain some sort of flaw, and then characterize it in hilarious ways.

Parody musicals convey their message through the means of a popular book or television show. The Harry Potter book series is well known to most, and the Starkid produced “A Very Potter Musical” as a platform to draw attention to not only the inaccuracies between the books and films, but also to create their own hilarious characters out of the flaws of the original books. “The Office: A Musical Parody” is similarly represented, as the characters emphasize their most hilarious traits while also showcasing the most memorable moments of the original television show.

Though the classic musicals of the mid-90s were beautiful and often romantic, they have adapted into a style that perfectly showcases relevant and necessary themes.

• Emily Godfrey | Dance 
  “stoP ActiNg hysterICal” 
  Mentor(s): Doug Hamby
  Dance Cube, 337 PAHB | 10:15 a.m.

Next week, UMBC’s campus will burst with the excitement of discovery as more than 250 students from across all disciplines present their work at the annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) (April 24). In addition to a day filled with performances, discussions, and poster sessions, the event will include a keynote by former undergraduate researcher Eric Grollman ’07, sociology and psychology, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Richmond. In preparation for the big day, we asked Grollman to talk about their experiences with undergraduate research at UMBC, and life beyond the loop.

We understand that you’re an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Richmond. Can you tell us a little bit about what your research and teaching entail?

I am a newly-tenured associate professor of sociology at the University of Richmond (UR), where I have worked now for six years. Though I did not know much about UR or the city of Richmond before interviewing for the position, one of the biggest draws for me was moving close to home (southern Maryland). Another was the close relationships that UR faculty develop with their students through teaching, mentorship, research, and advocacy – dynamics that I remember fondly of my own undergraduate studies at UMBC.

I have less hair on my head and more gray in my beard than I did 12 years ago as a senior completing my honors thesis in sociology at UMBC. But, my work as a scholar-activist – which first emerged at UMBC – remains consistent. I continue to use research as a vehicle for advocating for social justice. My research examines the impact of prejudice and discrimination on the health, well-being, and worldviews of oppressed groups, particularly those at the intersections of multiple systems of oppression (e.g., women of color). I continue to do work in LGBTQ studies, though now with a deeper focus on the lives of transgender and non-binary individuals – work that spurred my efforts to create Sociologists for Trans Justice to use sociological insights to advance public understanding of trans issues.

There is, however, one area of scholarship and advocacy that is new: academic justice. My latest project is an anthology entitled Counternarratives from Women of Color Academics: Bravery, Vulnerability, and Resistance, about which I and a few contributors will be speaking at UMBC on Wednesday, April 17 (5 p.m. in the Albin O. Kuhn Library). This project is a product of a blog I founded and edited for four and a half years called ConditionallyAccepted.com, now a weekly career advice column on Inside Higher Ed for marginalized academics. That is, I’ve turned my critical scholarly lens back on higher education itself to challenge the pervasive practices of sexual harassment, discrimination, microaggressions, and tokenizing that occur in academia. In related work, I examine the limits of acceptance of marginalized populations – that is, the conditions we must meet in order for the dominant group to consider us acceptable (e.g., “professionalism,” and activist approaches that effectively do nothing to challenge the status quo).

Were there any particular mentors at UMBC who helped you along the way?

Retired sociology professors Dr. Ilsa Lottes and Dr. Fred L. Pincus were two faculty mentors who were most instrumental in teaching me how to use research to make a difference in the world. Dr. Pincus and Dr. Lottes worked with me to turn my LGBTQ campus activism (i.e., the push to create the “Rainbow Center” at UMBC for LGBTQ students) into research and, in turn, to use empirical findings from my thesis research as evidence for the need for such a campus center.

Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to find other professors who supported me in my scholar-activist pursuits. Dr. Jodi Kelber-Kaye, Dr. Carole McCann, Elizabeth M. Salisbury, and other GWST faculty provided guidance in employing feminist theories and principles in my own advocacy. Dr. Michelle Scott particularly stands out in introducing me to Black feminist thought and the history of Black women’s activism in the U.S., which laid the groundwork for my intersectional politics.

I also found mentorship and support for my scholar-activism outside of the classroom context, namely in Student Affairs and Residential Life. Jennifer Dress, Candace Martinez-Doane, Erin Hundley-Carter, David Hoffman, Lisa Gray, Darci Graves, Dr. Patty Perillo, Dr. Lee Hawthorne Calizo, Erin Stampp, and Matt Soldner were the other half of my huge team of mentors at UMBC. (You may not recognize some of these names, as amazing people are often called to share their gifts with students at other universities.) They showed me that the academic and student affairs sides of a university are most effective for a student’s development when they work together – not as independent divisions. The incredible impact they had (and still have) on my life led me to seriously consider pursuing a career in student affairs. I ultimately continued in sociology, but I am quite active in campus life now as a professor at UR.

Tell us about your URCAD experience and how it may have shaped your future research in graduate school and beyond.

I received an Undergraduate Research Award to conduct a survey on UMBC students’ attitudes toward lesbian women and gay men – the focus of my honors thesis. The following year, I presented my findings at URCAD, and subsequently published my final thesis in the UMBC Review. Shortly into graduate school, Dr. Lottes and I expanded my thesis research, subsequently publishing an article in the International Journal of Sexual Health. Altogether, these opportunities were the beginnings of my career as a researcher. I entered my Ph.D. studies with research experience already under my belt, and with my first article already published and the second shortly soon after. I humbly admit that I am very productive as a researcher, and my URCAD experiences were fundamental in propelling me into a successful research career.

Why do you believe it’s so important to celebrate and support undergraduate research?

Teaching college students how to think is a core part of the mission of any college. So, too, is knowledge-production in the form of scholarly research. For the most part, research is thought to be part of what faculty do outside of their teaching responsibilities. But, students must be involved in research activities, as well.

For students, producing – not merely consuming – academic knowledge deepens the college experience. One learns so much more by doing. Student researchers can see the full research process, from conception to publication – things they may only learn about abstractly in a methods course. Student-researchers gain so much more when they are invested in the outcomes of a given study, feeling a sense of ownership. Even if academia or other research-oriented careers are not in a student’s future, she will get more out of her undergraduate studies by experiencing research first-hand.

For science in general, we all stand to benefit when a new generation of scholars begins conducting research that challenges existing ways of doing things. Today’s college students have views on gender, race, sexuality, social justice, activism, the environment, and so forth that are uniquely expansive and fluid. We, as a society, cannot afford to wait any longer for their views on the world to change the direction of scholarship. And, we lose out when students who do not pursue research careers decide not to conduct research during college.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in being a part of URCAD?

I highly recommend URCAD, especially for students majoring in fields outside of STEM (e.g., the social sciences, humanities, arts, education). If you’re even slightly interested, go for it!

Independent research can be time-consuming, but it will be rewarding. So, I recommend pursuing a topic of study about which you are passionate. As exhausting as research is, and as long as it takes to complete, you run the risk of feeling burnt out or even bored with your topic (at least temporarily). These risks are much lower if you are actually invested in the subject. Avoid picking a topic that you feel will appease your professors, or parents, or friends, or grad school admissions committees. Studying something that reflects your passions will make it easier to articulate why others should care. Do not confuse rigorous, dare I even say “objective,” research with not caring about the subject; if you do not care about it, then it will be harder to convince others to care.

“We all stand to benefit when a new generation of scholars begins
conducting research that challenges existing ways of doing things.”

As you work, I recommend staying organized and setting firm deadlines to complete tasks. You will be shifting from hard deadlines imposed by professors in your classes to having no firm structure as an independent researcher. I recommend self-imposing a timeline so that you are not left panicked with too much to do as the year ends. That timetable should account for other personal and academic demands in your life. Talk through your proposed timeline with your research mentors, and be open to making changes as necessary. And, you might find creating an accountability group with fellow student-researchers useful – meeting weekly, biweekly, or monthly to check in on your progress and workshop through challenges that have come up during your research.

I suggest that you aim to do your research thoughtfully and carefully so that you could do further research with it in the future; don’t think of your work as a finite project that is completed within a year. Though you’re “just an undergrad,” you can get one or even multiple publications out of your research!  (I did.)

As a novice researcher, it may prove difficult channeling personal interests and passions into research. You many not feel that you know enough about the field to effectively pinpoint research that has not already been done. So, selecting an advisor who knows the field and knows you (as a student and a whole person) is crucial. Expertise is only half of what makes a great research mentor. The other half is guidance that fits with what you need and your goals.

I would suggest that it is ideal to actually start making connections with professors outside of the classroom before you begin independent research. Chat with them before or after class. Visit them during office hours. Communicate via email. Let your professors know who you are, why you are studying your major field, what your career goals are, and what you are getting out of their class(es). This will help them become invested in your undergraduate studies, or at least have more information about your aspirations. This strategy will also let you see that a given professor isn’t invested (enough) and/or isn’t available (enough) and probably is a poor fit for you.

You might also ask fellow students or even recent graduates about their experiences working with a particular faculty member. Again, brilliance does not translate into effective mentoring or even good teaching (there is actual research on this!). The mentor one student loves may not be as useful for another student; so, take others’ experiences with a grain of salt. When asking if a professor will serve as your research mentor, you might even have a frank conversation about what you need and want in a mentor and ask them what they can offer to you as a mentor.

I found it was best to have multiple mentors, even if only one or two are officially recognized as your mentors. No one person knows everything, nor can they offer you everything. Some mentors may be stronger at offering emotional support, others at teaching you a new method, and still others at writing and publishing. I recommend avoiding the common pitfall of relying on a single mentor for everything.

Without giving everything away, can you give us a taste of what you’ll be talking about as this year’s URCAD Alumni Keynote Speaker?

I’ve been advised not to give a boring speech about tips for student-researchers. So, I’ll probably talk about myself – my journey as a scholar-activist. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten in my planning!

* * * * *

UMBC’s 23rd annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) will be held on Wednesday, April 24, at locations around campus. Grollman’s keynote will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in University Center 312. Visit urcad.umbc.edu for the full schedule.

Photos provided by Eric Grollman.

When is it the right time to talk about sex? Is there a lack of sex education and communication among adolescents? “Spring Awakening,” a rock musical adapted from the original 1891 play by Frank Wedekind, perfectly embodies these vital coming-of-age questions present in society and throughout puberty.

First appearing on Broadway in 2006 at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City,  “Spring Awakening” went on to win eight Tony awards with its stellar cast of big names including Lea Michele, Skylar Astin and John Gallagher Jr. The hit musical was revived once again in 2015 by Deaf West Theater, who incorporated American Sign Language (ASL) into the play. “Spring Awakening” became a pioneer for deaf accessibility on Broadway while also including deaf cast members and having the first Broadway member, Ali Stroker, to perform in a wheelchair.

UMBC’s Musical Theater Club has chosen this game-changing musical for its spring show this year. The performance has many unique aspects highlighted in its choreography. Choreographers Emma Gilligan, a sophomore Environmental Science major, and Divya Singh, a sophomore Music Technology major, integrated ASL into the choreography of the musical.

For Singh, incorporating ASL into the choreography makes the songs so much more beautiful to watch. In an effort to create accurate ASL translations, the choreographers worked with UMBC’s Sign of Life club and other resources on campus. In the first song of the show, “Mama Who Bore Me,” the main character, Wendla Bergmann, laments her lack of sexual education as a result of her mother’s reluctance. Wendla sings the lines “mama, who gave me,” which has a completely different meaning in English than ASL, translating to “mama, you peabrain.”

Singh notes how the ASL translations illuminate the raw and truthful nature of ASL in contrast to the English lyrics. In addition to this incorporation of signing in the choreography, MTC provided ASL translators for the audience on opening night in order to foster a more accessible and welcoming environment.

However, this spring show does a lot more than just provide accessibility to the deaf community; it also touches on extremely difficult subjects such as domestic abuse, suicide, teenage pregnancy, abortion, discovering one’s sexuality and rape. Pointing out these sensitive topics, the show’s trigger warning suggests that no one under 16 attend the show in order to ensure the audience remains comfortable.

It was also important for the actors feel comfortable as they performed these scenes of intimacy and sexual violence onstage. Anticipating this, MTC worked with Chelsea Pace, Assistant Professor of Movement in the UMBC’s Theatre Department, to help the cast. Pace has extensive experience in portraying intimacy onstage and onscreen and has even developed her own “comprehensive approach for actors, directors, and choreographers to efficiently, effectively, and ethically stage theatrical intimacy, nudity, and sexual violence.”

The final number features the entire cast in the audience singing a hopeful ballad called, “The Song of Purple Summer.” Reflecting on the experiences of the characters involving sex, abuse, life and death, this song leaves the audience with the feeling of hope for the future.

Given its many unique aspects of production, choreography and accessibility, MTC’s “Spring Awakening” is a triumphant success. Costumes, vocals, lighting, sound and music were on point, creating an all around beautiful yet heartbreaking coming-of-age story that no one can forget. 

Musical Theater Club puts on a fall showcase and a spring musical every year. Check out their myUMBC page for more information, and keep an eye out for their performances next fall.

Letting go of the nightmares that were “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Justice League,” the producers at Warner Brothers were finally able to make movies less chained to a static brand. Last year’s “Aquaman,” though connected through Jason Momoa’s appearance in “Justice League,” was able to forget about the other heroes and tell a story about Arthur Curry in Atlantis. This year’s first DC Comics movie “Shazam!” tells its own seemingly separate story of teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who meets a mystical wizard that grants him the power to turn into the fully grown and fully costumed superhero, Shazam (Zachary Levi), just by speaking the wizard’s name.

Rather than playing off of the dark and gritty films before it, “Shazam!” sets to take on a more child-friendly approach. In its conception, the movie tailors itself to a younger audience. The film’s plot follows the young Billy Batson and his various antics when he gains the ability to turn into a fully grown adult superhero. The premise is like the 1988 film “Big” which similarly finds a teen transforming into a grown adult instantaneously. This “what if” scenario plays to the childish imagination in a story that fits perfectly into the current landscape of entertainment.

Though the film is advertised to a younger demographic, the direction and editing spark incredible moments of horror in this otherwise campy film. Director David F. Samberg, most recognized for his horror projects “Lights Out” and “Annabelle: Creation,” has put his own unique, stylish touch on his most recent film. The film features several jump scare moments that can startle viewers not expecting it. In addition to the horror stylized editing, the conception of the seven deadly sins physical manifestations are, in themselves, monsters out of a horror film.

Unmistakably, the film is a lot of fun. By the studio’s choice of distancing the film from the larger DC Extended Universe while still maintaining the possibility of a crossover, the film has the opportunity to poke fun at the DCEU and other superheroes. Even more so, the film can take the perspective of a kid living in a world with superheroes leading to the fun and wonderfully innocent montage scenes of power testing.

With the release of this film based on a whacky concept, films slated by Warner Brothers containing DC Comics properties can loosen up and move away from Marvel’s popularization of a cinematic universe style of film franchising. Later in the year, Warner Brothers is set to release “Joker,” a lower budget origin story to Batman’s greatest foe. Rather than putting both the caped crusader and clown prince of crime into the same live-action movie for the fifth time, Joker, Joaquin Phoenix, is the star of his own psychological thriller story set in the 80s.

This direction taken by Warner Brothers allows for more stories to occur that aren’t strictly adhering to the rules of the DC Extended Universe. “Joker” can be its own small standalone film set in a world without a Batman or Superman, yet still take the character and make something greater. “Shazam!” is a step towards branching away from the cinematic universe style of franchise movies that is  heavily associated with the superhero genre. With less tragedy and more smiles, “Joker” should be a fresh take for those exhausted  by rampant superhero figures who have popularized our films more than a decade. “Shazam!” was just a fun first step.