Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Images Of Women In Refugee Drama: Eve Ensler’S Necessary Targets And Ellen Mclaughlin’S The Trojan Women, Kaitlyn Tossie

Theses and Dissertations

In the past ten years, a critique of the conceptualization of refugees in Western mass media has emerged as a developing discourse in response to post-20th century genocides. Photographs in mass media of wailing refugees began to appear in the early 1990s when reports of the Bosnian genocide appeared in the United States. These images, and the stereotypes that surround them, contribute to the universal depiction of refugees as weak. Though the way in which theatre comments on this conceptualization of refugees has largely been ignored, theatre has a unique ability to comment on, reflect, and create a culture that …

Over The Ropes: Boundary Play In Professional Wrestling, Ethan Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

Within the anthropology of performance, scholars have traditionally considered theater, spectacle, sport, and ritual performances in terms of the discrete boundaries of space and time that separate these events from daily life and in terms of the disparate roles that demarcate performers from audience members. Professional wrestling, a popular performance genre in the American Midwest, exhibits features that challenge these boundaries through the collaborative construction of the event by performers and audience members. Audience interaction is an essential part of wrestling performances, characterized by routine and contextually understood behaviors that performers can process as evaluative feedback. Moreover, during wrestling matches, …

Creating History Towards Utopia: The 2016 Taiwanese Lds Celebration, Ting-Chun Chang

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that emotions and memories in a community are essential to shaping a common future. Furthermore, when performed on stage, these memories and emotions create a utopian experience that moves performers and audience members towards a brighter future. The foundation for this thesis is built upon the ideas of utopian performative theories combined with the Asian Ganzhi belief that every sixty years a new cycle of hope begins. This thesis also includes a practical work. I was invited to write and direct a cultural production for the 60th year anniversary celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of …

The King’S Daughter, Reout Essiminy Feldman

Theses and Dissertations

The King’s Daughter is a spatial video installation that depicts an oversized projection of a woman’s head. Her eyes are closed, and there are necklaces with words coming out of them. The necklaces disappear into the black surface. The King’s Daughter happens in a black room, where the viewer can only view the installation through a window.

The Second Pen, Nicholas D. Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

"The Second Pen" evaluates the historical relevancy of prevalent monikers for William Shakespeare-- namely, "The Bard," "Swan of Avon," and "Upstart Crow." While Brennan finds the general concept of the moniker to encapsulate Shakespeare's current historical legacy, he equally finds the aforementioned monikers to misrepresent this. Brennan offers "The Second Pen" as a moniker for Shakespeare that redresses the distortions of the others. He concentrates his defense of its relevancy around a defense of William Shakespeare as the "second pen" which Ben Jonson's 1605 Sejanus quarto names as a collaborator in the writing of a preceding stage version of the …

The Force Of Seduction: The Use Of Rape Narratives In The Plays Of Aphra Behn, Caitlyn Piccirillo

Theses and Dissertations

The English Restoration’s heightened interest in sexuality promoted the use of rape narratives on the stage. Aphra Behn, the first woman to earn her living as a playwright, used these narratives in her work (specifically in The Rover and The City Heiress) as a means of social critique.

"Hippie Acid Freak Drag Queens:" Situating The Cockettes Within An Art Historical Context, Scott Dow

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis situates the Cockettes – a performance group rarely referenced in art historical discourse - within Bay Area performance art, second-wave feminist art, and the Gay Liberation Movement. Contextualizing the Cockettes within their contemporary art movements provides a new understanding of the group and emphasizes their significance to art history.

Technical, Artistic, And Pedagogical Analysis Of Mark Morris' L'Allegro, Il Penseroso Ed Il Moderato, Mireille Radwan Dana

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Mark Morris' choreography for pedagogical purposes. It explores Morris' technique and style by investigating one of his most acclaimed works: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. Because this evening length piece offers a large selection of sections, a total of thirty-two, it provides many possibilities to investigate Morris' musicality, creative process, and style. The musical aspect of Morris' work is examined by focusing on how he often molds the dance to the musical score involving specific rhythms, canons and counterpoints. Analysis of his creative process investigates his use of individual and group work, with the implementation of …

Technical, Artistic, And Pedagogical Analysis Of Mark Morris' L'Allegro, Il Penseroso Ed Il Modertato, Mireille Radwan Dana

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Mark Morris' choreography for pedagogical purposes. It explores Morris' technique and style by investigating one of his most acclaimed works: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato. Because this evening length piece offers a large selection of sections, a total of thirty-two, it provides many possibilities to investigate Morris' musicality, creative process, and style. The musical aspect of Morris' work is examined by focusing on how he often molds the dance to the musical score involving specific rhythms, canons and counterpoints. Analysis of his creative process investigates his use of individual and group work, with the implementation of …

Auc Buile, Benjamin Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The contents of this work include a script of the play Auc Buile, a description of the writing process, an analysis of the piece both as written text and as a performance, and a projection of what might be the next stages in its development. The play itself is a representation of the struggle to create. It allowed me the opportunity to put into practice much of what I learned during my time in the Masters of Fine Arts program.

Rules Of The House: Strategy, Tactic, And Violence In One World By Night, World Of Darkness, Live-Action Role-Play Games, Laya Liebeseller

Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis focuses on governance of institutionalized play in three World of Darkness live-action role-play (larp) games (ethnographic field work conducted between May and August of 2016), whose players have willingly allowed the international organization of One World by Night – an organization made up of their peers – to unify them in such a way as to create connection, community, and shared story across the world. I analyze four locii within these games (the book, the organization, the storyteller, and the player) using Michel de Certeau’s, The Practice of Everyday Life, translated by Steven Rendall, specifically focusing on …

Good Game Well Played: An Esports Documentary, Gabriella Clare Devia-Allen

Theses and Dissertations

This film explores the operations and cultural practices of the esports community with an emphasis on Twitch as the dominant community platform. Explored sub-communities include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Duelyst, and League of Legends. A focus on Duelyst allows us to explore the characteristics of an accessible esports culture while also referencing League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive offers an objective look at two of the industry’s most developed esports scenes. This documentary tracks the production of broadcast content, the lifestyles of professional players, and the narratives of the industry’s most involved employees. In doing so, the research draws conclusions …

Five Miles Outside Town: A Play With Music, Luke John Mcloughlin

Theses and Dissertations

Months ago, I wanted to write something like an opera or a musical for my thesis. This is not quite what happened. Instead, I have written a play with music; that is, there are four solo songs interspersed within the drama. While there are parts of it that I would like to change, the present work (the pages following this abstract, the title page, the copyright page, the committee page, the acknowledgments page, and the table of contents) represents what I was able to put together within the restrictions of the academic schedule.

The following are descriptions of various facets …

Theatrical Texts And Contexts: Poe And Hawthorne’S Fictional Women, Savannah M. Singletary

Theses and Dissertations

Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne are arguably two of the most highly read and heavily debated nineteenth-century antebellum authors in America. Their writings fascinate readers, while their character depictions, particularly their characterizations of fictional women, prompt intense academic debate. This thesis examines the previously less-studied historical developments surrounding Poe and Hawthorne in the antebellum era that shaped their approach to writing fiction. In particular, this study scrutinizes the effects of the development of a newly popular art form, ballet, the ascendency of female authorship, and the impact of American theatrical reform upon antebellum authors’ authorial faculties, especially Hawthorne and …

Cabaret Story-Telling: Building Your Act, Timothy A. Fitz-Gerald

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis adduces the benefits in teaching undergraduate theatre majors the competency to create a cabaret. It expostulates that doing so during college gives students an advantage in marketing themselves professionally. It substantiates the general lack of cohesive undergraduate training in this area. The results of a survey of casting directors, assessing the worth of implementing the study of cabaret into theatre curricula, are incorporated.

Those that responded agreed that performing cabarets can play a role in a performer’s career, even if the opinions varied as to what that specific role is. There was general agreement that the study of …

Should We Straighten Up? Exploring The Responsibilities Of Actor Training For Lgbtq Students, Matthew B. Ferrell

Theses and Dissertations

Gay actors have a long history with the notion of “straightening up” to remain castable and economically feasible in today’s market. Searching to find answers for young acting students while strengthening their own self worth, I will explore the history of gay actors in film, television and theatre and in society to understand this notion more fully. By interviewing working actors and managers in the business I will explore how I can address this question of “straightening up” to the future generation of actors and analyze how we can face the future with integrity and self-respect.

Gomds - Grumpy Old Men Doing Shakespeare; The Comedy Of Errors As Metaphor For Life, Aging, And Building Community, Elizabeth B. Pedersen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the process of building community over time, through collaboration, to rehearse and produce a portable production of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, looking at the elements of time, trust and age with an ensemble of ten men, all actors over the age of 55. The building of trust over time was vital to the production process and the actors had the time to embody their roles and the language of the play. We look at the questions “why this play,” “why all men?” and “why theatre?” and investigate the physical nature of the play and its …

Towards Gender Inclusive Representation In The Theatre: The Actor And The Spectator, Jeanette Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This piece of writing is aimed at theatre practitioners who might not have a background in feminist critical theory. Its main function is to help these practitioners to aware of how they might- in the theatre- propagate gender stereotypes. It provides thorough and accessible explanations of the concepts central to feminist critical theory. It argues that in order to create a truly inclusive theatre, the spectator and the actor must be resistant towards gender-based oppression.

The Theatrical Laboratory: A Methodology For Educating Empathy, Anna Lee Percuoco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the need for universal theatre exposure and experience in secondary education and to recommend a methodology for using theatre education to help students become engaged and empathetic adults. This task must be accomplished early in the young person’s life and should not be left to college professors with no training in pedagogy. The high school teacher, regardless of content area, is most equipped for developing empathy in students. He can best reach this goal with the help of dramatic literature and exploration.

The theatre ought to be viewed as a laboratory that …

Preserving The Spirit Of African Storytelling In The Pittsburgh Cycle, Elizabeth L. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will investigate and examine how August Wilson incorporated African storytelling ceremonials inside of Gem of the Ocean and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. By studying the mannerisms and characteristics of Aunt Ester (Gem of the Ocean) and Bynum Walker (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone), this paper will help educators to understand that Wilson created these characters to preserve African griots inside his Pittsburgh Cycle. This paper will link how theatre educators in the 21st century can capture the spirit of the African griots. The socially responsible theatre practice is a teaching method that theatre …

The Thought. The Force. The Love. The Joy. The Hope: An Ode To The Seldom Heard, Candace Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the methods used in creating my original solo performance piece entitled The Thought. The Force. The Love. The Joy. The Hope: An Ode To The Seldom Heard. I will describe in detail what specifically inspired the spine of my work, the research performed, the writing process, and how I hope it will grow in the future. Included in the body of the thesis is the script as it was performed on December 2nd thru December 4th, 2015 at the Center for Performance Experiment on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, South Carolina.

The Reflection, Tamara Joksimovic

Theses and Dissertations

The Reflection– focuses on analysis of two realized Production of University of South Carolina Theatre, and my learning experience during my Professional Internship in The Theatre Company- La Fura Dels Baus, Barcelona, Spain. The Productions that will be the subject are Scapin, written by Bill Irwin and Mark O'Donnell, and directed by Louis Butelli, school year- 2015/2016; and Grounded, written by George Brant, and directed by Robert Richmond, school year- 2016/2017. The analysis will explore the importance of collaboration within the Production process and an understanding of the text and its transposition to theatrical space. It will deal with important …

The Conclusion, Neda Spalajkovic

Theses and Dissertations

The Conclusion is a final exploration of discoveries I have made in the process of designing three different stories in three different forms. This thesis examines all creative and analytical processes I have gone through as a designer in theatre. It also highlights the collaborative process, its importance, and at the end, speaks about the final product, its sustainability and influence. The design works included in this thesis are: costume design for The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht directed by Steven Pearson in Fall 2015, scenic design for The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Richmond in Spring 2016, …

An Evaluation Of Scenic Design, William Baxter Engle Iii

Theses and Dissertations

“…Allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster… Strangely enough, it all turns out well… I don’t know. It’s a mystery” -Tom Stoppard

I embraced this quote a long while ago in a moment of disgust and defeat while working through a flawed process of making theatre. Everything takes too long to complete, nothing works right the first time if ever at all, and ultimately the entire process is a maddening mess. It seems to me that the study and practice of the trade can work …

Obsidian In Sand: A Reflection On Tokenism And The Fight For Visibility In Predominately White Spaces, And A Declaration That Black Lives Matter, Dimitri Jai Woods

Theses and Dissertations

As with most art in academia, the term “Abstract”, as a sort of summation of the proceeding discussion, does not quite fit. What you may experience in the following pages is more akin to my attempt at staying true to the artistic nature of my thesis project, while “reflecting” on it in a pseudo-academic tone. I put the word reflecting in quotation marks, as I do not truly feel as if this project is, or ever will be complete. It is (rather, intends to be) an ever-growing, ever-evolving experiment in expression. Luckily for you, this is being written after some …

Where The Light Shines Through, Rachel A. Sheets

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is an analysis of my journey as a lighting designer studying at The University of South Carolina’s graduate program. This paper examines to the successes and failures of my realized practicum productions while attending the university and my concluding professional internship at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

Faustus Revisited: A Cultural, Historical, And Artistic Study, Ryan Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines plays by Christopher Marlowe, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and David Mamet about Faustian figures. All three authors use the idea of a “deal with the devil” as an inspiration to examine human nature and hubris, but did so in distinct ways shaped by their personal styles, historical eras, and personal philosophies. By examining the common ground, and the areas of deviation, in these three plays separated by hundreds of years, this study will isolate and identify the key aspects of a Faustian Pact. Whereas Marlowe views Faustus as a rebel, whose fall from salvation comes due to …

Costume Design: Communication Through Dress, Rachel Amanda Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

Costume Design: Communication Through Dress represents my experience as a candidate in the University of South Carolina’s Master of Fine Arts program in Theatre Design, with an emphasis in Costume Design and Technology. During my time in this program, I worked closely with Professors Lisa Martin-Stuart and Nic Ularu to practice text and character analysis, rendering techniques, communication and the execution of designs from concepts on paper into three fully realized productions.

This thesis explores the design process behind three shows produced by the University of South Carolina’s Department of Theatre and Dance: Translations by Brian Friel, Blithe Spirit by …

Persons: A One Woman Play, Rachel Kuhnle

Theses and Dissertations

The contents of this paper include the complete script of Persons: A One Woman Show and a description of the research, editing, rehearsal process and performance experience with analysis. I will expound on the ways in which the writing and producing of a solo show utilized the skills obtained by my Master of Fine Arts program.

We Sit As Kings, Josh Jeffers

Theses and Dissertations

We Sit As Kings is a solo performance piece that explores the exclusion of certain peoples in 1515 London, 2015 Europe, and the potential rise of power of those who choose to exploit the inbred fear of these people. The piece uses texts from Thomas More, partially written by William Shakespeare and transcripts from BBC news. The play was inspired by an accidental discovery of Sir Ian McKellen performing the final monologue.