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Articles 1 - 20 of 20
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Adding Texture Through Historical Research: Using Dramaturgy To Aid In The Creation Of Elizabeth (Bess) Borney., Nyazia Brittany Martin
Adding Texture Through Historical Research: Using Dramaturgy To Aid In The Creation Of Elizabeth (Bess) Borney., Nyazia Brittany Martin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis follows my work with the production The Old Settler by John Henry Redwood. This document explores my process as an actor, and how I decided to capitalize on an opportunity to study Dramaturgy and apply what I learned to my actors' process. In the pages of this thesis I present the pieces of my process, including my vocal and movement work based in Laban and Alexander Technique. I give personal examples of how my dive into dramaturgical work positively affected how I crafted the role of Elizabeth (Bess) Borney. I also detail the transition out of my work …
Transforming Into A Politically Engaged Actor Through Gem Of The Ocean., Tajleed Steven Hardy
Transforming Into A Politically Engaged Actor Through Gem Of The Ocean., Tajleed Steven Hardy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis explores my transformation into a politically engaged theatre artist through my performance as Citizen Barlow in the University of Louisville's Department of Theatre Arts’ 2024 production of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean. My thesis defines the characteristics of a politically engaged theatre artist and proposes specific ways actors can prepare to perform in any production of any play. My transformation into a politically engaged theatre artist resulted from a combination of the skills I gathered as an undergraduate student at Norfolk State University and the new analytical and acting techniques I learned as an MFA in …
Regeneration: Restorative Theatre Practice In Theatre Education., Sarah Elston
Regeneration: Restorative Theatre Practice In Theatre Education., Sarah Elston
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Regeneration: Restorative Theatre Practice in Theatre Education aims to harness the holistic benefits of theatre as a discipline and create an intentional restorative practice for performers. This thesis serves as a proposal; an attempt to prioritize restorative and self-care practices within the theatre industry, specifically pre-professional training programs. This proposal takes the form of a curriculum that builds upon the current model of theatre training (Voice, Movement, Acting) with the addition of Regeneration. Regeneration provides theatre artists with specific areas of study to offer the psychosocial support a theatre artist may need during their pre-professional training. This thesis will discuss …
“The Urgent Necessity For More Original Creative Works By Transgender And Gender Expansive Artists" Is Not The Title Of My Thesis., Alicia Fireel
“The Urgent Necessity For More Original Creative Works By Transgender And Gender Expansive Artists" Is Not The Title Of My Thesis., Alicia Fireel
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a mix of personal reflection, academic research, and an examination of The Girl Crazy Queer and Other Fairy Tales, a play I wrote and performed in October of 2023, co-produced by The University of Louisville’s Department of Theatre Arts and Pandora Productions, a Louisville-based theatre company dedicated to Queer theatre. This thesis and the play mirror each other; both contemplate Queer experiences, Queer histories, Queer trauma, and Queer stories. In the thesis I accomplish this through examining four subjects: myself, my play, the connection between modes of storytelling and aspects of transgender Queerness, and the perils that …
Working For Yourself: A Guide For Performers With Learning Difference., Sa'id "Nxttime" Kelly
Working For Yourself: A Guide For Performers With Learning Difference., Sa'id "Nxttime" Kelly
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Working For Yourself a Guide For Performers with Learning Differences is a combination of advice and tips that are intended to help performers especially those living with learning differences. The thesis helps performers find ways to work with their true selves on stage as well as in preparation for a role. There is no final result to this process, just multiple ways to be more confident with the choice you’ll make while performing and preparing for a role.
The Reading Of Sir Toby Belch: A Queer And Black Exploration Of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night., Jahi E Bogard
The Reading Of Sir Toby Belch: A Queer And Black Exploration Of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night., Jahi E Bogard
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This MFA thesis explores queer, black representation in William Shakespeare’s drama and in the University of Louisville’s Department of Theatre Arts Fall 2021 production of an adaption of Twelfth Night (1601). Directed by Jennifer Pennington, the repurposed script and non-traditional casting targeted a modern audience. Cast as Olivia’s drunk uncle, Sir Toby Belch, I aimed to discover if my identify as a black, queer, cis man could be incorporated into Shakespeare’s text. Sir Toby Belch’s raucous, heterosexual, and sometimes violent, traits are often imagined today as innately masculine. I argue that Shakespeare’s plays can be appropriated by queer, black actors …
[Re]Fashioning A Means: Exploring And Adapting Anna Cora Mowatt's Fashion Through A Feminist Lens., Jordan Tudor Haggard
[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-19th-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 …
In Bloom: Nurturing The Liberation Process Of Performer And Character As Rose In August Wilson's Fences., Paula O. Lockhart
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, …
Improvised Power: Finding An Authentic Acting Aesthetic In An Adaption Of Mowatt's Fashion., Alexander Louis Gordon
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 …
An Actor's Process In Bridging The Gap Between First-Generation And Multi-Generational African-American Identities., Mutiyat Ade-Salu
An Actor's Process In Bridging The Gap Between First-Generation And Multi-Generational African-American Identities., Mutiyat Ade-Salu
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis reflects my process assimilating into the role of Chelle in the production of Detroit '67 at the University of Louisville. Although there have been instances of actors crossing lines of gender, nationality, race, and even sexuality, to perform roles in contemporary theatre, discussion about generational differences is almost non-existent. Through historical research, first-hand interviews, and conventional acting methods, I explore the world of my role, searching for spirituality, authenticity, and identity. Additionally, I explain my use of The WAY Method ®, a process I began creating in 2014 to help actors be clear with who they are before …
Good Grief: An Analysis Of The Character Development Of Tonya In August Wilson’S King Hedley Ii Through The Lens Of “The Five Stages Of Grief”., Kala Ross
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
An actor who is portraying a grieving character can also grieve simultaneously about the character’s given circumstances, which affects the character development and mental health of the actor. This thesis assesses how the character Tonya, in August Wilson’s King Hedley II, engages with grief as an African American woman and offers a process for the actor to engage and disengage with loss. “Good Grief” will unpack Constantin Stanislavski’s system of acting, focusing on the Magic “If” and the given circumstances, while also introducing the “Five Stages of Grief” coined by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Through the scholarship of theatre practitioners and psychologists …
The Actor’S Rhythm, Internal Beat., Lashondra Cherell Hood
The Actor’S Rhythm, Internal Beat., Lashondra Cherell Hood
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a conversational document that will examine the manifestation of the auditory(hearing) and motor(physical motion) cortex of the cerebrum and how this connection influences character physicality in theatre. In this thesis, The Mountaintop, written by Katori Hall, is used as a gateway to conduct research on music and rhythm as it affects the body and creating physical character choices. By reflecting on personal musical exploration,that of my peers, and students, its concluded that this method can be used for all stages of character building and performance experiences. The various backgrounds of the subjects — students and peers — …
Gestures Of Creative Recovery For The Egocentric Actor Through Performance In Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good., Ross Joel Shenker
Gestures Of Creative Recovery For The Egocentric Actor Through Performance In Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good., Ross Joel Shenker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This document serves as a travelogue for the creation of two roles for the U of L Fall 2017 Production of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good. At odds throughout the process were intellect and vulnerability. In an attempt to find openness with my primary scene partner, I tried a variety of techniques including, but not limited to: Konstantin Stanislavski’s “Bits and Tasks”; Michael Chekhov’s “Psychological Gesture”; Carl Jung’s theories on Archetype; F.M. Alexander’s notions of “Inhibition” and “Nondoing” as expounded upon by Betsy Polatin; and Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages.” My original goal of achieving vulnerability on stage became consumed …
Will-Power Through Physical Connectivity., Mia Donata Rocchio
Will-Power Through Physical Connectivity., Mia Donata Rocchio
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is an examination of my process within the creation of my thesis role, Eurydice in Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice. I begin with the technical skills, such as analysis and dissection of, the text and all of its components (punctuation, alliteration, rhyming, the organization of the lines, etc.), character action and reaction, and historical research into the primary source material for the play, (the Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice). These discoveries are framed around a discussion of situating Eurydice within contemporary standards of girlhood. From there, I dive into an examination of the steps I had to take in order …
Finding Exuberance For The Role Shelby In Baltimore., Danielle Smart
Finding Exuberance For The Role Shelby In Baltimore., Danielle Smart
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis documents my discovery of exuberance as the key to a successful performance and reveals the challenges I faced in developing a character whose major actions in the play fall into the category of masking (i.e. hiding, avoiding, dodging). I define exuberance and discuss how I came to understand that sustaining exuberance requires a great deal of technical expertise specifically in acting, movement and voice in order to accommodate the demands of the character. I contend that exuberance also requires commitment and nurturing of the actor’s personal artistic vision. This thesis will discuss some of the difficulties I faced …
Building The Bastard : Confidence Through Preparation In Shakespeare's King Lear., Shaleen Tarun Cholera
Building The Bastard : Confidence Through Preparation In Shakespeare's King Lear., Shaleen Tarun Cholera
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is to chart my discovery that confidence is essential to an actor’s craft. This thesis focuses on my performance as Edmund in King Lear, as well as my production the previous summer playing Hussein in Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced. I draw from a variety of sources, such as meditation and formal acting exercises, to achieve confidence. Most importantly, I distill my missteps as an actor for a better understanding of what hinders confidence when building a role for performance.
The Process Of Empathetic Bonding With Berniece Charles., Candice Renee Handy
The Process Of Empathetic Bonding With Berniece Charles., Candice Renee Handy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The rehearsal process of theatre art entails several steps leading up to performance. Traditionally, the ensemble will discuss together what is needed to produce the theatrical piece, the director will work with each scene individually, and eventually the ensemble will be able to perform the entire piece, with only polishing left to do before performance. This process varies depending on the type of genre that will be performed. The rehearsal process to produce plays that are written with realistic settings and plot lines often, but not always, involve these steps. In order for this process to be productive, as an …
Presence And The Actor's Craft., Casey Richard Moulton
Presence And The Actor's Craft., Casey Richard Moulton
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis is to establish that Presence is essential to an actor’s craft. This thesis makes considerable mention of my own work on Naomi Iizuka’s Polaroid Stories, playing the part of SKINHEADboy, as well as making mention of the theoreticians and practitioners of Acting who have dealt with the subject of Presence. The parallels I draw between actor training and the sources from outside of the field of Acting feed not only into an understanding of how consequential Presence is for the actor, but also how Presence can affect the lives human beings. This thesis also contains …
Recreating The Green-Eyed Monster : Iago For Modern Audiences., Travis Stolp
Recreating The Green-Eyed Monster : Iago For Modern Audiences., Travis Stolp
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is an examination of my approach to the role of Iago in William Shakespeare's Othello. The thesis explores my training as an actor and the struggles that have challenged me in the past. I then discuss my acting process for Iago in which specific imagery, sounds, and energies in Shakespeare's text influence my employment of Michael Chekhov's acting technique. By using this technique, I am able to make specific psychological and physical choices that authenticate my performance as a character who is not a racist villain, but a victim who suffers from multiple personality disorders. Through this approach, …
Developing Actor Expertise : The Presentation And Representation Of Man In Will Eno's The Flu Season., Conrad Harding Newman 1984-
Developing Actor Expertise : The Presentation And Representation Of Man In Will Eno's The Flu Season., Conrad Harding Newman 1984-
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis examines my work on the role of Man in the University of Louisville's 2011 production of Will Eno's The Flu Season directed by James Tompkins. It is composed of three primary chapters: rehearsal process, character development, and performance. The rehearsal chapter compares and contrasts my experiences working with Dr. Amy Steiger on Charles Mee's A Perfect Wedding and Professor James Tompkins on The Flu Season, highlighting the value of both collaborative and individual aspects in rehearsal. The styles of the directors are observed and discussed concerning their effect upon my acting process and development. In character development I …