Digital Commons Network^™

Nothing To See Hear, Adam Kuykendall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nothing to See/Hear is a research experiment into minimalist visual narrative via the short film Not the Boss of Me, in which the criteria for production mandated only the bare essential elements required to construct and convey a plot and its characters be used while filming within a nondescript space - in this case, a mostly empty soundstage. How does one tell a story and define its characters without direct expository dialogue? What is needed to establish and define locations and/or environments when limited to only one or two items? Can an audience engage their imagination to fill in the …

Strange Fruit: Black Female Body Politics In Contemporary American Culture, Eleanor Kipping

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The African American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s was an organized effort by and for Black American populations to receive equal treatment by law. Its legacy has much reason to be celebrated: not only for its accomplishments and successes in unifying the Black community but also in bringing issues of segregation, violence, and racial discrimination to the forefront of the public’s attention. The decade was a pivotal point in contemporary race relations, and served as an apex in attempts to bridge America’s past and what America is striving to become. Today however, the social and political climate …

Rediscovering The Interpersonal: Models Of Networked Communication In New Media Performance, Alicia Champlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the themes of human perception and participation within the contemporary paradigm and relates the hallmarks of the major paradigm shift which occurred in the mid-20th century from a structural view of the world to a systems view. In this context, the author’s creative practice is described, outlining a methodology for working with the communication networks and interpersonal feedback loops that help to define our relationships to each other and to media since that paradigm shift. This research is framed within a larger field of inquiry into the impact of contemporary New Media Art as we experience it. …

Playing At Women And Men: A Discourse Analysis Of Gender And Sexuality Performance In An Online Play-By-Post Role-Playing Game, Caitlin M. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online play-by-post role-playing games mark the discursive intersection between computer-mediated-communication and gaming. The performance of gender and sexuality is an important aspect of online play-by-post role-playing games.

Although play-by-post role-playing games are open world and do not have the same graphical and technological constraints as other forms of gaming, the performances on them are governed by both explicit and implicit rules. Performances of gender and sexuality are also governed by cultural standards. This thesis seeks to describe how players perform gender and sexuality within these boundaries.

This thesis describes the performance of gender and sexuality on the website Another Day …

Opera Enormous: Arias In The Cinema, Benjamin Speed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For this thesis, I ask why people are coming to the Grand, a local independent cinema in Maine, for the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD simulcasts? I take the reader through historical and critical context of the program and the Grand along with framing the simulcasts as either media events, phenomenological experiences and/or performance rituals for audience members. Finally, I ask how can this research inform the Grand about its programming decisions? To answer these questions, a mixed method approach was employed. I am conducting a study composed of several different essays that explore the research question from different points …

Actors Without An Audience? Performance Analysis Of The "Borderlands" Live Action Role Playing Epic, Shelley Wind Hooper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study details the preparations and performances that occurred for the Live Action Role-Playing (also known as LARP) events hosted by the Maine Adventure Society, Inc. (or MASI) in the summer of 2002. Explaining the MASI organizational structure and documenting these events substantiates current scholarly publications pertaining to LAW practices and performance studies. The "Borderlands" events are examined as a performance art form. This work is organized into six chapters with a list of works cited, a list of figures and a list of tables. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the study of LARP. In Chapter 2, the …

Scenic Design For Alan Ayckbourn's Taking Steps, David Adkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A theatrical scene designer is responsible for creating the physical space in which a play takes place. This is accomplished through reading and analyzing the script, researching materials related to the production, discussions with the director, and collaboration with other designers. This thesis focused on the process involved in designing a set, as described by J. Michael Gillette in his book, Theatrical Design and Production, (Third Edition) and how that process was applied to Alan Ayckbourn's farce Taking Steps. The play provided a unique educational challenge for a scenic designer, as it requires that three floors of a …

In The Wings Without A Cue: How Industrialization Upstaged America's Actors And How They Can Re-Take Center Stage, Jay H. Skriletz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The social, political, and economic forces of industrialization have transformed the actors' art, especially the relationship between the performer and the audience. When the consolidation of theatre ownership superceded the centuries old tradition of actormanagement, the transmutation of actors into commodities commenced. With the ascendancy of film as the dominant mode of theatrical production this transformation has accelerated until the creative interaction of living performers and audience is not merely an anomalous curiosity: it is nearly extinct. Industrialization has reduced the status of actors and their influence upon the workplace. Employment equilibrium has been distorted by the "star system" of …

Michael Chekhov And His Approach To Acting In Contemporary Performance Training, Richard Solomon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Michael Chekhov was an actor, director, and teacher who was determined to develop a clear and accessible acting approach. During his lifetime, his ideas were often viewed as too radical and mystical. Over the past decade however, the Chekhov method of actor training has enjoyed an expansion of interest. The following thesis will examine who Chekhov was, and what the major points of his technique were. It will also consider why and where his techniques are experiencing growth in our contemporary performance environment. Chekhov was a student of the great acting teacher Constantin Stanislavski. After studying with him for several …

Why Is America So Blue? A Performance Analysis Of The Blue Man Group That Demonstrates The Deeper Cultural Significance Within The Structure Of Its Performance, Sean A. Fidler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The performance artists known as the Blue Man Group have taken America by storm in their performances through the clever use of household products ranging from Twinkies to toilet paper and not through the traditional presentation of a play script. The Blue Man Group started in the late 1980's as three mute, bald-capped street performers clad entirely in black except for their heads, necks and hands that were covered with cobalt blue paint. Keeping the blue body paint but moving off the street, the group has grown and they have now established themselves in legitimate theatres in four major cities …

Khōn: Masked Dance Drama Of The Thai Epic Ramakien, Amolwan Kiriwat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will analyze and document khon, which is a masked dance drama, This thesis will present the history and and the Ramakien, which is the Thai epic. structure of khon and show how it is used to present the story of the Ramakien. In addition, it will discuss the training artists to participate in these dramas, and the value of these traditional theatre presentations in understanding the culture of Thailand. Khon is a Thai classical court masked dance whose history dates back hundreds of years. It employs many aspects of the arts: drama, dance, pantomime, and music. The costumes …

A Thematic Exploration Of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When The Rainbow Is Enuf," By Ntozake Shange, Jocelyn M. Richard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

White customs and values have traditionally monopolized commercial theatre. It is not until recently that theatre has taken on multicultural influences in order to incorporate minorities into the audience. There are many artists who have pushed beyond the barrier of modern traditional theatre and influenced their generation One of these artists has challenged not only traditional theatre, but also addressed gender and race issues as well, with controversial results. This artist is named Ntozake Shange and the play that received so much attention is for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf. This piece is intended …

Unidentified Human Remains And The True Nature Of Love: An Exploration On The Art Of Directing, Claude A. Giroux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brad Fraser's play Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love deals with love and relationships in a society devoid of morality and fearful of emotional commitment. This thesis focused on translating the conflicts in the script into action for performance, and creating a strong ensemble of actors, designers and crew. My process included an analysis of the play, examining it with particular attention to character and story. I also studied the playwright's previous and subsequent work as well as reviews to better prepare myself for the challenges of mounting this show. The next stage was the application of …

Unidentified Human Remains And The True Nature Of Love: An Exploration On The Art Of Directing, Claude A. Giroux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brad Fraser's play Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love deals with love and relationships in a society devoid of morality and fearful of emotional commitment. This thesis focused on translating the conflicts in the script into action for performance, and creating a strong ensemble of actors, designers and crew. My process included an analysis of the play, examining it with particular attention to character and story. I also studied the playwright's previous and subsequent work as well as reviews to better prepare myself for the challenges of mounting this show. The next stage was the application of …