Faculty Mentor
Michael Componovo
Department (e.g. History, Chemistry, Finance, etc.)
Geography
College (e.g. College of Engineering, College of Arts & Sciences, Haslam College of Business, etc.)
College of Arts & Sciences
Year
2019
Abstract
Disneyfication in theater means the increase in popularity of Disney plays and the resulting reshaping of modern plays to more resemble those of Walt Disney, in order to gain viewership. In most cases, this means a shift to a musical format featuring upbeat ballads and gaudy but family-friendly costumes. While many theatre elitists frown upon such trends, this project shows how Disneyfication fosters renewed interest and enjoyment in theatre across age groups. A case study of the Knox and Sevier County school systems in Tennessee examines patterns of interest and enjoyment in the nation’s most popular plays via snowball method questionnaire, as well as how modern school curriculums foster this interest. A survey of Knox and Sevier County students, both past and present, collected their favorite plays and degree of enjoyment of the play, and a geographic analysis of the placement of theaters near schools, as well as the incorporation of the arts into schools and the rise of Disneyfication in plays, aids in explaining this deep degree of enjoyment and engagement. This enjoyment then feeds back into schools, with the engagement of students in the arts improving their overall academic performance.
Included in
Appalachian Studies Commons, Art Education Commons, Human Geography Commons, Other Film and Media Studies Commons, Other Theatre and Performance Studies Commons, Spatial Science Commons
Disneyfication and Education
Disneyfication in theater means the increase in popularity of Disney plays and the resulting reshaping of modern plays to more resemble those of Walt Disney, in order to gain viewership. In most cases, this means a shift to a musical format featuring upbeat ballads and gaudy but family-friendly costumes. While many theatre elitists frown upon such trends, this project shows how Disneyfication fosters renewed interest and enjoyment in theatre across age groups. A case study of the Knox and Sevier County school systems in Tennessee examines patterns of interest and enjoyment in the nation’s most popular plays via snowball method questionnaire, as well as how modern school curriculums foster this interest. A survey of Knox and Sevier County students, both past and present, collected their favorite plays and degree of enjoyment of the play, and a geographic analysis of the placement of theaters near schools, as well as the incorporation of the arts into schools and the rise of Disneyfication in plays, aids in explaining this deep degree of enjoyment and engagement. This enjoyment then feeds back into schools, with the engagement of students in the arts improving their overall academic performance.