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The Last Prejudice : Characterization Of Fat Women In The Entertainment Industry, Kelly Dianna Macleod

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Shared Reading In A Second Grade Classroom, Trisha L. Dietrich

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Living In The Good Body : Theoretical Approaches To Eve Ensler's Play, Christel R. Hustad

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bitterroot Landing: An Adaptation From Novel To Stage, Christy Leake

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis explores the process involved in adapting Sheri Reynolds' novel, Bitterroot Landing, into a stage play. During the adaptation process I faced numerous challenges, including structural issues, expanding or changing dialogue, omitting or melding scenes and characters, and dealing with the serious themes of incest and sexual abuse. This thesis describes these challenges and the steps I took to overcome them.

From Darkness To Light: Examining The Role Of Playwright/Director On Obscura, Dennis Christian Schebetta

Theses and Dissertations

The aim and scope of my thesis is to examine the process of playwrights directing their own work, using the production of my play Obscura as an example of personal research, as well as examples of other dramatists. I will examine the advantages and disadvantages that playwrights face when directing their own work. I will compare several methods to my own production of Obscura. I wrote the play in the Spring of 2005 which culminated in a reading in April, followed by a workshop production in the Fall of 2005 in the Newdick Theater at Shafer Street Playhouse.

Images Of Jenny Lind And The Construction Of Identity For The Nineteenth-Century Female Performer, Joanna Elizabeth Penick

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how images of the Swedish singer Jenny Lind worked to distance her from the typical nineteenth-century view. Because of their position within the public sphere, female performers were thought to be sexually available and often had the reputation of prostitute. Lind achieved a level of success that made her one of the most famous women of the mid-nineteenth-century. She was known not only for her talent as a performer but also for her morality and piety. Examining the Lind images in the context of nineteenth-century social codes and feminist theatre history, it becomes evident that Lind was …

Den Of Thieves: Appropriating And Applying The Collaborative Ideals Of The Labyrinth Theater Company, Timothy Michael Bambara

Theses and Dissertations

My goal was to successfully appropriate the collaborative ideals of the LAByrinth Theater Company and incorporate them into my directorial process while working on a collegiate production. I gathered a large amount of information from my visit and contact with the LAB and through personal interviews with the Co-Artistic Director and the Developmental Director. I had seen two of their shows and I was familiar with the quality of production that I had to uphold. I played a lead role in Guirgis' Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train and I was familiar with the rhythm, the dialect and the seriocomic matters …

Teaching Theatre History: Re-Directing An Existing Course, Brian Robert Vrtis

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is written to detail the process and results of the theatre history class that I assisted in teaching during the fall semester of 2005. It details the process of formulating the class structure, how the class proceeded, my lecture process, and finally the responses that the students had to the class. The first chapter of this paper goes into the process of getting the class formulated. When Shaun McCracken and I were asked to take over instruction of THEA 307 for the fall during Dr. Barnes' sabbatical, rather than exactly following the process that the class had previously …

Evolving A Theatre Of Truth, Susan Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the challenges of evolving a Theatre of Truth in the context of the immediate zeitgeist. The questions I address are the role of feminist theatre in a world dominated by global media and corporate omnipotence; the conflation of theatre and Realpolitick; the limitations of postmodern thought and critical theory, and the struggle not only of the marginalized, but of all of us to create an activist theatre in perilous times. After examining my response to directing a production of Mud by Maria Irene Fornes, this project will also suggest that a theatre of specialized singular interests, such …

The Theatre That Will Be: 'Devised Theatre' Methodologies And Aesthetics In Training And Practice, Lisa Kathleen Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis details my process of teaching Devising Theatre, a course of my own design, in Spring of 2005 and Fall of 2005. I address my curricular development from semester to semester (readings, assignments, assessments) as well as the students' responses to the material. Additionally, I discuss my reasons for teaching the course and the place that alternative theatre can and should have in theatre training programs and in the realization of feminist pedagogy.

Welcome To The Branch, Turia R. Pope

Theses and Dissertations

Welcome to the Branch is a two-act play that investigates issues of cultural differences in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or LDS church), more commonly known as the Mormon Church. Set in modern-day, downtown Richmond, Welcome to the Branch follows two very different members of the LDS church as they examine and try to understand both their religion, in the context of its cultural and social history, and their place in it. One is Molly, a Caucasian, middle-class young woman from Utah, in Richmond temporarily for her husband's graduate school; the other is Aina, an African …

The Assistant Director, Stephanie R. Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis addresses the role of the assistant director within the realm of today's American theatre. I determine who the assistant director is in today's theatre, what qualities they need to possess, and how a director can use an assistant director most effectively. To come to these conclusions, I analyze my experiences as an assistant director and a director over the last four years, as well as conduct interviews with directors and assistant directors currently working in professional and academic.

Consuming Brazil: Afro Brazilian Religion As A Base For Actor Training, Corey Justin Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

Actor training, like the theatre in Brazil, has historically been a middle and upper class pursuit that followed European models, namely Stanislavski's system. Yet within Brazil there is a wealth of diverse cultures that are inherently theatrical and well suited for application in actor training. In this study I explore one such culture, the Afro Brazilian religion Umbanda. First, I examine its formation to illuminate how the religion itself performed (or served as a site for cultural interaction) throughout history. Then, I explore the practice of the religion both apart from and in relation to the theatre and Stanislavski's system. …

Lessons Of Vocal Coaching Shakespeare In Hollywood: A Production Analysis, Deborah Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a personal narrative of my experience as vocal coach on a production of Ken Ludwig's Shakespeare in Hollywood directed by BT McNicholl and performed in the Raymond Hodges Theatre of Virginia Commonwealth University in November 2005. Chapter one covers my identification of the play's vocal and aural challenges; what I did to prepare for those challenges; the research I gathered on 1930s Hollywood prototypes for the play; an examination of Shakespearean verse, especially that in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and how Ludwig synthesized Shakespeare's verse with that of his own.Chapter two is divided into an account of …

Intimate Encounters; Staging Intimacy And Sensuality, Tonia Sina Campanella

Theses and Dissertations

This text is a partial record of the conception and development of Reflections of Red in a Mirror of Desire that opened on February 20th 2006 for a three day run ending on February 22nd. The majority of the text is focused on the events and research that provided the concept for the show. Some of the research includes influential choreographers and companies such as Pina Bausch, Graziela Daniele, Moses Pendleton, Pilobolus, Momix, Julie Tayrnor, and Merce Cunningham. Included in the analysis of this event are the experiences and lessons that came about during the process of directing Reflections of …

Public: An Exploration Of Community, Environment, And Technology, Christopher John Malven

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the potential of computer technology to enhance navigation within, and incorporate information-sharing into, the public urban environment.

Psychology And The Theatre: A Qualitative Experiment In Actor Training, Megan Rebecca Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Psychology and theatre have a remarkable amount in common. In using the basic concepts and theories of psychology, actors can develop more concrete, logical approaches to characters. This thesis is a summation of the course I developed, "Psychology and the Theatre," which was an attempt to teach students introductory psychology and then experiment with translating those concepts to character analysis and stage performance. Students were taught eight units of psychology: Sensation, Perception, and Memory; Learning; Motivation and Emotion; Development; Freud and Psychodynamic Approaches to Personality; Adlerian Individual Psychology; Love and Social Cognition; and Psychological Disorders. Students were given reading quizzes …

Theatre Arts Assessment In New Jersey High Schools, Julie Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Core Curriculum Content Standards and State Frameworks have outlined what needs to be taught in public high school arts programs, but how will teachers and administrators evaluate student achievement in the creative fields? Investigation of recent brain-based research and information on metacognition as they relate to the arts will be discussed in this project. Viable assessment tools for high school theatre arts programs that reflect recent research in metacognition will be included in this thesis.

Achieving Flow In Theatre Performance, Lynn Marie Boianelli

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the idea of "flow," the state of optimal experience, and determines how it relates to theatrical performance. Using the methodology presented in Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's FLOW: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, I examine the rehearsal and performance processes of theatre in terms of the steps needed to reach a state of optimal experience. I specifically look at the issues of repeatability (reaching the state of flow night after night), consciousness (awareness), self-consciousness and concentration. In addition, I discuss options performers have for receiving feedback as theorized in the works of Anne Bogart, Constantin Stanislavski, David Mamet and interviews …

Anesthesia Guide To Help Increase Parental Knowledge And Reduce Anxiety For Parents Bringing Children To The Operating Room, Kristine A. Eckert

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined parents’ anxiety levels of bringing their children to the operating room (OR) and also explored the choices they have available to them given the facility they are using for services. The extensive literature review explored these issues, resulting in the creation of a teaching brochure designed to give information and options to parents as they bring their child to the operating room. The brochure design and development is thoroughly discussed in the study. The literature review also explored suggested methods to decrease anxiety, including increasing parental knowledge related to the anesthesia process. The anesthesia providers’ responsibilities and …

Pretend Play At Home: Creating An Educationally Enriched Environment For Emergent Literacy Among Preschool-Aged Children, Kelly King Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will illustrate how pretend play can be used in the home for educational purposes. The major emphasis of the work will be emergent literacy, however, application principles can be applied in all subject areas. Parents who desire to expand their child's literacy skills while exposing the child to an arts enriched home environment need ideas and tools developed with supportive research to strengthen and focus their efforts. These tools will greatly expand parental resources by offering several principles as a guide for adapting existing classroom materials for home use. The following Seven Components form the core foundation for …

Ionesco's Absurd Anthropology, Deborah Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

Eugène Ionesco's plays are often thought of only as absurd. This thesis explores another possible interpretation of his plays, including Rhinocèros, Le Roi se meurt, Jeux de massacre, Les Chaises, Victimes du devoir, La Jeune fille à marier, and La Leçon. These plays are investigated with the help of anthropologist René Girard's theory on ritual, violence, and sacrifice. Since these elements are recurring themes in Ionesco's plays, Girard's theory is a useful key to unlocking what may seem at times to be nothing but nonsense, but is full of meaning. In the first …

Such A Deal Of Wonder: Structures Of Feeling And Performances Of The Winter's Tale From 1981 To 2002, Elizabeth Marie Burt

Theses and Dissertations

Structures of feeling represent the interaction between personal lived experience and fixed social values and meanings, which are found in interpretations of works of art. Studying various interpretations of any play in performance can provide a point of access into a culture because the choices made in the production can be compared to each other and to the written text and then reveal how the theatrical company views particular issues within their own time period. This study looks at productions of The Winter's Tale between 1981 and 2002 at the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Using numerous versions …

Sexual Assault At Rowan University, Kathleen Oriti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey about sexual assault at Rowan University and to compare the survey results with reports from the Rowan University Crime Incidents Log. Data were collected anonymously from 531 male and female students from the Glassboro campus of Rowan University. Twenty-two students indicated they were sexually assaulted on or off campus from 2001 to March 2005. Three off-campus victims reported to police. None of the on-campus victims reported the crime to Rowan officials. Based on the results of this study, 5.2% of female students and 1.8% of male students surveyed indicated they …

The First Year Foreign Language Program In An Elementary School, Sean Hengst

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a first year elementary school foreign language curriculum, so that appropriate objectives and activities could be planned for the second year of the program. The intern selected a sample of ten students from each grade level. He used oral and written assessments to measure content mastery and conducted interviews to determine student attitudes toward the program. The intern also analyzed the French teacher's lesson plans to determine the amount of time spent teaching each objective and what teaching strategies were successful. After analyzing the data, the intern …

A Study Investigating Undergraduate Student Leader Perceptions Of Involvement And Intentionality Of Out-Of-Class Learning, Lauren M. Ackermann

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine why students get involved in student organizations, the perceived benefits of being involved, and the role of student affairs professionals in enhancing out-of-class learning. Fifty-two undergraduate students from Rowan University participated in the study by completing a survey that asked about involvement in a Student Government Association (SGA) chartered organization, perceived learning outcomes associated with involvement, and the student's perceptions about current services offered to student organizations. A follow-up interview was conducted with six students who completed the initial survey in order to more fully answer the question of what student affairs professionals can …

The Elegance Of Gower Champion: An Analysis Of His Style Of Direction In The Musical Hello Dolly!, Mary Ann Snow Kabaker

Theses and Dissertations

After early success as a peiformer and choreographer in night clubs, vaudeville road shows, theatre, film and television, Gower Champion launched a career as a director of Broadway musicals. In 1960, he began his Broadway career with the musical Bye Bye Birdie, and at once, proved himself capable of employing every element of production to fashion his unique work of art. In the works that followed (Carnival 1961 and Hello, Dolly! 1964,1 Do, I Do. 1966, and Happy Time, 1968) he streamlined the American musical.

This thesis will focus on characteristics of his directing technique and rehearsal style. In directing, …

Developing An Electronic Film Review For October Sky, Farrah Dawn Keeler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Electronic Film Review (EFR) Project was to take the feature film October Sky and apply the EFR approach to an ESL setting. By the use of a special EFRaid player, high-intermediate to low-advanced ESL/EFL students access vocabulary and cultural material in short segmented clips in order to improve their listening and overall comprehension of the film. This material was developed and tested by the materials developer of this project.

The Byronic Myth In Brazil: Cultural Perspectives On Lord Byron's Image In Brazilian Romanticism, Matthew Lorin Squires

Theses and Dissertations

Byron's reception in one of the nineteenth century's largest and most culturally significant post-colonial outposts, Brazil, has been virtually ignored in English studies. The implications of Lord Byron's influence in Brazil are extensive since he was overwhelmingly popular among poets but also subversive to the nationalistic aims of Brazilian Romanticism. Nearly all of the well known Brazilian Romantics were not only influenced by him, but translated him. Their notion of what it meant to be "Byronic," however, differed from ideas held in Europe. The Brazilian Byronic hero was more extreme, macabre, and sentimental, lonelier, darker, and deadlier. Byron had various …

Estimating Resource Requirements To Support Multi-Echelon F-15e Deployments, David R. Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has become focused on developing the capability to rapidly respond to emerging crises. Strategic and operation planning play key roles in order to effectively implement this concept. During the planning process, separate courses of action (COAs) are developed. These COAs are evaluated based upon their operational effect, resource availability, nuclear and transportation feasibility. Currently, transportation feasibility assessments are based on the resources contained within a full Unit Type Code (UTC). Some COAs are eliminated based on these factors. However, most deployments occur at reduced levels. Situational factors, such as the …