Abstracts Sociology

The Last Sprinkle of Magic: The Staging of a Real Illusion of Disney Theme Park Performers

by Lisa Marie Riccardi

This thesis is a qualitative study of Disney theme park parade performers in California and the relationship between the performers and their work. This study specifically uses the sociological concepts of emotional labor, dramaturgy, social current, collective representations, and collective effervescence to examine and explain the work environment of Disney parade performers. This study analyzes why performers chose Disney over all other theme parks, what the front stage and back stage areas are like in terms of collective representations of Disney and emotional labor needed to perform their jobs, why the performers like working at Disney, and ultimately, why the performers and audience members are enthusiastic about Disney parades. After having interviewed nine Disney parade performers, it is evident that they go through intense emotional labor in projecting the ???happiest place on earth??? theme espoused at the park. Furthermore, each interviewee notes how this theme of ???happy??? extends far outside of the Disney park and is enmeshed in the culture of American society. The emotional labor of portraying a magical, wondrous kingdom where only ???happiness??? rules is exceptionally taxing because it is not only antithetical to real life, but masks the ???dog eat dog??? virtues of capitalism. But, because of the cultural expectations of the audience who expects (and to a certain degree demands) that they see and feel ???happiness,??? the day culminates in a ???collective effervescence??? where both the performers and the audience are drawn into a fantasy world where everyone is dusted with ???the last sprinkle of magic.???