Aims & Scope

Studies in Musical Theatre considers areas of live performance that use vocal and instrumental music in conjunction with theatrical performance as a principal part of their expressive language. The journal is double-blind peer-reviewed in order to maintain the highest standards of scholastic integrity.

Submissions

To submit an article, please follow the 'Submit' button on the left of this page.

Download the Notes for Contributors above for information on format and style of submissions. If you need this document in a more accessible format, please contact info@intellectbooks.com. Find more information on Intellect's Accessibility page.

All articles submitted should be original work and must not be under consideration by other publications.

Journal contributors will receive a free PDF copy of their final work upon publication. Print copies of the journal may also be purchased by contributors at half price.

Peer Review Policy

All articles undergo initial editorial screening either by the journal's Editorial Team and/or incumbent Guest Editors. Articles then undergo a rigorous anonymous peer review by two referees, following the guidance in Intellect's 'Peer review instructions'. Based on this feedback, the Editors will communicate a decision and revision suggestions to authors. To appeal an editorial decision, please contact the main Editor who will consider your case.

Ethical Guidelines

The journal follows the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Read our Ethical Guidelines for more on the journal's standards.

General Call for Papers Information

All articles submitted should be original work and must not be under consideration by other publications.

We welcome discussions on any theme relating to musical theatre in its widest sense, from the musicological to the postdramatic and from the textual to the performative. Articles should be between 5,000–10,000 words and should include original work of a research or developmental nature. The journal also welcomes contributions embracing issues relating to practice. A sample area of considerations might include, but is not restricted to:

• revisions of historiographical narratives;

• applied musicological or dramaturgical analysis;

• archival and production research;

• innovative paradigms of critical thought;

• performance and performance practice;

• approaches to training and the industry;

• the fusion of words and music;

• the use of music and song within theatre, film and related art forms;

• critical approaches to musical theatre;

• industry issues;

• globalization, consumption and commodification.

Further information on the journal is available from the journal Editors.

Call for Applications: General Editor(s) of Studies in Musical Theatre

 Applications are invited from musical theatre scholars or scholar-practitioners for one or two posts as General Editor(s) of Studies in Musical Theatre. We seek new editors to take on this highly successful academic journal for a five-year term of office. The term begins in January 2026 and will be prefaced by a transitional hand-over period starting in May 2025.

We are looking for one or two editors who will oversee this interdisciplinary forum for the very best scholarship in the field of musical theatre studies broadly conceived; that is, any intersection of music, dance, drama, and design in stage and screen performance. We seek communicative, curious, and enterprising individual(s) who can work with the publisher and editorial board on editing the journal and moving the publication forward. We are especially keen to further expand the journal’s disciplinary and geographical reach and to widen access to this vital opportunity for musical theatre scholars to publish and read top quality research.

The search committee is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and treatment in its selection process, without regard to race, colour, creed, religion, gender and/or gender identity or expression, ability, age, and so on. Research has shown that personal recommendations ensure the greatest diversity in applications, so please help to distribute this call to any musical theatre scholars that you feel may be interested in the role.

About the General Editor role:

The general editor(s) is/are vital to the life of Studies in Musical Theatre, to ensure the continued development and relevance of the journal.

Responsibilities of the General Editor(s)include:

• Drafting calls for articles

• Soliciting articles

• Overseeing the peer review and production processes

• Editing contributions in the house style

• Publicizing journal content

• Working with the review editor

• Coordinating with and communicating with Intellect’s Production Manager, the editorial board members, and the authors who contribute their work to the journal

• Developing a next-stage vision for the journal

Requirements of the General Editor(s):

• Excellent organization, strategic thinking, and time management skills

• Excellent communication skills

• A capacity for foresight and workload planning

• Knowledge of the field of musical theatre studies

• Vision and ideas for the future of the journal

A small stipend is paid by Intellect to the general editor(s) in a modicum of compensation for their work. Of course, the greater reward for the founding and current editors has been to see the journal continue to gain strength and visibility. Institutional support for such editorial work, including dedicated administrative assistance, is helpful but not essential. Ultimately, we seek new editor(s) who are excited to work on behalf of the scholarly musical theatre community to strengthen and develop the journal and the field towards an even brighter future.

How to apply:

Please send a selective CV (maximum 3 pages), and a supporting letter (max. 1500 words) (as .pdf attachments if possible) to Stacy Wolf at swolf@princeton.edu by 15 February 2025.

In your letter, please include:

• Qualifications and experiences that have prepared you for the role

• Evidence of your commitment to the field of musical theatre studies (referencing, for example, publications and/or editing and/or conference papers and/or involvement in relevant organizations and conferences)

• Brief explanation of your sense of the current state of the field

• Some thoughts about your vision for the future of Studies in Musical Theatre and ideas about to achieve it

Selection and appointment process:

Following the closing date, Stacy Wolf will collate applications and share them with the international search committee. The committee will consider the applications during February and March 2025 and engage in online and Zoom discussion of the candidates.  If needed, the committee will meet with finalists on Zoom. Appointments will be made in early April 2025 to allow for a transitional period in which the incoming editors will work with the outgoing ones (online) to learn journal processes. The search committee includes Stacy Wolf, Jordan Ealey, Hyunjung Lee, Pete Kunze, Jeffrey S. Magee, Bryan M. Vandevender, Guro von Germeten, and current editors Elizabeth Wollman and Jessica Sternfeld ex officio.

Please feel free to send any informal inquiries about the role to Stacy Wolf swolf@princeton.edu

Editorial Board

Masi Asare (Northwestern School of Communication, USA)
Sarah Browne (University of Wolverhampton)
Ryan Bunch (Rutgers University-Camden, USA)
John Clum (Duke University, USA)
Judah M. Cohen (Indiana University Bloomington, USA)
Elizabeth Craft (University of Utah, USA)
Joanna Dee Das (Washington University in St. Louis, USA)
Ryan Donovan (Duke University, USA)
Eric M. Glover (Yale University, USA)
Naomi Graber (University of Georgia, USA)
Elissa Harbert (DePauw University, USA)
Stuart Hecht (Boston College, USA)
Jessica Hillman-McCord (State University of New York at Fredonia, USA)
Jake Johnson (University of Oklahoma, USA)
Pamela Karantonis (Goldsmiths, University of London, UK)
Hyunjung Lee (Kansai Gaidai University, Japan)
James Lovelock (University of Wolverhampton, UK)
Miranda Lundskaer-Nielsen (Bath Spa University, UK)
Ben Macpherson (University of Portsmouth, UK)
Emilio Méndez (National Autonomous University of Mexico)
Dara Milovanovic (University of Nicosea, Cyprus)
Ellen Peck (Jacksonville State University, USA)
Doug Reside (New York Public Library, USA)
George Rodosthenous (University of Leeds, UK)
Phoebe Rumsey (University of Portsmouth, UK)
Sarah Whitfield (University of Wolverhampton, UK)
Trudi Wright (Regis University, USA)

Advisory Board

George Burrows (University of Portsmouth, UK)
Kelly Kessler (DePaul University, USA)
Raymond Knapp (UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, USA)
Jeffrey Magee (University of Illinois, USA)
Carol Oja (Harvard University, USA)
Gillian Rodger (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA)
David Savran (CUNY Graduate Center, USA)
Robynn Stilwell (Georgetown University, USA)
Steve Swayne (Dartmouth College, USA)
Dominic Symonds (University of Lincoln, UK)
Millie Taylor (University of Winchester, UK)
Stacy Wolf (Princeton University, USA)