Seriously Mad: Mental Distress and the Broadway Musical

Theatermakers in the US have used madness as a source of dramatic spectacle, using psychoanalytic ideas to construct troubled characters. Musicals have delved into the experience of those living with mental pain, trauma, and unhappiness, with "Seriously Mad" exploring how theater dramatized serious medical conditions and social problems.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 282 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2023
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Theatermakers in the United States have a longstanding fascination with madness as a source of dramatic spectacle. During the Broadway musicals' "golden age," creative teams employed psychoanalytic ideas about mental life to craft troubled characters who were at odds with themselves and their surroundings. As the clinical and cultural understanding of madness evolved over the twentieth century, musicals continued to explore the experiences of individuals living with mental pain, trauma, and unhappiness.

Seriously Mad provides a compelling exploration of stage musicals' engagement with historically significant theories about mental distress, illness, disability, and human variance in the United States. By examining who is deemed mad and what constitutes madness at different points in U.S. history, Aleksei Grinenko demonstrates how theater dramatized serious medical conditions and social problems in an attempt to elevate the musicals to a more "highbrow" level of sophistication.

Among the numerous Broadway productions analyzed in the book are "Next to Normal," "A Strange Loop," "Sweeney Todd," "Man of La Mancha," "Dear World," "Anyone Can Whistle," "Gypsy," "Oklahoma!" and "Lady in the Dark."

This engaging study sheds light on the ways in which theater has portrayed and interpreted madness throughout history, offering valuable insights into the cultural and societal attitudes towards mental health and illness. It also highlights the artistic and creative possibilities that arise when theater intersects with psychological theories and medical knowledge.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472056446