Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Lived Experience: The Training Of Therapists, Actors & Human Beings, Richard Williams

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

There is much in common between theater and therapy. Both happen live. Both are explorations of human experience. Both require participants to be emotionally and mentally present. Both are hard to do well (and easy to do poorly). Training to be a clinical psychologist requires hours of coursework, administrative work, supervision, and on the job clinical experience. Training to be a professional theater maker or actor requires hours of rehearsal. The elements of acting are deconstructed during training so that rehearsal consists of voice-work, physical theater, scene study, etcetera. Training to be an actor entails much more practice of the …

The Creation Of The Role Of Edward Ferrars In Sense And Sensibility, Ty Hudson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting. It is a detailed account of author Ty Hudson’s artistic process in creating the role of Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility as a part of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s mainstage theatre season in the winter of 2021. The thesis chronicles the actor’s artistic process from pre-production through performance in five chapters: a preproduction analysis, an historical and critical perspective, a rehearsal and performance journal, a post-production analysis and a process development analysis. Appendices and works cited are included.

Creating The Role Of Crissy In Hair, Yu Miao

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre. It is a detailed account of author Yu Miao’s artistic process in creating the role of Crissy in the Minnesota State University, Mankato’s production of Hair in the Fall of 2020. The thesis follows the actor’s process beginning with the early production analysis in chapter one. The actor then researched its historical background followed by a detailed journal of the rehearsal process in chapters two and three. Chapter four is the post-production analysis, and the fifth chapter gives an overall review …

Creating The Role Of Lady Macduff In Macbeth, Ashley D'Lyn Gunn

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre. It is a detailed account of author Ashley Gunn’s artistic process in creating the role of Lady Macduff in Minnesota State, Mankato’s production of Macbeth in the spring of 2019. The thesis chronicles the actor’s artistic process from pre-production through performance in five chapters; an early production analysis, a historical and critical perspective, a rehearsal and performance journal, a post-production analysis and a process development analysis. Appendices and works cited are included.

The Well-Made Man: An Exploration Of George Tesman In Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Ryan Ernst

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Hedda Gabler is one of the best-known works of Realism theatre, and the character, Hedda, is a showcase of dynamic and challenging work; but her husband, George Tesman, rarely, if ever, is showcased. Here I explain why George’s character deserves more attention and actually makes for a better protagonist than Hedda. Textual analysis shows the absence of the play’s parental figures and a rubber band metaphor illustrates how all the characters are con-nected to each other. The misconceptions and subtext concerning George: a social filtering mechanism, perception of character, George’s selflessness, how he is made fun of, the heart compared …

The Power Of Perserverance: Creating The Roles Of Hippodamia And Pythia In Atreus, Lindsey L. Oetken

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This paper is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre. It is a comprehensive overview of Lindsey L. Oetken’s process constructing the roles of Hippodamia and Pythia in Atreus, produced by Minnesota State University, Mankato in early 2021. From pre-production to performance, the document covers Oetken’s artistic process through five chapters: an early production analysis, an historical and critical perspective, a journal of rehearsals and performance, a post-production analysis and a process development chapter, which encompasses the entirety of the graduate experience.

Bravery In The Delicate: An Actor's Exploration Of Thea Elvsted In Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Mary Catherine Goff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This purpose of this document is twofold: to examine the process of character creation over the course of my experiences performing the role of Thea Elvsted in West Virginia University’s spring 2020 production of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and to define Thea’s dramatic significance to Hedda Gabler as a whole. The following text will provide a detailed look at the research I collected in the interest of building a cohesive view of the world of the play. Additionally, it will describe the various techniques I employed throughout the rehearsal and performance process of the production, with specific attention paid to …

Who's Afraid Of Peppa Pig: A Transition From Stage To Screen Acting, Timothy Steven Halvorsen

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College

The Collaborators Draw The Circle, Gary K. Lengel

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The mystical appeal of a circle reverberates throughout the practice of theatre: from the story circles of our ancestors echoing through the caves and across the ancient savannahs to the modern-day arena palaces that allow playwrights, directors, actors, producers, designers, craftspeople, and, ultimately audiences, to engage and embrace our retold truths, we face each other in circles. This writing references academic instruction and professional experiences in live theatre, documenting various appearances of the circle metaphor as the rehearsal core drives through the production process. It is an endorsement of the circle’s power to the initial table read and beyond: this …

Peter And The Starcatcher: Creating The Character Of Peter Pan Via Rehearsal, Script Analysis, And Personal Journals, Delaney Jackson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Theatre, as an art, does an incredible job at making stage life look as organic as the lives we lead on a daily basis. That’s thanks in part to a methodical rehearsal process that the public rarely has a chance to see.

My goal with this creative project was to give the general public an opportunity to join myself and the rest of the cast of UNO’s Peter and the Starcatcher on a journey through our rehearsal process via journal keeping and character analysis before presenting the show on April 15, 2020.

Unfortunately, we had to give a painful goodbye …

Staying In The Moment: Acting Methods Through Video For The Novice And Veteran Actor, Cortland D. Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

High school is a great place to start acting and learn about theatre, but it can also be a place where actors develop substandard practices. Nevertheless, there are several acting methods that can be used to combat these habits. By delivering videos that focus on these techniques and are tailored to both young and seasoned actors, actors can obtain a better understanding of acting and can be more well-equipped as they approach their work. In order to create these videos, research into the different acting methods and their respective creators was conducted. The information gained from this inquiry was then …

To Love Is Human: Leonid Zorin's A Warsaw Melody Considering Concepts Love And Fate In Russian Culture Reflected In Its Theatre Tradition, Christine Louise Impara

Honors Papers

Concept and process for a director's capstone in theatre on A Warsaw Melody by Leonid Zorin.

This Is The Knot In My Stomach, Cheyenne Crow Conti

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

8/28 - 12/8, Cluno (Madison) Marie Clark-Bruno

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

Perceived Influence Of An Acting Class On Students’ Verbal Communication Skills, Venustiano Borromeo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research demonstrates a widening gap between verbal communication skills expectations of employers and the perceived abilities of higher education graduates. Recent studies have also suggested that the art of acting is an effective pedagogical tool for developing oral communication skills; however, investigations of a beginning acting class in a higher educational setting are limited. The research question examined undergraduate students’ perceptions of the influence of a beginning acting class on the development of their verbal communication skills for future employment. This generic qualitative inquiry investigated and analyzed 8 undergraduate students’ perceptions of how an acting class helped improve their verbal …

Performing The 2nd Witch’S Character In Macbeth, Martha Juliana Cubillos Caceres

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre. It is a detailed account of author Martha Juliana Cubillos Caceres’s artistic process in creating and performing the role of the 2nd Witch in Minnesota State University, Mankato’s production of Macbeth in the spring of 2019. The thesis records the actor’s artistic process from pre-production through performance in five chapters: an early production analysis, a historical and critical perspective, a rehearsal and performance journal, a post-production analysis and a process development analysis. Appendices and works cited are included.

"A Performing Artist's Journey...Begins" (Senior Showcase), Jennifer Boswell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

As a Theatre major, my sponsor and I decided that my Honors Research Project would be a one-person, twenty-minute performance. Originally, this showcase was going to be a live theatre event. Due to coronavirus and social distancing, I had to adjust and adapt as I transformed my piece into a virtual performance.

In choosing the content that would be performed, I carefully selected pieces that represented my journey as a performing artist the past four years. I wanted to showcase my growth and range as a performer. I chose one monologue from each of the six MainStage Theatre productions I …

Scorched Earth: Unlocking The Mysteries Of Shakespeare's Greatest Villain, Iago In Othello, Christopher P. Hunter Jr

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis is an in-depth actor analysis chronicling my approach to the role of Iago in TheatreUNO’s 2019 production of Othello by William Shakespeare. This thesis will include analysis of the text, character objectives, techniques used, observations about the application of contemporary realistic acting technique to classical verse text, self-evaluation and personal reflection. This thesis will be supported by production materials including a fully scored script.

This play was directed by David W. Hoover, and performed April 25- May 4, 2019,as part of the TheatreUNO 2018-2019 academic season, presented by the Department of Film and Theatre in the School …

What A World – What A World: Scene/Script Analysis For Fight Plays, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

“While perfection is a wonderful goal, there comes a point where you have to let your creation out into the world or it isn’t worth a tinkerer’s damn.” This is a fantastic quote by Twyla Tharp from her book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life: A Practical Guide. So what does this have to do with you, the stage combatant? Well you are working hard but you are being told not to strive for perfection because perfection can never truly be achieved in the arts, so naturally itwarrants the question “then for what exactly do you …

The Games People Play: Rehearsal Games & Approaches For Fight Scenes, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

There are as many approaches to the rehearsal period as there are directors, actors and acting texts combined. Rehearsals are the time that we all look forward to because we truly get to do what we do best in theatre, which is “play.” The games and approaches in this article are intended to spice up the life of your stage combat scene and enhance the time spent in rehearsal; following the initial time period of learning choreography and discovering initial acting choices. Many people see the rehearsal process as the time to work. I couldn’t agree more but, as stated …

Just Before Dawn: Pre-Test Rituals And Preparation For Test Day, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

In Asian martial arts films there are usually beautiful moments that reveal the fighters in deep meditation before they are to meet on the field of battle. The process appears to center and calm the individual while preparing them for the final moments of their lives. The day of a skills proficiency test (SPT) can feel the same way. The day of the test can be frustrating for the testers as well as those around them. Nerves can run high during this stressful time. I can still recall the excitement and nerves of my first test day at the 2000 …

Random Acts Of Violence: Bringing John Cage’S Chance Techniques To Fight Choreography And Stage Combatant Acting, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

The concept of chance utilized by John Cage is a frightening, exciting, and liberating process for any artist. It was so effective that other musical artists such as Morton Feldman, Earle Brown and Christian Wolff used it. In the world of theatre these concepts are constantly used today by the Neo-Futurists in Chicago and New York in their production of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind and by Improv Troupes throughout the country.

Dueling With Spt Questions: Members Of The College Of Fight Masters Share Their Ideas For Skills Proficiency Tests, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

As the rehearsal process grows closer and closer to the Skills Proficiency Test (SPT) common questions arise regarding what is needed in order to pass. Many of these questions involve the same basic idea – “What are the Fight Masters looking for so that I can pass the test?”, but the most important question that is asked is – “Do you think I will pass?”

...And Scene: A Guide To Locating Fight Scenes, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

It is one of the most daunting tasks: trying to find a strong fight scene for a Skills Proficiency Test or even a class project. The truth of the matter is that your main focus is to pass your skills test while hopefully leaving an impression on your peers(especially the adjudicator!). Passing, and hopefully receiving an Examiner’s Award for Excellence, is the best result; or if you are at a National Stage Combat Workshop, you could possibly receive a Certificate for Best Actress or Actor. At the very heart of the issue, you need a scene that will work for …

Beating The Punches: Scene And Fight Break Down Techniques, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

As a fight choreographer it is my responsibility to sit down with the director and discover her/his vision for the production. Similarly, actors need to serve the script and work with the choreographer in connecting the action to the playwright’s words. Each preceding article, relating to the exploration of the skills proficiency tests (SPTs), has offered tools for connecting the scripts, stories, and characters with the language of the choreography. We are now ready to move deeper into directly linking fight choreography with the script and vice versa.

Some actors see pre-planning objectives for a scene and rehearsal as an …

Fighting The Elements: Determining The Best Scenes For Skills Proficiency Tests, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

In the last edition of The Cutting Edge I provided tips for locating fight-specific scenes. Now let’s narrow our search from the vast quantity of scenes to a playing field of only the best quality. For a Skills Proficiency Test (SPT), choreography comes first to ensure that the proper techniques are included within the fight. Following these lessons in technique and choreography, the scene selection process begins. In a traditional acting class, the scene selection occurs first and is followed by the explored action. So even though the cart may be before the horse, as it were, with an SPT, …

A Violent Character: Stage Combat Character Analysis, T. Fulton Burns

T. Fulton Burns

It is so deceptively easy stating who your character is but it is over looked more often than you may think. A good character analysis is important in the actor/character relationship and here we will look at the key elements of character research and their specific relationships to the stage combatant.

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 …

Blackting: The Inseparable Act Of Being Black And Acting: For The Magical Negro, Austin Dean Ashford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I am honored to present my Thesis for my M.F.A. in Theatre, in the form of a multidimensional project, drawing inspiration from the structure of Moby Dick by Herman Melville. As an undergraduate, the structure of Moby Dick intrigued me as it defies the form we call “a novel.” The book includes traditional prose, an entire play, verses of poetry, and even an essay. The structure of Moby Dick further influenced my love for Speech and Debate, especially around the event of Program Oral Interpretation (POI). POI places multiple genres of literature in conversation with each other and centers them …

Dwight Sora Interview, Jay Lee

Asian American Art Oral History Project

Artist Bio: Dwight Sora is half-Japanese (father) and half-Korean (mother) actor who grew up in the Chicago suburb of River Forest. He has studied the Japanese martial art of aikido since 1993, when he was an exchange student attending Waseda University in Tokyo. He holds a rank of sandan (third degree black belt).