How Music Theory Helps you make Informed Acting Choices

When I was progressing through my undergrad, I was very skeptical that my music theory courses - learning how to analyze and understand how music works through harmony, chord progressions, larger musical forms etc - was necessary.

While I still rely on my own imagination and hearing to decide on how the character feels, I have learned that music theory is a wonderful tool to understand the composer's intentions and give guidance to your acting choices.

Point in case: Richard Rogers' "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music is a simple, yet brilliant work in which the composition itself determines your acting choice.  It starts in E minor (minor keys sound sad to our ears).  However, all the tell-tale signs of a minor key do not show up until halfway through the first page.  At the end of the third page, Rogers starts the transition to a major key, G Major.  However, he does this so gradually that we do not 'hear' the switch until late at the end.  By doing so, Rodgers is essentially telling the actor that Maria is struggling to overcome her sadness for most of the piece, and only achieves success until the end of her song.  By his own composition, Rodgers informs the actor how she should proceed emotionally through the piece.

DWS