The role of music in theatre productions in Uganda: a case study of the productions at Uganda National Theatre, Kampala

Abstract

The role of music in theatre is fundamental to the success of any standard play production. Unfortunately, some play productions, as the study has revealed, do not showcase the fundamental roles of music in play productions. Music is merely employed as an appendage to the production. What is worse, the music when it is there at all, is poorly composed and orchestrated. This trend, if not curtailed, is detrimental to the act of playmaking and play production as it is capable of further endangering the already fragile state of live theatre in Uganda. This study intended to investigate the role of music in theatre productions in Kampala, central division, Uganda. The rate of misconception on music used in the theatre productions leaves a big threat to the situation being that music is used in theatre to enhance the mood, create the atmosphere, engage the audience yet the theatre practitioners are unaware of the type to use. Given the attitude of theatre practitioners towards music, it can be noted that this idea is still being developed and mostly will be embraced in the years to come as still little knowledge is known about it. This paper therefore defines music, attempt to categorize its genre and surveys how music was used in the theatre of the old. It also attempts a historical overview of the roles of music played in play production with a view to documenting the essential functions of music in play production.