Dartmouth Events

Teen Suicide in the Contemporary American Musical (Honors Thesis Presentation)

Matthew Treiber's honors thesis presentation traces trends in the causes of teen suicide as seen in the musicals Spring Awakening, Dear Evan Hansen, and Heathers: The Musical.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018
5:00pm – 6:30pm
Hopkins Center 004 Bentley Theater
Intended Audience(s): Public
Categories: Performances

TEEN DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IN THE CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN MUSICAL

An Honors Thesis Presentation by Matthew Treiber ’18

Henry Danaher, piano accompanist

Wednesday May 9 @ 5:00 pm
The Bentley Theater/ FREE

Focused upon a detailed analysis of the musicals Spring Awakening, Dear Evan Hansen, and Heathers: The Musical, Treiber argues that the suicidal characters in each musical suffer from emotions of low self-worth and isolation rooted in mental health struggles. Treiber takes note of the psychosocial context surrounding the characters’ medical diagnoses and preexisting suicidal tendencies and analyzes the aftermath of the suicides. The goal of this presentation is to trace trends in the causes of teen suicide as they appear on Broadway, stressing the power the platform holds in representing mental unhealth.

Dartmouth Department of Theater

Hopkins Center
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Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.