Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Call And Response : Experiments In Storytelling, Deanne Fernandes

Masters Theses

Being part of RISD's inaugural Masters of Illustration cohort has been an immense honor. This journey has been nothing short of transformative and healing, as it has allowed me to unearth layers of self-discovery through my creative practice.

In my thesis, I introduce a fresh research methodology rooted in the principles of call and response, with adaptability, creativity, and storytelling as its foundational pillars. Through the lenses of visual storytelling, experimental animation, graphic journalism, and fictional world-building, I demonstrate how these techniques can effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. This dynamic approach fosters meaningful connections among diverse perspectives …

Feldenkrais And Music Informed Listening: A Neurophenomenological Perspective On Autism, Arona Primalani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Phenomenologists identify the subjective body and its felt-senses as the basis for human development and consciousness, including mental health. Several mental health disorders, when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, share common symptomology related to varying extents of fractured selves, which in turn hinders dynamic interaction between individuals, their actions, and their relationships with their social and material worlds. Autism is one such condition. Hence, I created an intervention to investigate how listening, which foster subjective and intersubjective experiences, lies at the heart of somatic and arts-based interventions. This thesis, first, begins with a summary of the presenting symptoms observed in …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Method Acting As A Therapeutic Intervention For Trauma Recovery, Remi Moses

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

While considered controversial by some, Method acting as popularized by Lee Strasberg is a technique that elicits powerful and authentic results on stage and screen. The foundational Method acting techniques, the Relaxation Exercise (RE) and the Sense Memory Exercise (SME), share similarities to bottom-up therapeutic processes like Somatic Experiencing and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. By implementing a trauma-informed drama therapy framework with these two exercises, the RE and SME were restructured as a therapeutic intervention for people in trauma recovery. The author implemented a study of three consecutive group therapy sessions for people healing from trauma where clients participated …

Scare If You Dare: A Look Into Scare Acting, Hana Goss

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Scare acting has always been the unsung villains of the entertainment industry. For three months of the year, for about five minutes of a haunted house, they get attention. However, the work scare actors do to is way more than just a five second “boo.” Scare actors have been at the beginning of theatre and continue to influence modern entertainment. Even though the patrons may be the ones feeling the danger, scare actors may be even more in danger than them. Each scare actor is unique from their looks to their moves. It might be take a lot of nerve …

Killers, Queers, And Cowards: Suffering And Freedom In Jean-Paul Sartre’S No Exit, Aaron Brewer

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Throughout No Exit, Sartre’s mirror is key to understanding his characters and philosophy. It is his tool for exploring ideas that are limited by the time in which he lived. Here, the play does what all great works should do: it challenges the status quo and looks beyond what can already be seen. This thesis will use his established mirror metaphor and an expanded mirror metaphor to unearth the true nature of No Exit’s characters.

In setting down the characters’ path, Sartre asks questions that humans have considered for Millenia: Why are we here? Why am I suffering? How …

Bedeviled Beauty: My Journey Through White American Theater Institutions, J'Aila C. Price

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Game console: Oculus Quest

World: American Theater Institutions

Player: Minority

Place: United States

Level: “Ain’t no way.”

This thesis explores the contrast between the Westernized philosophies ingrained in my education and my identity as a Black female artist. It sheds light on the difficulties of pursuing higher education in the arts and the gaps that arise from limited exposure to culturally diverse Black resources, revealing the systemic issues in Western performance education. The paper also discusses the insights gained from my journey as a Black female artist, focusing on my thesis performance of Blood at the Root, which is …

The Storm In The Barn

Theatre Programs

No abstract provided.

The Representation Of Young Black Male Characters In 80s And 90s Sitcoms, Tavin M. Cochran

Honors College Theses

Sitcoms are a great formulaic art form. Characters being in ridiculous situations in front of a live studio audience to emphasize the complexities of life is an exciting way of storytelling. When I was younger, I noticed that I would relate to the main characters as if their flaws were my own. I enjoyed doing it. When I began relating to side characters as well, I understood the different roles in sitcoms. You will have a main character and a side character to compliment them. Seeing another young black male on television made me feel represented. Many shows have given …

Creating Consent Based Spaces In The Performing Arts, Laura Rikard

SC Upstate Research Symposium

In 1849 when Duke Saxe Meiningen created the role of the modern director in theatre he created an authoritarian model for creative power over production that would be replicated for the next one hundred and fifty years in the performing arts. This leadership model led to a performing arts industry reliant on performances being obedient and not fostering environments where creative collaboration can thrive. It created confusion between what it means to say, “yes” from a point of view of survival and not from a place of consent. For true collaboration to thrive in the product and process oriented spaces …

The Play That Goes Wrong Poster, Department Of Theatre, Dance & Film

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

The Play That Goes Wrong, by Lewis, Shields, and Sayer

April 12-14 & 19-21, 2024

Fridays & Saturdays, 7:30pm

Sundays, 2pm

Director, Patricia Tulli-Hawkridge

The Play That Goes Wrong Playbill, Department Of Theatre, Dance & Film

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

The Play That Goes Wrong, by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, and Jonathan Sayer

April 12-14 & 19-21, 2024

Fridays & Saturdays, 7:30pm

Sundays, 2pm

Director, Patricia Tulli-Hawkridge

Set & Props Designer, Scott Osborne

Lighting Designer, Michael Clark Wonson

Sound Designer, Stuart Holland

Costume Designer, David Cabral

Vocal Coach, Megan Chang

Hair & Makeup Designer, Joe Rossi

Fight Choreographer, Jim Beauregard

Cast: Kevin Bongiorno - Trevor; Jack Josefowski - Chris; Brendan Phaneuf - Jonathan; Anthony Joseph - Robert; Jack Cormier - …

The Voice Actor And Their Double: Working As A Voice Actor And Teaching Voice Acting In The Age Of Ai Voice Cloning, Adam Paul

Tradition Innovations in Arts, Design, and Media Higher Education

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and voice cloning technology presents significant challenges and opportunities in the field of voice acting and performing arts. This article explores the profound transformations taking place in the voiceover industry due to the convergence of AI, voice synthesis, and personal voice cloning technologies. The author, a seasoned voice actor, reflects on the impact of these advancements on his profession, from the democratization of voiceover tools to the emergence of AI-generated voices that closely mimic human speech.

The article delves into the intricate interplay between technology and human creativity, investigating the implications for voice …

Student-Directed One-Acts

Theatre Programs

No abstract provided.

”To Be Or Not To Be – It’S Good”: Actor And Student Experiences In A Drama Club For People With Aphasia, Jade K. Hannan

Senior Theses

Individuals with aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the brain’s language network, confront a variety of social and emotional struggles. While leaving their cognition largely intact, aphasia tremendously impacts a person’s ability to communicate confidently, fracturing their social network and contributing to feelings of loneliness and frustration. To address this persistent need in the chronic aphasia population, the Play on Words drama club at the University of South Carolina provides a forum for people with aphasia (PWA) to engage in dramatic exercises focused on non-verbal communication of emotions, ideas, and stories, culminating the production of an original devised play. …

The Actor In Flux: Transforming Acting Techniques Through Individuality, Christian Gabriel Tolentino

Akda: The Asian Journal of Literature, Culture, Performance

Most young aspiring actors are searching to ground themselves to begin their acting journey, to define, understand, and apply “acting” in their careers. Through this paper, I will attempt to formulate a personal approach to acting with the data gathered anchored in autotheory. The study does not want to dictate an appropriate approach for all actors but rather gives a chance for actors to reflect on their individuality as actors/artists.

The meat of the text will include a brief history of acting techniques from Europe, to America and eventually the Philippines and see how these techniques/processes/methods converse. I will delve …

You’Re Invited! Collaborating With Faculty And Students To Create A Successful Library Event, Laura Semrau

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

To celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the printing of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the Baylor University Libraries hosted a three-day celebration; “Shakespeare 400” drew faculty members from six academic departments and leveraged the talents of both graduate and undergraduate students. The four main events drew a cumulative crowd of over 200 people. Graduate students contributed to the events through music performance, a dramatic reading, enthusiastic promotion, and engaged participation. This presentation will explore key take-aways for including graduate students in library events.

The success of Shakespeare 400 was largely due to collaborations between the library, faculty members, and graduate …

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will

Theatre Programs

No abstract provided.

Dna Playbill, Providence College

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

DNA, written by Dennis Kelly

February 1-3, 2024, 7:30pm

February 3 & 4, 2024, 2pm

Director, Aaron Andrade

Scenic Design, Renee Surprenant Fitzgerald

Lighting Design, Elissa Cerros

Vocal Coach, Megan Chang

Costume Design, Jaimy Escobedo

Sound Design, Stuart Holland

Properties Design, Claire Dancause

Makeup Design, Maxine Wheelock

Cast: Luke MacDonald - Mark; Maddie Rich - Jan; Sarah D'Andrea - Leah; Jack Jozefowski - Phil; Molly McGoldrick - Lou; Anthony Maldonado - John Tate; Anthony Joseph - Danny; Holli Hay - …

Dna Poster, Providence College

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

DNA, written by Dennis Kelly

February 1-3, 2024, 7:30pm

February 3 & 4, 2024, 2pm

Director, Aaron Andrade

“I’M George Lucas”: A Connor Ratliff Story, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of “I’m George Lucas”: A Connor Ratliff Story (2024), directed by Ryan Jacobi.

Introduction To Theatre Oer Course, Carmen R. Meyers

Open Educational Resources

Study of theatre and performance throughout history and across cultures including an examination of European, Carribean, and North and South American theatrical styles and genres.

This course is organized for a hybrid/asynchronous format. Our class meets on-campus every week for 75 minutes and the other 75 minutes will be completed asynchronously with weekly learning modules on Blackboard.

The first half of the course focuses on the history of theatre from Ancient Greece through Modern Realism. The second half of the course, students engage in the procedures of professional theatre artists through writing and refining a dramatic text; enacting a performance; …

Iequity: An Augmented Reality Theatre Production, Amy Pan, Kristina Arnold Dr, Alan White, Truth Tran

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Augmented reality is commonly seen being used in game development and design, typically seen through a mobile device such as a phone. However, it has rarely been tested and pushed to its limits in other settings. The main focus of this project was trying to deploy augmented reality in settings that are seen as more traditional. This will be done by taking a play, pre-written and performed by a professor at Western Kentucky University, and building an augmented reality set for the play in the background. The main software that will be used is Unity and Blender. Unity will be …

Isabella: An Eternal Badass An Actor’S Exploration On Healing, Forgiveness, And Learning To Embrace The Messiness Through Isabella In William Shakespeare’S Measure For Measure, Shelby E. Garrett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis not only delves into the acting methods used to portray Shakespeare's Isabella in West Virginia University's spring 2023 production of Measure for Measure, but also examines the innovative approach of interpreting the character through the perspective of an older actor. It will examine acting techniques such as Meisner, Fitzmaurice Voicework®, yoga, and chakra work, detailing their influence on character development. From audition to performance, this document will track my journey, capturing personal insights through journal entries, sound bites, and images that helped in shaping a more mature Isabella. Additionally, it explores how actors navigate personal challenges during …

A Kind Of Burr: The Fantastic Lucio In Measure For Measure, Matt Frye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this document is to detail the process of developing the role of Lucio in West Virginia University’s spring 2023 production of William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. This document looks at the process and methods with which I crafted my role, as well as the research I used to build a well-defined world of the play. It will explain the rehearsal process, including text analysis and design aspects which affected the creation of the role, focusing on clarity through the use of scansion and interpretations of the references in the text. To conclude, I discuss my personal experience …

Does It Sound Like I'M Talking?, Justin E. Borak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known by his stage name, Molière, was widely known as one of the greatest writers in France. His biting satirical thoughts on French hypocrisy, as well as the brilliance in his verse, will be investigated through one of his most popular plays, The Misanthrope. Throughout these pages, I will explore this by diving into the character of Philinte, the trusted best friend of Alceste, the misanthrope, and take a deeper look into the empathetic character who is desperately trying to walk the line of truth and bootlicking. I will accomplish this by researching Molière himself, his specific …

Tragedy Personified: Crafting The Role Of Carol In Alice Birch's Anatomy Of A Suicide, Josey Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of the document is to chronicle the character creation of Carol in West Virginia University’s fall 2023 production of Alice Birch’s Anatomy of a Suicide. The following text will provide a detailed look at research on the playwright and my personal textual analysis in tandem with consultations with mental health professionals. It will also describe how those resources in collaboration with imaginative work via the techniques of Sanford Meisner, Fitzmaurice Voicework®, and intentional intimacy choreography were utilized in the rehearsal and performance process. In summation, it will also include post-production evaluations from loved ones and mentors as well …

Finding “A Good Thing”: Embodying The Traumatic Sustainably, Erika Kuhn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Contemporary dramatic work such as the play Anatomy of a Suicide by Alice Birch demands a significant toll on the actors embodying the characters. Western pedagogies that emphasize a need for the utmost authenticity must be merged with the modern practice of self-care and trauma informed boundaries. This document outlines the merging of traditional acting techniques of characterization with solutions for self preservation such as preparation, mental and physical upkeep, a personalized set of character de-rolement practices, and social rituals. Through an analysis of the text itself, its context, author, and the lens of one actor’s experience portraying the character …

Ask The Duke, Why: How Fabrications Can Undermine Impact In Shakespeare’S Measure For Measure, Spencer D. Hansen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The following document recounts the observations and consequences that result from my attempts at justifying the actions of Duke Vincentio in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. By following my experience through the duration of West Virginia University’s 2023 production of Measure for Measure, I examine the ramifications of justifying the Duke’s actions and the potentially harmful consequences such justifications could create with regard to the play’s reception. Additionally, this text outlines performance techniques, audience responses, rehearsal strategies, and progressive interpretations for one of Shakespeare’s most challenging characters in one of his most divisive plays.

Puppy Love And [Information] Play: An Intersection Of Theatre, Queer Kink, And Consent, Emily Kitchens

Faculty and Research Publications

This note from the field centers on a nexus of queer kink subcultures and consent-based intimacy work in theatre. I report, investigate and wrangle with the process of incorporating queer kink aesthetics into the production of Love and Information by Caryl Churchill I directed at KSU February 2023. What I have learned and hope to demonstrate throughout the paper, is that queer kink subcultures are often paradigmatic examples of communities built on consent, and we as performing arts practitioners can more visibly expand the margins of our cultural competency dialogues to not only include them but look to them as …