Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

A Performative Script: Play With(In) Me, Erik Patton

Theses and Dissertations

Patton continues his interest in the body, its relation to material, the notion of abstraction (specifically related to queerness), and the phenomenological with this performative script. Enter the bath first; you must wash your dirty asshole, as you shat only two hours ago. Collect your body in the Silver Pond.

Becoming Ellen Van Oss In Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, Tiffany S. Anderson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents the process implemented in creating the character of Ellen Van Oss in Lee Blessing’s Two Rooms. It includes research, character analysis, script analysis and an evaluation of my performance. Two Rooms was produced by the UNO Department of Film and Theatre and directed by Erick Wolfe. The play was performed at the Robert E. Nims Theatre in the UNO Performing Arts Center November 7, 12, 13, 21, 2015 at 7:30pm and November 8 and 22, 2015 at 2:30pm.

How To Be A Misanthrope: Creating The Title Role In Moliere’S The Misanthrope, David Cleveland Brown

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents my research, rehearsal, and performance of the role of Alceste in Moliere’s The Misanthrope, which includes, a biography of Moliere, character analysis, role development, a rehearsal journal, character research, acting process, evaluation of my performance, and script analysis. The Misanthrope was produced by the UNO Department of Film and Theatre, under the direction of David W. Hoover. The play was performed in the Robert E. Nims Theatre of the Performing Arts Center September 17 - 19, 24 - 26 at 7:30pm, and September 27, 2015 at 2:30pm.

The Effects Of Politics And Media On America: Creating The Role Of Lainie Wells In Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, Arielle B. Brown, Arielle B. Brown

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Two Rooms, by Lee Blessings, was selected for performance at the University of New Orleans during the fall of 2015. I studied and portrayed the role of Lainie Wells as my thesis project. The purpose of my thesis was to research a character physically, psychologically, and emotionally as an actress and create a character through the eyes of Lainie Wells.

The following is a brief breakdown of the structure of my written thesis: biography of Lee Blessing, hostage families and their mental state as it relates to the Iranian hostage crisis, mass media effects on Syria, The Hunt for …

More Than A Pretty Face: An Exploration Of Célimène In Molière’S The Misanthrope, Sarah E. James

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Molière’s The Misanthrope explores themes of hypocrisy, love, and the elusive nature of the truth. The play centers on the effects of unapologetic honesty in a society overflowing with pretense.

Célimène serves as the supreme example of this society, but is more complicated than the shallow follies she represents. She walks the tight rope between truth and survival and must keep the balance without leaning too heavily one way or the other – lest she fall.

This thesis endeavors to articulate the creation of a multi-dimensional character that connects with today’s audience and facilitates an understanding of the intentions and …

It's All Greek To Me: Orestes 2.0, Timothy M. O'Neal

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

“It’s a nightmare, really.” Orestes returns from exile to take revenge for his father’s death. From there begins a dizzying exploration into what it means to take revenge, what familial ties really mean, and what happens to a country after the long, drawn out war is finally over. Orestes 2.0 takes a bold look into these ideas and more, using Euripides’ ancient play as a touchstone and putting a contemporary spin on it by borrowing from many, many different sources. The award‐winning University of New Orleans’ production of Orestes 2.0 strives to open the world of ancient Greek to a …

Creating A Sense Of Relevancy: Directing Lee Blessing’S Two Rooms, Erick L. Wolfe

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis is a documentation of the production of Two Rooms, including analysis, research production book, script, documentation, and evaluation. The play was performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center Lab Theatre on November 7^th, 8^th, 12th, 13th, 21st, and 22^nd, 2015.

Hamilton, Democracy, And Theatre In America, Patricia Herrera

Theatre and Dance Faculty Publications

I, along with University of Richmond professors Lázaro Lima and Laura Browder, received an National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association Latino Americans grant this year to organize the Latinos in Richmond program, which coincided with two classes that we taught this spring: the Tocqueville Seminar “Performing Latino USA: Democracy, Demography, and Equality” and the First-Year Seminar “Telling Richmond’s Latino Stories: A Community Documentary Project.” Since the goal of both courses was to explore how Latinos—the nation’s largest “minority” group in a representative democracy like America­—is also the most underrepresented, I was interested in understanding Hamilton through …

Conversations: Research And Choreographic Analysis, Aaron Roberts

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Hegemony is a system in which power is acquired, maintained and purposed to control events and discourses as a means of dictating what is normal. Hegemonic ideologies concerning masculinity control the way in which the male body is perceived and dictate the acceptable expression of ‘manhood’. Furthermore, these hegemonic ideologies dictate the perception of alternative expressions of the male body through discursive devices of fear and rejection, such as homophobia and racism. Conversations is a collection of three works of choreography created in response to the hegemonic structures that dictate the perception of masculinity. The first, The Trouble with Masculinity, …

Shanghai Quartet, Office Of Arts + Cultural Programming, Peak Performances At Montclair State University

2015-2016 Art Between Real and Imagined

Renowned for its passionate musicality, impressive technique, and distinctive blend of styles, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. The “utterly sublime” (The New York Times) ensemble returns for two enchanting engagements. The Shanghai Quartet is the quartet-in-residence at Montclair State University’s Cali School of Music.

Theatre Education For Homeschooled Children, Jonathan A. Martin

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In recent years, the push for theatre education from arts education advocates has been increasingly prevalent, especially in the face of substantial budget cuts from many public schools’ arts programs. While there is still a long way to go before theatre education will be integral to school curricula, there are clear steps being taken to promote theatre education in the United States.

Similar to the recent push for theatre education is a rise in homeschooling in America. Homeschooling has been on the rise domestically for several years now, continuing to grow between 2% and 8% annually. It is now estimated …

Film And Theatre: Hybridization And The Convergence Of Mediums, Rachel A. Jones

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This essay explores the ever-changing relationship between theatre and film. I used my expertise in both theatre and film to create a recording of a children’s theatre show Upside Down Fairytales in order to show how mediated theatre can be created. This essay argues that mediated theatre can be used educationally, dramaturgically, and for entertainment. The uses of mediated theatre can be very effective for those in communities where theatre is not accessible. This essay states that a new medium is created when live performance is recorded and it can have an impact on how theatre will continue to be …

"The Sound Of A Voice: An Evening Of Intercultural Theatre", Amy C. Slothower

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This undergraduate thesis examines the impact of the process of creating a piece of intercultural theatre on student artists. In the research of intercultural theatre, there is a lack of information on opportunities for intercultural performance experience for students, and much of the major research that has been done has all been by established theatre artists. The biggest concern in the theatrical community with creating works of intercultural theatre is the threat of cultural appropriation and imperialism. Much of this concern is stimulated by belief that the western dominant culture maintains a sense of imperialism towards what is perceived as …

The Real F-Word: Feminism An Exploration Of Feminism And The Female Experience On College Campuses, Beatrice R. Owens

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Using third-wave feminism and playwriting as the foundation, this project intends to examine the history of feminism as it influences the current third-wave in the United States of American with a specific focus on the impact it has on college students. This project examines the development of feminism throughout history and asks whether that historical development has contributed significantly to the way in which millennial men and women understand and relate to feminism presently. Through the compilation of research and the creation of a performance piece, performed on April 1, 2016 in the Wayland Performance Studio, this project examines what …

Addiction: Physiology In Performance, Opioid Pharmacology In Character Development For The Theater, Lacey M. Smith

Honors Thesis

Actors inquire into the physical, mental, and emotional impulses of their respective characters in the effort to develop a cohesive persona for the stage. The goal of this research is to determine whether a more thorough, scientific understanding of the physiopyschological phenomena a character experiences, specifically opioid withdrawal, will aid in the depiction of symptoms on stage. The project began with a research period and culminated in physical dissemination through theater performance. Both video, audio, and text media were utilized to establish a thorough comprehension of the physiological mechanisms in opioid addiction. Further profiling of the characteristics and symptomatic episodes …

Establishing Human Identity Through Randomly-Generated Lyrics: A Comprehensive Performer's Analysis Of Robert Paterson's Captcha And Its Performance, Kyle Yampiro

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Robert Paterson’s CAPTCHA is a five-song cycle for baritone and piano that comes with some unique challenges from an interpretive standpoint. The text is comprised of CAPTCHAs: two-word phrases originally designed to test human identity versus that of a computer. Nearly every phrase contains a gibberish word and a real word and there is no proper syntax. The composer leaves interpretation open to the performer, which prompts the primary question explored in this document: how can a singer create an effective performance of this piece, given its unique challenges?

This document takes a multidisciplinary approach to discover the range of …

A Tank Full Of Wishful Thinking: Crystallizing The Rhythms Of The Road, Leanna K. Smithberger

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This thesis is a personal exploration of American car culture — the roads the enable it, the everyday actions that sustain it, and the values that justify it. I use a constellation of mobilities, autoethnography, and rhythmanalysis in order to generate a glimpse into the rhythm of our road-centered culture — how it shapes and constrains our lives in mundane and extraordinary ways, why it is largely taken for granted, and why it is so stubbornly persistent. I use a variety of artistic, evocative methods, including narrative, poetry, and music, because I argue that knowing is not enough — we …

The Inuit Vs. The Steamboat: Human Exhibitionism And Popular Concerns About The Effects Of The Market Revolution In The Early Republic, Ryan Bachman

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

In the early nineteenth century, a new form of human exhibitionism spread through eastern American cities. While public displays featuring live human beings had existed since the colonial era, these new shows specifically focused on Native Americans. This paper examines one such show, the Inuit Exhibition of 1820-1821, as a case study of this phenomena. Primarily through the use of contemporary newspaper accounts, this project argues that shows like the Inuit Exhibition occurred within a cultural context that legitimized the practice of human exhibitionism as a genuine, post-Enlightenment method of educating citizens about the natural world. Furthermore, so-called “Indian Exhibitions” …

Lucy (In) The Slut With Diamonds, Vanessa Genoveffa Borg

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

A blog summary of my senior project process, playing the role of Lucy the Slut in the Fall 2015 production of Avenue Q.

From The Sewing Room To The Ballroom, The Evolution Of Ballroom Dance Costumes, Jessica Marie Russell

Senior Theses

Although I have danced all my life, I only began to ballroom dance and dance socially after starting college at the University of South Carolina. While dancing with the Carolina Ballroom Club, I learned some of the history of ballroom dance from our instructors, but I never quite understood how we went from having very conservative court dances to the wide variety of ballroom dances where dancers wear extravagant costumes. I also have been sewing since I was a child; I helped do minor repairs in the costume room for ballet productions, and recently began making clothing for myself. I …