POSTMODERN MUSICAL THEATER AS A SYNTHESIS OF VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

The article is dedicated to exploring the conceptualization of the term “musical theater” with a focus on the integration of verbal and non-verbal components in the postmodern context. The analysis highlights the complex nature of musical theater as an integrative artistic system that combines various semiotic elements. The contemporary approach to musical theater demonstrates its evolution as a synthetic semiotic system, where verbal and non-verbal components function in harmonious interaction. This expansion of understanding requires a new approach to its study, reflecting contemporary cultural and technological transformations and defining new horizons for musical theater as a dynamic and integrative form of art. The study emphasizes the transition from strictly verbal forms to integrated verbal-visual practices, characterized by the merging of musical, theatrical, and artistic elements into a unified communicative process. The analysis of the term “musical theater” underscores its complex nature as an integrative artistic system, where verbal and non-verbal components operate in harmony. Postmodernism blurs the boundaries between word and body, giving new roles to non-verbal means of communication, such as stage movement, facial expressions, and visual effects. These elements become crucial in conveying the content and emotional tone of the performance, expanding the possibilities for interpreting and perceiving musical works. The research also highlights the incorporation of multimedia technologies and cross-genre innovations that mark the evolution of musical theater, shaping new models of communication between actors and audiences. Thus, the conceptualization of musical theater as a synthetic semiotic system, where verbal and non-verbal components are integrated into a unified structure, broadens our understanding of the genre and calls for new approaches to its study and practical implementation.