Digital Commons Network^™

Staging Collapse: Anita Berber’S Cocaine And Morphium As Disability Aesthetic Performance, Blair Summers

Theses

This thesis examines Anita Berber’s performances Cocaine and Morphium within the cultural climate of Weimar Germany, where the body became closely tied to ideals of health, productivity, and national renewal. Through the framework of disability aesthetics as defined by Tobin Siebers, this study argues that Berber transforms addiction, collapse, and bodily decay into a visual and affective language of artistic and political critique. Rather than present the body as disciplined or morally ideal, Berber stages instability, excess, and death through gesture, costume, set design, and music. In doing so, she reimagines the stigmatized female body as a site of agency …

The After For What We Leave Behind, Cierra Marquardt

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This creative thesis discusses how art has failed to depict death through the promise of an ideal or an absolute, which is why my speculative solution is to create art that builds out the spectrum of nuance not currently found. I critique the idea of death as a precise moment instead of a network of changes; in understanding death to be an endpoint, the function of death within larger cyclical processes is lost. Through the analysis of the Memento Mori genres of historical and contemporary art work, a methodology is created which informs the creation of a pair of paintings …

Some Things Never Change, Ryely Rogers

Honors College Theses

Some Things Never Change is a coming-of-age play that explores the intersection of memory, identity, nostalgia, faith, and the process of growing up. The play follows two versions of the same character: Young Ryann and Older Ryann. Young Ryann is the eleven year old version of Older Ryan, the young woman she grows to become. This play was born from my own interest in how identity evolves and continues to shape us through adulthood. Some Things Never Change is the culmination of my own experiences, broader themes of self-discovery, and the science behind nostalgia. Through this play I uncover the …

Temporality Waters: Connecting People To The Brays Bayou Through Memory, Culture, And Identity Experiences In Houston, Texas, Khulda Aamir Obaid

Landscape Architecture Theses

Communities across Texas face increasing hydrological pressures from natural climate variability, changing precipitation patterns, and rapid urban growth. Although directly attributing extreme precipitation events to anthropogenic climate change is complicated by internal variability and observational limitations (de Vries et al., 2023; Griffin et al., 2024; IPCC, 2021; National Academies, 2016), cities such as Houston are preparing for more frequent and intense storms. Historical floods—including Tropical Storm Allison, the Memorial Day and Tax Day floods, and Hurricane Harvey—have exposed the limits of Houston’s predominantly hard-infrastructure flood management. The Brays Bayou watershed, particularly the Meyerland neighborhood, shows heightened vulnerability, where impervious surfaces, …

From Classroom To Courtroom: Understanding Real Pathways Into Legal Careers, Timothy S. Troxel

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study examines how legal professionals describe their preparation for legal and law-adjacent careers, with the goal of identifying practical guidance for college students entering the field. Existing literature on legal career preparation often emphasizes measurable qualifications, while offering broad or generalized advice. At the same time, research on career development highlights the importance of experiential learning and mentorship, suggesting a gap between formal guidance and lived experience. To explore this gap, this study conducted interviews with ten legal professionals across a range of roles and experience levels. Participants were asked about their backgrounds, career paths, skill development, and other …

Spring Dance Concert 2026 (Emerge) Playbill, Providence College Department Of Theatre, Dance, & Film

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance, & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

Spring Dance Concert 2026 (Emerge)

May 1, 2026, 7:30PM

May 2, 2026, 2PM

Director, Nina Kossler

Lighting Designer, Elissa Pensa Cerros

Choreographers: Elizabeth Graney, Caroline Guanci, Jade Bocciarelli, Caroline Puccini, Rowan Locascio-McLaughlin, Kiley Vallee, Heidy Guzman, Ella Ford, Gabriella Girard, Julia Mele, Emma Daigneau, Anna Gross, Camryn Lowry, Alyssa Rago, Grace Sittig

Dancers: Lola Blessington, Simone Chabot, Noël Rose DeRosa, Ella Ford, Elizabeth Graney, Katherine Pritchard, Kiley Vallee,  Elaina Bartolini, Alyssa Dalto, Caroline Guanci, Heidy Guzman, Riley Joyce, Heidi Nicholls, Anna Bernat, Jade Bocciarelli, Lauren Gerew, Julia Mele, Grace …

Creating A Gis-Based Site Suitability Index For A Major Sports Stadium In Kansas City, Theodore E. Blair

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

There are many considerations taken when siting major sports stadiums. Most literature, though, has focused on the political and economic considerations, the negative outcomes of using public money for private projects. However, geographic considerations play a major part in deciding where to site a stadium. These considerations are wide-ranging and can change with the times. This thesis determines ten modern site suitability criteria, and with them, creates a site suitability index using GIS to determine and quantify more and less suitable areas for stadium development. It applies this index to the Kansas City area, as the city is currently in …

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: 48219 Beyond The Zip Code, Justin Darragh, Adhithi Keerthana Athikumar, Muaaz Akhtar, Dania Zeidan, Nathaniel Edwards, Trina Alimi, Jonah Brand, Beatrice White

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

2026 Celebration Of The Arts Program, Lynn University

Celebration of the Arts Programs

Celebration of the Arts 2026 Program - cover designed by Mark Sparacio

In This World: A Scalable Methodology For Scenic Design, Michael W. D. Francis

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis examines how strong scenic design emerges not from how something looks, but from a clear understanding of how its world works. Rather than starting from aesthetic preference or visual trends, it outlines a process that identifies a central idea within a story and uses that idea to shape a cohesive spatial environment. By focusing on how a world behaves - what drives it, what resists change, and how its internal logic operates - design decisions begin to align, creating work that feels intentional rather than assembled. Through a series of production case studies, it evaluates how that process …

Selected Projects In Scenic Design And Theatre Technologies, Daniel T. Simons

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This Plan B Report documents the development, execution, and evolution of my scenic design practice during my MFA at Utah State University, using four major productions—You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Xanadu, Annie, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—as case studies in innovation, sustainability, and ethical design. Beginning with Charlie Brown, the report examines how a concept-driven approach rooted in research, simplicity, and technological integration established a foundation for sustainable scenic practices. Through detailed analysis of venue constraints, projection mapping, modular construction, and collaborative workflows, the project demonstrates how visual storytelling can emerge from …

Finnegan's Got A Secret: An Exercise In Playwriting, Ari Theodore

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Rhetorical Models Of Conspiracy Theories How Two Political Commentary Youtubers Build Narrative Authority, Riley Bucklin

Theses & ETDs

The purpose of this study is to explore the rhetoric that independent political commentators on YouTube used to develop conspiracy theories in the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s murder. On September 10th, 2025, Charlie Kirk — a prominent conservative political commentator and activist — was assassinated at a Turning Point USA event on Utah Valley University campus. Following the shooting, various conspiracy theories developed online as the narrative from the federal investigation was still developing. This study is necessitated by the rapid pace at which digital subcultures have displaced traditional media outlets and reshaped what is considered trustworthy reporting. To …

I’Ll Have A Who Christmas Without You: A Case Study On The One-Person Show Through Who’S Holiday, Caitlyn Turner

Theses & ETDs

This thesis discusses the experience and history of the one-person show, or monodrama, through a performance of Who’s Holiday by Matthew Lombardo. Who’s Holiday was first performed in November 2017 at the Westside Theatre Off-Broadway. This thesis is in three parts: History & Theory, Analysis of the Play, and a Reflection of the performance. My professor Tim O’Donnell directed my performance of the play, which was performed in December 2025.

Pro Rege Chr. Brass Band: A Century Of Sound, Jonathan T.J. Henneveld

Dissertations

The Christian Brass Band Pro Rege of Heerenveen, The Netherlands, celebrated its one hundredth birthday in 2024. As one of the most prominent community-based brass bands in the region, Pro Rege is part of a Dutch wind ensemble tradition that goes largely undocumented. While they and other bands like them function as cultural and educational institutions, academic literature remains limited, almost ignoring them completely. This dissertation wishes to address this oversight by providing an historical study of the brass band from its establishment in 1924 to the present day.

Starting out in the Dutch ensemble tradition of the Fanfare band, …

Burning In The Aftermath: Lightning The Trojan Women, Olivia Mack

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents the lighting design process for The Trojan Women at the University of Arkansas, exploring how light can hold space for grief, devastation, beauty, and survival. Guided by the central conceptual image of “flowers burning in a garden,” the design sought to balance fragility and destruction allowing moments of tenderness to exist within the wreckage of war. This document reflects on research, collaboration, conceptual development, drafting, cueing, and rehearsal-to-performance evolution. It evaluates the emotional and visual effectiveness of color, angle, texture, and rhythm in shaping audience experience. Production photographs, the light plot, and cue paperwork are included to …

Wanti Wanti Nuh Ghetti: Navigating The American Theatre Through A Multicultural Lens, Gabriela Madu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how actors of color navigate educational and professional spaces so they can bring their full experiences to the projects they take on, whether those projects are written for them or not. Through the depiction of the struggles faced by women of color in educational theatre in my one-person show Wanti Wanti Nuh Ghetti, the thesis argues that theatre holds transformative potential when actors of color are not merely visible on stage, but are deeply invested in their work and have a sense of belonging within the creative process. Drawing on this performance, the study further explores how …

No Place But Here, Dillon Bryant

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The writing in this document is a dovetailing of fragments ranging from critical inquiry, analysis, scripts, and other observations that relate to the body of work in “No place but here”. It is an accompanying document attempting to enrich the visual work rather than a direct illustration. The installation of “No place but here” at the Rogers Creamery is an investigation utilizing collage, text, and other constructed photographs, images, and objects to play with and against familial and broader narratives of power, control, and ambiguity associated with the American West. Underpinned and intersected by interior questions revolving around artifice, connection, …

Integrating Embodied Expertise Into Dress History Academia Through Practice-Led Actualistic Recreations: A New Methodology And Test Thereof, Rowan Paramour

Theses

This thesis examines the usage of practice-led methodology for historic dress recreation projects and how to implement and objectively analyze the findings from such research in an academically rigorous fashion. In section one, I examine the distinction between different types of recreation practices, the establishment of embodied practice within historic dress research, address concerns centering practice-led methodology, and develop a methodology for practice-led historic dress recreation projects and rubric for assessment of that methodology. In section two, I fully test the methodology and rubric by utilizing it in my own recreation and present this process using the methodology’s proposed deliverables …

Durham Reacts To Nh No Longer Accepting Student Ids At The Polls, Delaney Nickerson

Digital Edition

No abstract provided.

The Oncoming Light: An Experiential Approach To Psychological Exposition Through Dialogue-Driven Narrative, Benjamin G. Dewitt

Honors Theses

Narrative is a lens through which we understand ourselves, our histories, our futures, and our ties to those around us. Narrative form has undergone vast transformations over time, and in the case of “postmodern” literature, pushes the boundaries of form into the experimental, questioning the truth of knowledge itself. While these experimental works can give rise to uniquely powerful emotional experiences, some components of narrative, when abandoned, may only hinder the immersion of the reader. This thesis evaluates several experimental, dialogue-driven narrative works against these components: linguistic, literal, emotional, and intellectual significance, in a hierarchy of importance as proposed by …

“Who Are We?”: Exploring Adolescent Identity And Community Through Collaborative Mural Art, Rachel E. Stacy

Honors Theses

This thesis explores how participation in a high school mural club influences students’ sense of personal identity and community. By creating and leading a mural club, I guided students in designing and painting murals around their school and extending this work into the local community, all focused on how students defined themselves within the context of the school’s motto: “A Star is Rising”. I used qualitative methods including surveys, observational notes, artist statements, and visual documentation to examine and analyze how students experienced identity and collaboration throughout the process. The findings show that the creation of these murals provided students …

A Narrative Of The Plague Doctor And How Its Historical Context Translates To The Modern View Of The Plague Doctor, Callie P. Johnston

Honors Theses

The Plague Doctor was once a historical figure who practiced medicine primarily on those infected with the bubonic plague. The plague doctor, as a historical figure and physician, has been transformed in modern culture and media. Originally perceived as a harbinger of both hope and death, the Plague Doctor has undergone a historical transformation from a masked physician to a more stylized character that appears in modern media, digital art, toys, costumes, video games, and popular culture. This thesis examines the evolution of the Plague Doctor from its historical role as a plague physician to its current iconography as a …

Unraveling The Modernist Grid: An Exploration Of Femininity And Containment In Design History, Riley Hayes

Honors Theses

This paper examines the Swiss grid as both a foundational tool of modernist graphic design and a cultural system embedded with ideological assumptions about order, neutrality, and authority. While the Swiss design tradition is widely celebrated for its clarity, rationality, and universality, this study argues that such principles are not neutral but historically situated, shaping how postwar Western visual culture organizes information, bodies, and value systems. Focusing on the circulation of Swiss design principles through editorial and advertising media, the paper situates the grid as a structuring logic that extends beyond layout into the framing of identity and gender. This …

May 2026 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Beauty Over Perfection: The Idealization Of Drapery In Classical Greek Sculpture And The Stylistic Reinvention Of Roman “Copies”, Lauren M. Grover

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores Margarete Bieber’s claim that the drapery of Greek sculpture accurately reflects ancient garments. I introduce a method of tracing drapery to capture the garment pattern of sculpted drapery and argue that the drapery of Greek originals and Roman “copies” is an idealized representation of ancient dress.

Notes On Rhythm, Maya Lee-Parritz

Theses and Dissertations

Line meets impulse, association meets sign. I weave the eye towards the smudge and sublime—a fractal lineage flowing through the brush, my body, space itself. I walk toward reality in serial successions, allowing what is fragmentary to move me, to cohere in shards, murky and strange inside of me. My body is a repository of images, of broken rhythms and dissonant ideologies. All of these flow and stutter onto the surface, dripping and blurring over each other. Through all of this, I always try to make something whole, perfect, and true.

Granted, Emily Weissman

Theses and Dissertations

Granted is an Alice in Wonderland-style psychotic break of a play about trying and explosively failing to dodge the landmines of being an artist–only to become your own worst enemy: a gatekeeper.

I Now Pronounce You..., Paul Mims

Theses and Dissertations

In this satirical dramedy, an interracial gay couple’s picture perfect relationship is  upended when a “beloved” family member decides to get married—on a plantation

The I Need More Time Machine, Suzanne L. Schulz

Theses and Dissertations

The I Need More Time Machine imagines alternatives to gendered overwork and exhaustion. Incorporating animation and the interviews of twelve NYC-based female and nonbinary artists who are caretakers and full-time workers, the film dwells in spaces of fatigue and repetition — from the vantage point of commuting — then draws on forgotten feminist and utopian housing blueprints to create science fiction-inspired, fantasy-imbued sites for gendered flourishing. The animated fantasy segments imagine elastic time, deep rest, experiments in collaboration, and liberating feminist spatial possibilities