Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Language, Race, And Culture In Porgy And Bess, Madeline J. Baker

Honors Theses

This study considers the cultural history of the story of Porgy and Bess, from its first manifestation as the 1925 novel Porgy by DuBose Heyward, to the 1927 play adaptation, to the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. Heyward, a writer from Charleston, South Carolina, based the characters on the Gullah peoples of Charleston and attempted to represent the Gullah creole language they spoke in the dialogue of the novel. The representation of the creole language in the text of the novel, and the way the language changed …

At The Bus Stop: A Dance Film, Rachel Nadler

Honors Theses

Documents the experience of the author's learning process in creating a dance film.

Stopping For Death: Plays, Poetry, And Prose, Sally Johnson

Honors Theses

Thesis consists of plays and poetry composed by Sally Johnson.

Good Death: A Community Conversation, Jasmine Lake

Honors Theses

No abstract available. Playbill.

The Sins Of Kalamazoo, A Full-Length Play Based On The Works Of Carl Sandburg, Christine Iaderosa

Dissertations

The Sins of Kalamazoo , is a creative work, a frill-length play adapted from the poem of the same name and other works by Carl Sandburg. This playfollows a nonlinear storyline based on images suggested by Sandburg's poem as well as portions of the city of Kalamazoo's history.

"The Sins of Kalamazoo", poses the question: "I hear America, I hear, what do I hear? America's national narrative is made up of both the shining promise of the future and of the recognition of the decay as its cultural identity becomes fragmented through time. The theatre provides an exceptional cultural space …

Theodore's Pants, Ashley Christopher

The Laureate

No abstract provided.

Superfan, Erin Beal

The Laureate

No abstract provided.

Beowulf, Anthony Alvarado

Masters Theses

My composition is a tone poem based on the Old English epic poem Beowulf Specifically, this piece depicts Beowulf s three battles with three diverse monsters. The first Grendel, second Grendel's mother, and last a dragon. In this composition, the music does not follow any specific or traditional forms. Instead, each episode is presented as a picture of each event.

The choice to depict the story of Beowulf was an interesting choice. While historically the story is significant, it is not a very popular one. The poem is the oldest surviving manuscript written in Old English. However, more recent (relatively) …

An Analysis Of Hip-Hop Theatre: From Roots To Performance, Jessica Dee Bocade

Honors Theses

Hip Hop theatre has the potential to be an extremely useful art form with the ability to bring younger audiences back to the realm of live theatre. However, several challenges have prevented it from becoming such a powerful influence in the theatrical world. These problems continue to stifle the potential power of hip-hop theatre to reach a greater audience, as well as the ability to be seen in the theatrical world as a legitimate, effective, and stable genre of theatre - not just a "fad."

Misalliance Scenic Design, Joseph W. Shoup

Honors Theses

As scenic designer for George Bernard Shaw's Misalliance, put on by the WMU department of theatre, I feel ready to graduate. I have gained deeper insight into the design process, and through a large quantity of research, preparation, and hard work, have accomplished a set that I can be proud of. I have also been awakened to a fashion of architecture that has become my favorite style.

Suspend Your Disbelief, Graham Kurtz

Honors Theses

In an ideal world, every theatre patron would recognize the important concept referred to as "suspension of disbelief." It is a proverbial contract "signed" by the audience member in which he or she agrees to subscribe to the ideas, characters, and circumstances portrayed by the actors they are about to watch. In many cases, these aspects of the production are highly out of the ordinary and require the audience to play along, otherwise any message or theme being communicated will be lost on the theatre-goers. The title of this cabaret performance is a demand that the audience allow the performers …

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown: A Footlights I Production, Amanda N. Kinney

Honors Theses

No abstract available. Document missing.

British Saint Play Records, Clifford Davidson

Early Drama, Art, and Music

A list of the saint plays and pageants of medieval Britain compiled by Clifford Davidson. This reprint was created in 2014 for ScholarWorks at WMU, with corrections to the formatting of the original index, which appears to have been compiled in 2002.

Iconography: A Checklist Of Some Useful Sources For Scholars And Students Of Medieval Art And Drama, Clifford Davidson

Early Drama, Art, and Music

A classified bibliography of scholarship on medieval drama, art, and music compiled by Clifford Davidson in 2002. This reprint was created in 2014 for ScholarWorks at WMU, with some corrections to the content and the formatting of the 2002 version.

The Sense Of Nonsense: An Annotated Edition Of Ring W. Lardner’S Short Plays, Scott A. Topping

Dissertations

This edition presents twenty-one short plays by Ring W. Lardner (1885-1933), most of which have previously been accessible only on microfilm and in special collections. No edition exclusively dedicated to Lardner’s plays has ever been published. Though Lardner is known primarily for his short stories and sports writing, he considered himself to be a playwright and lyricist. Throughout his career he wrote several full-length plays (collaborating with George Cohan and George Kaufman, among others) and hundreds of short plays and sketches from which my collection is derived. Lardner’s sensitive ear for American dialects, praised by H. L. Mencken, Carl Van …

A Kinematic And Kinetic Analysis Of First, Fourth, And Fifth Positions In The Classical Ballet Method, Mary Sue Hill

Masters Theses

The problem of the study was to compare electromyography (EMG) responses, ground reaction forces, and torques on female college-age dancers' knees in selected positions. Subjects were 18 female dancers, aged 18 to 30 years, with 6 subjects from each of three levels: Ballet Technique I, II, and III. The rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were analyzed in a grande plie in three positions, (1) first, (2) fourth, and (3) fifth, with two phases: (1) eccentric, and (2) concentric. No differences in force or EMG data were found for the concentric phases of the three positions. Significant differences were …

Baba Yaga, The Russian Witch: An Operetta In Two Acts, Julie Moulds Rybicki, Stephan Moore

Honors Theses

Libretto by Julie Moulds Rybicki

Music by Stephan Moore

Choreography For The Camera: An Historical, Critical, And Empirical Study, Vana Patrice Carter

Masters Theses

This study investigates whether a dance choreographer's lack of knowledge of film, television, or video theory and technology, particularly the capabilities of the camera and montage, restricts choreographic communication via these media.

First, several film and television choreographers were surveyed. Second, the literature was analyzed to determine the evolution of dance on film and television (from the choreographers' perspective). Third, shooting and editing theories that maximize kinesthesis were examined.

Three primary conclusions were drawn: (1) Historically, choreographers of critically acclaimed film or television products seemed to understand major principles for shooting and montage; (2) choreographers who expanded their knowledge of …

Dierdre: A Soap Opera, For Singers, Dancers, Players, Electronic Sounds And Projected Images, James Schwall

Masters Theses

Dierdre: A Soap Opera is a chamber opera in one act, with dance, and takes about an hour to perform. There are six singing parts which may be performed by five singers. Two parts are for sopranos or mezzos, two for baritone, and one is designated tenor. All have fairly easy ranges. The piece also requires four percussionists and a pianist. Several interludes, called "breaks," are intended for modern dance. One of these breaks and the overture are for taped electronic music, realized by the composer. The libretto, also by the composer, involves the employees and regulars at a somewhat …

A Comparison Of Selected Critical Writings Of Jean-Georges Noverre And Theophile Gautier And Their Continuing Influence On Dance, Kathleen Carol Tenniswood

Masters Theses

This thesis compares selected critical writings of Jean-Georges Noverre and Theophile Gautier and the impact these writings have had on dance and dancers. It also illustrates that the influence of these writings helped to shape the attitudes of the public concerning dance.

Research included primary sources, Noverre's Letters on Dancing and the Ballets and Gautier's The Romantic Ballet, and secondary sources which related to the specific area of dance. This study has contributed to the literature concerning Noverre and Gautiur and has examined their influence from their lives to the present time.

Principles Of Choreography As Exemplified In The Works Of George Balanchine, Virginia E. Bird

Masters Theses

This thesis presents an examination of George Balanchine's choreography. The examination is directed to three principles which are discussed in relation to his choreographic works.

The thesis is composed of six chapters and a summary including an introductory chapter. The second and third chapters discuss the historical background of George Balanchine as it relates to his choreographic development. The subject of the fourth chapter is Balanchine's musicality: how it was developed and how it is exemplified in his ballets. The fifth chapter is devoted to a discussion about Balanchine's neo-classical style. The last chapter examines Balanchine's ability to elucidate the …

El Drama De Antonio Buero Vallejo: Implicaciones De La Desviacion, La Estigmatizacion, La Normalidad Y Los Valores, Mary F. Smith

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

El Simbolismo En El Teatro De Alejandro Casona, José P. Soler

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.