Acting Commons^™

Love, Yourself: A Solo Play, Tiffany Gilly

LSU Master's Theses

This Thesis outlines the research, writing, and production process that lead up to the performance of an original Solo Play, presented by the author. The project, entitled Love, Yourself is a twenty-minute autobiographical journey about the author’s experiences as a child of a neglectful and abusive single mother, as a foster kid, then college student, and eventual aspiring performer. In the play, the author deals with writer's block from not having felt inspired to write a song in months and attempts to find inspiration by sifting through old memories and telling stories to the audience. By the end of the …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Black Women Face In Society Through The Lens Of Single Black Female, Danielle James

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis is an in-depth actor analysis on my approach to the role of SBF 2 in Theatre UNO’s 2020 production of Single Black Female by Lisa B. Thompson. This thesis will include analysis of the text, discussion about social issues, impact of a global pandemic, character objectives, techniques used, self-evaluation and personal reflection. This play was directed by Richon May, and performed Sept 30th- Oct 10th, 2020, as part of the Theatre UNO 2020-2021 academic season, presented by the Department of Film and Theatre in the School of the Arts, at the University of New Orleans, New Orleans, …

Drama Therapy For Actor Training Programs, Emily Faith

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review synthesizes the literature on the mental health trends and developmental stages of student actors in university theatre programs and the mental health issues they may suffer because of their field of training. I then review the potential negative impacts of COVID-19. Special attention is paid to drama therapy techniques to weave into college and university theatre programs to mitigate mental health concerns invoked by training.

Language As The Medium: A Literature Review. Harnessing The Prolific Power Of Dramatic Language As A Therapeutic Tool In Drama Therapy, Edward Freeman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Language in and of the theatre, with its palate of variegated writing styles and playwrights from throughout time, has the potential to be harnessed, focused, and systematized for use as a therapeutic tool within drama therapy – the field’s artistic medium. Drama therapy could benefit from having a specific medium germane to its artform which has the potential to provide practitioners with a common resource and means of communication, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning, as well as align the field with other creative arts therapies. Language encompasses all forms of human communication – speaking, writing, signing, gesturing, expressing facially – …

"Possessed": The Phenomenology Of Immersive Theatre, Shannon M. Flynn

Theatre & Dance ETDs

Using phenomenology as a lens of analysis, I investigate how immersive theatre engages audiences in a more direct and sensory way than traditional theatre. In a proscenium theatre the action is seen from the same angle. The theatre itself becomes a phenomenon in audience’s minds, each performance subtly influencing how the audience perceives the next. I investigate how relationships between audience and performers are altered in immersive experiences with no delineation between the space audience and actors occupy. The phenomenological idea of frontality places immersed audiences in positions where they are able to explore a constantly changing perspective of the …

Home Unchained: A Night Of Devised Theatre

Theatre Programs

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Theatre Of Omniscience, Kierstan K. Conway

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Theatre is an art of infinite possibility and is created and viewed from a variety of different lenses. Throughout history, artistic movements such as realism, surrealism, naturalism, expressionism, romanticism, and many more have influenced the ideologies of theatrical artists. Theatre practitioners make a stake in their artistic beliefs in the form of manifestos, which encapsulate their understanding in an abstract or concrete way. In reading and studying these manifestos, the individual then has the choice to follow suit to a school of thought, or derive their own philosophy. Theatre, in one viewpoint, can be understood as a means of omniscience, …

Who, What, Why: A Self-Reflection On The Creation And Practice Of Audition Technique In The Business Of Live Theatre, Kenneth Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study is a breakdown of what auditioning is in the world of professional acting and how I (the subject) have developed my own technique through my undergraduate journey.

Improvised Power: Finding An Authentic Acting Aesthetic In An Adaption Of Mowatt's Fashion., Alexander Louis Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis elaborates on how my process, which I call Mindsets, was developed and utilized to play Count Jolimaitre in the Spring 2021 UofL Department of Theatre Arts online production of [Re]Fashion, an adaptation of Anna Cora Mowatt’s Fashion by Dr. J. Ariadne Calvano, Dr. Janna Segal, and Blair Potter. I used improvisatory acting techniques to develop this character from Mowatt’s mid-19th-century play, as crafted and produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this thesis, I explore how continuous physical exploration enabled me to navigate a new rehearsal process. I will explain how I attempted to create a character that was …

In Bloom: Nurturing The Liberation Process Of Performer And Character As Rose In August Wilson's Fences., Paula O. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rose Maxson is the 43-year-old matriarch of the Maxson household in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences. She is a character with an inviolable spirit. The unwavering force she possesses rattles the pages as she relives past loves, loss, experiences heartbreak. Imagine, how I, a then 24-year old devoid of the immense life experience that Rose encompasses found my way into her. The answer is through nurture. To nurture is a process of feeding, protecting, or rearing someone or something. It is a journey with or without a destination. Rose is in a constant state of nurturing her family, …

[Re]Fashioning A Means: Exploring And Adapting Anna Cora Mowatt's Fashion Through A Feminist Lens., Jordan Tudor Haggard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis explores gender representation in Anna Cora Mowatt’s Fashion (1845) and the adaptation [Re]Fashion presented by the University of Louisville’s Department of Theatre Arts in Spring 2021. Directed by Dr. J. Ariadne Calvano, University of Louisville faculty, staff, and students worked together to repurpose the script for a modern audience. Cast as the governess, Gertrude, I aimed to find truth in my character without ignoring the social prescriptions of mid-19^th-century America. Gertrude values purity and honesty, virtues considered innately feminine by the period’s cultural feminists. I argue that Fashion is a cultural feminist work and Gertrude …

Violet The Musical Playbill, Providence College

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Violet the Musical

A Virtual Event: Premiered April 30, 2021

Friday, April 30^th at 7:30pm, Saturday, May 1^st at 7:30pm, and Sunday, May 2^nd at 2:00pm

Jimmy Calitri............Director

Lila Kane...................Musical Director

Kelly Slader.........Stage Manager

Abbie Joy, Gabriela Esposito, Joseph Pekar, Abdelnasser Zadieyh.........Asst. Stage Managers

Sydney Cahill.................Asst. Director

Katelyn Salvato.....................Asst. Choreographer

Katie Vennard..................Asst. Costume Designer

The Cast

Violet-Kaleigh Liebler, Monty-Daniel Jameson, Flick-Daniel Strother, Teen Violet-Caitlyn Mitchell, Young Violet-Clare Krug, Father-Alex Cannon, Old Lady-Halle Pratt, Virgil-Nick Bullock, Preacher-Michael Henshaw, Lula Buffington-Dinah Beckford, Ensemble-Analisa Pisano, Ensemble-Carolyn Bradley, Ensemble-Madelyn Rich, Ensemble-Nolan Donato, Ensemble-Christopher …

Violet The Musical Poster, Providence College

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Violet the Musical

A Virtual Performance

Virtual Performance Dates: Friday, April 30 at 7:30pm, Saturday, May 1 at 7:30pm, Sunday, May 2 at 2:00pm

Music by Jeanine Tesori

Lyrics and Book by Brian Crawley

Based on "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts

Jimmy Calitri..........Director

Lila Kane......Musical Director

Caprial Harris.......Associate Director/Choreographer

Sydney Cahill......Assistant Director

Emily Turtle.........Associate Musical Director

Eagle Eye Vs. Gear Jammer, Jessica Danielle Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

Where similarities in class struggle have historically operated as a unifying force globally, the American crafted mythos isolates the individual and dehumanizes those that do not fall within the parameters of the cowboy archetype. The national protagonist is turned into a class traitor and an extension of government power.

The Tempest 2021, Otterbein Theatre And Dance Department

2020-2021 Season

Abducted and set adrift to die by her power-hungry sister and a jealous king, Prospera and her daughter, Miranda have survived 12 long years shipwrecked on a lonely island. When Prospera learns though her magical arts that those whose sought her child’s death are within her reach, she is consumed by rage. Conjuring the greatest of storms to break their ship upon her shores, Prospera brings her enemies to her feet. But when the opportunity to wreak her final vengeance is upon her, Prospera can no longer recognize the thing she has become, and she is forced to choose between …

Improvisation As A Teaching Tool For Improving Oral Communication Skills In Premedical And Pre-Biomedical Graduate Students, Marianne Phelps, Catrina White, Lin Xiang, Hollie I. Swanson

Theatre and Dance Faculty Publications

Objective:

To evaluate the relationship between training in theatre improvisation and empathy, communication, and other professional skills.

Methods:

Undergraduate and graduate students who were participants of a 10-week summer undergraduate research program engaged in theatre improvisation techniques during a 3-hour workshop. In Study #1, a de-identified, self-report questionnaire (known as the Empathy Quotient) was administered prior to and following the workshop. Paired sample 2-tailed t-tests were performed to evaluate pre- and post-test scores. To identify additional benefits of engaging in theatre improvisation techniques, Study #2 was performed. Here, a survey was administered to the participants following their completion of …

The Theory Of Relativity

Theatre Programs

No abstract provided.

Using Theatre To Teach Social Skills To Students On The Autism Spectrum, Meaghan Nicole Ritchie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Theatre-based interventions are an emerging field to improve social skills in individuals with autism. This study analyzed 10 different articles using theatre-based interventions, combined with evidence-based practices, to increase social skills deficits in students, ages 8-17, diagnosed with autism. Results indicate improvement in social skills for individuals with autism after participating in theatre-based interventions.

Into A Lamplit Room, Otterbein Theatre And Dance Department

2020-2021 Season

The life of Composer and Social Activist, Kurt Weill, is celebrated in this cabaret-style compilation of his work. The production includes more than 30 songs, ranging from his life in Berlin during the Weimar Era during which he was a voice against the Nazi regime, to his emigration to the U.S. where he was a supporter of the American war effort in the 1930’s, and finally his contributions to the American Musical Theatre canon. Audiences will particularly recognize his collaborations with Ira Gershwin, Bertolt Brecht, and Maxwell Anderson in the songs written for Broadway including Tschaikowsky, Mack the Knife, Pirate …

Life In Quarantine Poem, Oluchi Nwokocha

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.