Graduation Term

Summer 2026

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Communication

Committee Chair

Phillip Chidester

Committee Member

Kevin R. Meyer

Committee Member

Andrew Ventimiglia

Abstract

This study examines how musical theatre functions as a communicative and affective medium that extends beyond live performance into digital spaces where audiences actively construct and share meaning. Focusing on the Broadway musical Hamilton: An American Musical (throughout the thesis, I will refer to it as Hamilton), this research explores how audiences interpret, express, and create emotional responses through social media platforms. Using a modified digital ethnographic approach, data were collected from Instagram comments on posts from 2024 to 2026. Subsequently, a discourse analysis was employed to identify patterns in emotional expression, lived experience, meaning-making, performer appreciation, and shared discourse. Findings demonstrate that audience engagement functions as an extension of the musical itself, where emotional responses are publicly expressed, validated, and reshaped. Ultimately, this study highlights how digital interaction transforms individual emotional experience into meaning beyond the stage.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

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