Digital Commons Network^™

‘Faults To Make Us Men’: Shakespeare In The Prison System, Hannah Boyle

Honors Projects

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the positive impact of Shakespeare in prison programs on incarcerated individuals, utilizing empirical data, anecdotal evidence, and scholarly insights. It underscores the educational benefits of engaging with literature and performance arts within prison settings, as well as the various social-emotional learning opportunities, especially the ability to reduce recidivism rates and enhance incarcerated individuals' quality of life.

Drawing on the experience and narrative of many practitioners of theatre in prison and Shakespeare in prisons programs, this paper works to show Shakespeare's unique capacity to connect incarcerated populations with those who have gone through the …

Audio Dramas As Self-Expression For Marginalized Identities, Athena Towne

Honors Projects

Fiction podcasts, also knows as Audio Dramas, often afford a level of creative freedom to potential creators that is not seen in other popular media. This is seen explicitly through the marginalized representation that popular works in the medium allow. This work seeks to explore why the medium allows for such stories to flourish, as well as how these stories are received. Then, to test this theory, this paper documents the process of creating an audio drama, from conception to completion.

Arts Integration In The Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Cameron Willis

Honors Projects

In this project, we explore the question "How can arts integration techniques be used in the middle school mathematics classroom to heighten student engagement and interest while also developing deeper conceptual understanding?" Through completing a lesson study over incorporating structured improvisation into a simple probability unit, seventh grade students were able to share their thoughts and feelings about using theatre to teach mathematics.

Intersections Of Glass Art & Digital Art: What Classic Tech Can Teach Us Today, Kayla Helman

Honors Projects

This research documents techniques past and present revolving around the theatre projection technique Pepper's Ghost and how digitally produced artwork can be intertwined with glass art. Documentation consists of review of existing literature and artists in the field developing this intersection.

More Than Text: Examining Embodied Practice In The Classroom, Susan Nash

Honors Projects

This Honors project aims to answer the questions surrounding best practices of engaging with theatrical texts in K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms in the United States. This project uses the texts of Shakespeare as a case study to analyze the benefits of embodied practice as a methodology in the classroom, paying specific attention to the ways in which embodied practice encourages student agency.

This thesis specifically argues for the incorporation of embodied practice in ELA curricula engage with playtexts and finds that embodied practice can help students better relate to a playtext, assists in humanizing its history, themes, and …

The Theatre Of Math: The Stage As A Tool For Abstract Math Education, Blaine Hudak

Honors Projects

So often in the education of Mathematics does instruction solely consist of the lecture. While this can be an effective method of communicating the ideas of math, it leaves much to be desired in gathering the interest and intrigue of those who have not dedicated their lives to the study of the subject. Theatre, by contrast, is a tool that has been used in the past as means of teaching complicated and difficult to understand moral and emotional subjects. While Theatre and Mathematics have been used in combination many times in the past, it is most often done in the …

Dance And The Self: An Analysis On The Psychological Impacts Of Dance, Morgan Etzinger

Honors Projects

Professional dancers spend numerous hours immersed into dance culture every single day, learning new technique, practicing choreography, and exercising to stay fit. This study explores how dance affects the self-confidence and self-esteem of dance students. Utilizing surveys, the self-confidence and self-esteem of dance students at BGSU is compared to non-performing arts students. The study of psychology allows for proper analysis on the differences between the two groups, why a difference might occur, and how self-confidence and self-esteem is affected. After gathering data on emotions, perfectionism, comparison, group versus individual performances, personal thoughts, and body image, it was found that dancers …

Spring Awakening: A Midwest Children's Tragedy, Lena Nighswander

Honors Projects

Spring Awakening: A Midwest Children's Tragedy is a new play that takes up the issues of adaptation, translation, and temporality in regards to Frank Wedekind's Frühlingserwachen, a play infamous in its revelry in controversy and unflinching nature in the face of social issues many would prefer to ignore. Several modern adaptations of the original text exist, but none have utilized the 2020s as a setting nor have they used the fertile landscape of the American midwest as a background.

This play, set in Toledo, OH, leans into the Wedekindian tradition of cutting social criticism and controversy in its exploration of …

"In Loving Virtue": Staging The Virgin Body In Early Modern Drama, Miranda Viederman

Honors Projects

The aim of this Honors project is to investigate representations of female virginity in Renaissance English dramatic works. I view the period as one in which the womb became the site of a unique renewal of cultural anxieties surrounding the stability of the patriarchy and the inaccessibility of female sexual desire. I am most interested in virginity as a “bodily narrative” dependent on the construction and maintenance of performance. I analyze representations of virginity in female characters from four works of drama originating in the Jacobean period of the English Renaissance, during and after the end of the reign of …

Crazy American, Emma Quan Dewey

Honors Projects

Crazy American is an evening-length dance solo choreographed and performed by Bowdoin's first Dance honors student, Emma Quan Dewey. This dance is an embodied exploration of her mother's family migration history from South China to the Philippines to the US, and how it places her and her family within structures of US imperialism, racial hierarchies, and Chineseness itself. Based on ethnographic, historical, theoretical, and embodied research, Crazy American examines the intimate ways these structures play out at the level of the body, and seeks to imagine new possibilities for moving through systems and stories of power.

Clones, Corporations, And Community: Cyborg Bodies Onstage, Grace Kellar-Long

Honors Projects

For my honors project, I selected, wrote, directed, and produced an adaptation of a science fiction novella for the stage. I chose Nino Cipri's Defekt as the source material for my adaptation because I wanted to adapt a text where the novum, or science fiction novelty, is located in the bodies of the actors. During the written adaptation process, I worked from my memory of the novella, highlighting and expanding on the themes of queer found family, empathy, and anti-capitalism that were already present in the text. I repeatedly attempted to contact the author, their agent, and the publisher to …

Silent And Accessible Theatre, Nicole Line

Honors Projects

Silent and Deaf accessible theatre challenges the stereotypes many people have of theatre and introduces audiences to new perceptions of the artform. When it comes to theatre, one often thinks of long, multi-act plays with lots of spoken dialogue. While this is the most common style of theatrical performance, there is more to theatre than staged language. When deciding my project’s concept this past year, I brainstormed many different ways to include all areas of my studies here at BGSU including theatre, dance, and American Sign Language (ASL). I am very passionate about these aspects and wanted my project to …

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story? A Marxist Analysis Of "Hamilton" And Its Relationship To The Broadway Economic System, Alana Ritt

Honors Projects

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mega-hit Hamilton: An American Musical has been both a critical and academic darling since its premiere in 2015. A historical retelling of America’s inception through the eyes of an oft-ignored founding father, the musical weaves together a diverse cast and hip-hop musical stylings in order to tell the story of “America then, as told by America now.” While many critics and scholars alike have praised the musical for putting an exciting and accessible twist to American history, others have argued that the musical is not nearly as “revolutionary” as it claims to be. This essay is designed to …

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story? A Marxist Analysis Of "Hamilton" And Its Relationship To The Broadway Economic System, Alana Ritt

Honors Projects

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s mega-hit Hamilton: An American Musical has been both a critical and academic darling since its premiere in 2015. A historical retelling of America’s inception through the eyes of an oft-ignored founding father, the musical weaves together a diverse cast and hip-hop musical stylings in order to tell the story of “America then, as told by America now.” While many critics and scholars alike have praised the musical for putting an exciting and accessible twist to American history, others have argued that the musical is not nearly as “revolutionary” as it claims to be. This essay is designed to …

Lemonade Stand: An Original Theatre For Young Audiences Play For Neurodiverse Children, Kate Tayler

Honors Projects

Lemonade Stand is an original play a Theatre For Young Audiences-style play written with accessibility in mind for neurodiverse children, especially with ADHD and autism.

Selections From & The Process Of Creating "My Blue Scarf: The Story Of Ruth, A New Play", Abigail Jane Ayulo

Honors Projects

My Blue Scarf: The Story of Ruth, A New Play, provides an adaptation of the Hebrew Book of Ruth that is focused on minority and female voices and experiences. It employs Hebrew poetic verse forms to pay homage to the story’s origins. This style contributes to diversity of voices in English-speaking theatre outside of Western poetics. My Blue Scarf shares a well- known and multicultural story to contribute to the diversity of contemporary American theatre and promote conversation about cross-cultural relationships in a time of division and prejudice. This project consists of eight selected scenes from the larger play and …

Exploring How Media Portrayals Of Mental Health Affect Public Perceptions Through Devised Theatre, Lauren Lash

Honors Projects

A performance piece and this corresponding paper serve as my honors project, which has two main foci: devised theatre and how the media affects perceptions of mental health. This packet is a documentation of the rehearsal process and sources that influenced the piece and a link to the piece itself. Documenting the rehearsal process included a list of songs, rehearsal plans, rehearsal schedules, and my reflections on the process. Helpful sources included a photo release form, which allowed me to include a recording in this packet, and my annotated bibliography included sources about devising, portraying mental health in theatre, and …

“How The World Could Be In Spite Of The Way That It Is”: Broadway As A Reflection Of Contemporary American Sociopolitical Life, Isabel Thomas

Honors Projects

Drawing on the plays and musicals of the 2018-2019 Broadway season, this thesis examines how theatre responds to the sociocultural, economic, and political conditions of society. Sociologists have largely overlooked theatre’s cultural influence, but Broadway productions act as social reflection by reproducing the conversations and inequalities of their context. Access to Broadway is limited, in various manners, by socioeconomic class, race, gender, ability, and age. As conversations about equity expand and audiences increasingly demand diversified representation, Broadway begins to shed the restraints of its conventions. In many regards, the recent changes fail in meaningfully transforming the Broadway institution. Those who …

Performing Sor Juana: Reimagining A Mexican Literary Figure In The 21st Century, Uriel López-Serrano

Honors Projects

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (c. 1648-1695) was a Mexican nun, poet, playwright, and scholar from the colonial era. She has become an icon for various global, social, and political movements. This project looks at four dramatic works created by Sorjuanistas who reimagine Sor Juana’s story for contemporary audiences living in the United States. The works included in this essay are Estela Portillo-Trambley’s Sor Juana (1986), Karen Zacarías’s The Sins of Sor Juana (2001), and Alicia Gaspar de Alba’s “Interview with Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz” (1998/2014) and her newest work, Juana: An Opera in Two Acts (2019), …

This Is Me: Anxiety And Depression Awareness Event, Stephanie Cotrone

Honors Projects

College and life are stressful, but they don't have to be. We've all been in that place where it feels like life is caving in and there's nowhere else to turn, but it does get better. This event brings awareness to mental illnesses common on college campuses and in the community. There will be engaging and interactive activities to learn about anxiety & depression, and healthy ways to cope through music, art, theatre, amusement parks, learning, reading, and more. Performances by the Humanities Troupe and testimonies by current students who have had experience dealing with mental illness before or who …

Vocal Hygiene For Musical Theatre Performers, Anne M. Koziara, Dr. Ron Scherer

Honors Projects

There have been numerous “do’s - and - don’t’s” vocal hygiene pamphlets made for voice users, however, a guide for vocal hygiene for musical theatre performers is not typically included in these pamphlets. Musical theatre performers differ from other professional voice users, because in addition to singing, they also have the taxing responsibilities of acting and dancing. As a result, many musical theatre performers have questions and often seem confused about what proper vocal hygiene should be for them. The goal of this honors project was to create an advisory brochure on vocal hygiene specifically for musical theatre performers. This …

The Art Of Promotion: An Exploration Of Public Relations And Dance, Shannon Cleary

Honors Projects

This PR proposal is a guideline that can be successfully implemented into the BGSU Dance Program’s promotional efforts, specifically publicizing the annual Winter Dance Concert. Through inventive social and multi-media efforts, innovative collaboration with community and campus partners, and interactive updates to the Dance Program promotional efforts, this campaign will target and reach BGSU students, faculty and staff, Wood County community members, prospective BGSU students, local media and K-12 students in Wood and Lucas County. This proposal will mold a declining program into a thriving and engaging dance environment at BGSU.The implications for the field of dance and PR are …

The Art Of Promotion: An Exploration Of Public Relations And Dance, Shannon Cleary

Honors Projects

This PR proposal is a guideline that can be successfully implemented into the BGSU Dance Program’s promotional efforts, specifically publicizing the annual Winter Dance Concert. Through inventive social and multi-media efforts, innovative collaboration with community and campus partners, and interactive updates to the Dance Program promotional efforts, this campaign will target and reach BGSU students, faculty and staff, Wood County community members, prospective BGSU students, local media and K-12 students in Wood and Lucas County. This proposal will mold a declining program into a thriving and engaging dance environment at BGSU. The implications for the field of dance and PR …

The Epistemology Of Observation: Performance, Power, And The Regulation Of Female Sexuality In The Duchess Of Malfi And The Changeling, Sarah Claudia Bonanno

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

The Keepers: A Collaborative Constructive Narrative Podcast, Shay Carroll

Honors Projects

This is a fictional podcast series that presents a story that is completed through roleplaying. The structure follows that of a video game, with the main characters, or "players," interacting with a set plot while deciding their own course of action. I act as the narrator for the story, controlling the plot and setting as well as non-player characters, or "NPCs." For the purposes of consistency and making sure the characters do not do anything that would be considered too over-powered or unrealistic, I have chosen to use the rule guide and statistics modifier system presented by Wizards of the …

Repeat After Me: Dance Program Evaluation For The Friendship Circle, Michelle Sire

Honors Projects

Approximately 1 in 6 children in the United States are diagnosed with one or more developmental disabilities or delays (Boyle et al., 2011). Although the number of therapeutic approaches for children with developmental disabilities has increased, no single treatment or combination of treatments is effective in relieving symptoms for all individuals (Scharoun, Reinders, Bryden & Fletcher, 2014). Therefore, there is a need to continue to explore alternative therapeutic methods. Research over the past twenty years has found dance/movement therapy (DMT) to be an effective form of treatment for children with special needs, specifically in terms of functioning and well-being. However, …

Dancing Through Life: Dance As Physical Therapy To Prevent Falls, Salon Gegel

Honors Projects

The basis of this project was to create a series of dance-based exercise activities to be used as part of an exercise class for elderly people who are classified as fall risks. The idea was to approach exercise through a medium that was convenient and versatile for the class leader, while being comfortable and fun for participants. The activities were developed and presented over the course of the six-week P.L.A.C.E. Program, held at the Montessori School of Bowling Green. Participants met four times to take part in a guided exercise class, and enjoy other activities. At these sessions, participants were …

Design For Christopher Shinn's The Coming World, Jessica Bertke

Honors Projects

This document is a complete design for The Coming World by Christopher Shinn. This design is not one that has been realized on stage, but is instead every element necessary to make it real. It includes a scenic design, lighting design, costume design, and proposed budget. It also includes all research and inspiration behind the design.

Boom, Katelyn Carle

Honors Projects

This is a director's boom for the show "boom" by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb performed at BGSU.

Stealing Revelation: A Screenplay Of The Thief Accompanied By A Religious Analysis, Jean E. Sleight

Honors Projects

Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief follows the story of a thief who seeks to steal an item for fame and glory and to save his country. Though he initially does not believe in the gods, he finds that they exist and are more involved in his life than he would want them to be. The screenplay is a loyal adaptation of the book. The analysis follows the thief’s journey from skepticism to faith and draws a comparison between the gods in the novel and the Christian God.