INGÉNUE-ITY: A CELEBRATION OF YOUNG WOMEN IN CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL THEATRE

Abstract

The ingénue is a well-loved, stereotyped stock character in literature, film, and theatre, especially musical theatre. The word itself is derived from the French word that translates to "innocent", precisely how these young women are portrayed onstage. Their purpose in the plot is to be naïve, beautiful, simple, and, often, in love. Throughout my four years here in Tucson, I've been discovering how truly complex American Musical Theatre is and have searched for where I fit its almost three-hundred-year-old history. I quickly began to realize that the simplicity of these characters that I related to the most can be harmful for the young girls in the audience and those portraying them. Their reliance on men can impact expectations and self-worth without anyone noticing. So, I sought out to find female-led stories that empower audiences instead. To honor the young women who have graced Broadway's stages and inspire those to come, I developed an hour-long solo cabaret-style show that highlights some of the most iconic ingénues and those who break from the mold to show just how dynamic young women are. My performance was on May 14, 2025, at 6 pm in the Harold Dixon Studio Theatre, and featured ten songs that span almost eighty years of Broadway history. The process of building a show has been invaluable, and I've learned so much about myself and the industry that I am graduating into.