Arts and Humanities Commons^™

With Silk, Sage, And Bones: Confronting Death And Dying Through Nature And Ritualistic Healing, Brittney Fucheck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis examines my fears of death and dying. Through my studio art practice, which includes observational representation, ceremonial and ritualistic performance, and installation, I seek to confront my own difficulty in accepting death's emotional weight. My motivation stems from my attachment to my mother's mortality and her relationship with dying animals. In researching cultural customs relating to death, I was inspired to explore non-archival materials and ritualistic processes reflecting my understanding of our bodies' temporal nature. This includes swaddling, etching, using materials such as branches, animal bones, copper, shells, and pine needles, and encasing materials in wax. My points …

Foreign Constellations, Steven Archer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Foreign Constellations is a magical realist collection that centers queer people of color in states of displacement. Facing disconnect from their own tribes along axes of faith, cultural tradition, sexuality, race, geography, and more, the Black and Hispanic characters in these eight stories chafe against the capacity of intersectionality to stratify rather than unite. They are, however, all Floridians, challenging the constraints of national perception with the breadth of their lived experiences. Set across Florida and beyond, each piece sees its protagonists venture into unfamiliar surroundings, or else return to old homes they no longer know how to navigate. A …

And They Saved My Sorry Ass: A Documentary Discovering Self In Contemporary Fan Culture, Chunxiao Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

"And They Saved My Sorry Ass" is a documentary/personal essay film about queer ani- me lovers (including the filmmaker) based both in the US and in China. This film focuses on how these fans express their identities by embodying and re-interpreting anime characters. Experimental methods, such as staged performance, first-person narration and abstract imaging are explored in addition to conventional interviews. This thesis follows the pre-production, production and post-production processes of making this film through 2020 to 2023, also mapping out marketing and distribution plans after finishing the project.

Spinoza's Cosmopsychism: The Multifaceted Mind Of Nature, Audrey N. Perryman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In my thesis, I will argue that while at first glance Spinoza's system seems to conflict with itself and provide an explanation of the mind that can be more confusing than helpful, its aspect of panpsychism provides a sort of lifeline for understanding. Not only does Spinoza's cosmopsychism make his system cohesive, but it can also be independently motivated by ideas that are compatible with the more contemporary intuitions in philosophy of mind. I will explore the specific nature of this universal mentality, how Spinoza's particular genre of panpsychism relates to other theories of panpsychism, and how his conception of …

Site, Sight, Swipe, Prada Marfa: A Case Study In Public Art, Cultural Tourism, And Image-Based Social Media Engagement, Ha'ani Joy Hogan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Through a case study of Prada Marfa, a site-specific public art sculpture located in West Texas, this dissertation examines the connection of public art, cultural tourism, and image-based social media engagement. Little scholarship that combines all three areas of study exists. To fill this gap, this study incorporates five methods of research to determine how one public art sculpture's existence can contribute to its surrounding community by prompting economic activity and influencing the way that community is seen through a public lens. The five methods encompass a historical analysis of news articles about The City of Marfa and Prada …

Activist-Casual Game Design: Iterating Serious Games Through Research-Creation, Daniel J. King

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

How can activists and scholars design serious game projects that attract and engage people, that are inviting for many types of players, and that empower players to create positive change? My hypothesis was that the Activist-Casual Game Design Framework I published in 2021 could facilitate this work. I took a design-based research approach to answer my research question by way of demonstration and self-reflection through a creative case study of the production of an activist-casual game called Climate Somnia. Chapter 1 explains the literature review and synthesis behind the creation of the original framework, and Chapter 2 reviews the …

Tooth Farmer: Exploring 3d Printed Replacement Heads For Stop-Motion Animated Films, Jamie Lachnicht

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Tooth Farmer is a 2-minute hybrid animated short film combining stop-motion puppetry with a 3D environment. Tooth Farmer is a vital story as it was developed over four years and getting closer to the artist's goal of creating a successful stop-motion armature puppet that is durable for an entire stop-motion short. The story is a different take on the Tooth Fairy mythology that varies from culture to culture. This story offers an alternative to the world of the Tooth Fairy folklore. In Tooth Farmer, a little mouse lives inside a person's mouth to help maintain tooth hygiene. The film focuses …

The Spoon Theory, Sanne Methorst

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The Spoon Theory is a 3D animated short film that tells the story of a dancer struggling with an invisible disability. There is a variety of media that focuses on the struggles of the disabled, however the spoon theory focuses on a different aspect by exploring disabilities that are not easily seen. The film uses visual symbols to communicate these hard to discern conditions, creating a visually interesting spectacle while effectively conveying an important message. The Spoon Theory invites the viewer to experience a different perspective on life and raise awareness about the unknown struggles of others.

War On The Bay: Determining The Existence Of Watershed Moments Within The Shipyards In Tampa, Florida During World War Ii, Connor E. Farley

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

With the Great Depression on one side and prosperity on the other, historians of World War II have debated its effects on American society and have asked if it represented a watershed moment. While the war clearly disrupted American life and opened new opportunities for many, its role as a transformative event remains contested. This examination of the Tampa shipyards utilizes the theoretical and methodological lenses of social history to facilitate an analysis based on a chronological approach. This analysis centers on the situation in Tampa before, during, and after World War II, and in doing so it assesses the …

Theater Studies In Creative Drama - A Journey Of Transformation, Alyne S. Montenegro

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2023

The Theater Studies in Creative Drama project at UCF aimed to explore and implement Drama-Based Instruction (DBI) in education, with a specific focus on creating a lesson plan for children in hospitals. The project began by delving into the significance of play in childhood and its connection to theater. Through interdisciplinary collaboration with UCF nursing students, the team crafted a dynamic lesson plan, incorporating theatrical elements to enhance the educational experience for young patients. The To-Go Package, designed for children unable to attend in person, extended the impact of the project. The key activities involved reflection on personal experiences, connecting …

A Survey Of Current School Orchestra Directors' Incorporation Of Alternative Styles In The 6-12 String Curriculum, Haley Fye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study collected a representative sample of current grade 6-12 school orchestra directors' incorporation of alternative styles in the curriculum. It examined directors' repertoire selection process and their potential influence on student engagement, motivation, and retention, with a specific interest in alternative styles. Alternative styles in string education that are included in this study are contemporary pop, folk, bluegrass, rock, Irish fiddle, jazz, and world music. Participants were recruited in the study through two private Facebook groups for school orchestra directors (School Orchestra and String Teachers, and Orchestra Teachers) and two communities on Reddit pertaining to music teaching (r/MusicEd and …

Transforming Costuming Design: Costuming For The Actor's Comfort, Lisa Evenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis explores ways to transform costuming concepts for theatre productions that provide a more inclusive and comfortable environment for actors while still maintaining the essence of the characters they are portraying. This thesis examines theatrical bodies of work as case studies to illustrate options for incorporating costume designs that take into consideration the emotional and physical welfare of the actors. The purpose of this study is to inform theatre teachers how to create costumes that aid in psychological comfort of students regarding gender identity and age, as well as for flexibility in casting due to disproportionate gender ratios that …

Music Direction And Piano Accompaniment In Musical Theatre: A Practical Guide, Danielle Hayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Music direction for musical theatre is not a topic that has been widely theorized, defined, or researched; there are a handful of resources available to the inclined reader, and a scant few universities that offer a degree in Music Direction for Musical Theatre. Due to this, many music directors, myself included, have had to piece together our educations á la carte, researching each aspect of the job individually. Thus, I have created a practical "how to" guide that can be used to advance you, the reader, through a production as the music director from booking the gig to closing night. …

Flow Theory In The Actor's Process: Can The Pursuit Of Optimal Experience Alleviate Anxiety?, Kimberly (Kimber) King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Using techniques from acting scholars and practitioners, this practice as research study seeks to lesson anxiety in actors by measuring the actor's preparation, rehearsal and performance process against each of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's conditions of flow. Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory describes flow as an "optimal experience" in which a person is so invested in their goals, there is "no threat for the self to defend against" (M. Csikszentmihalyi 76). His research identified conditions that when present, can induce a state of flow. However, actors can be plagued by negative thoughts and self-consciousness. While a certain amount of anxiety is expected and normal, …

Creative Collaborations: An Arts Integrated Educational Business, Michele Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

One of the main reasons I have been attracted to the world of theatre is its versatility. Theatre incorporates many other disciplines: Science, Mathematics, History, Language, Philosophy, and Psychology to name a few. I have always had daydreams about running a school program that utilizes a play as the unifying force behind the research and application of traditional academic subject. When I first started as an English teacher, I created many projects that incorporated other disciplines, such as creative writing, acting, and music. When I began teaching theatre, I began to focus solely on skills that applied to theatre. I …

Keeping The Ball Alive: The Marriage Between Sports And Acting, Giuseppe Pipicella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis examines the link between sports and theatre from the actor's perspective and concludes that these two practices should be used together to achieve optimal performance. Using context provided by great physical theatre practitioners such as Jacques LeCoq, Vsevolod Meyerhold, and Rudolf Von Laban, the candidate used his past experience as a gymnast and a soccer player, and the teachings of Timothy Gallwey's The Inner Game of Tennis, to craft a rehearsal and performance regimen for Theatre UCF's production of Paula Vogel's Indecent. This regimen included an experiment where he alternated days in which he swam to days in …

Play As A Means Of Connection, Charles Street

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis research and practical application focuses on rediscovering the playfulness of the actor's process and evaluating how that translates into an actor's performance. An actor's confidence can be found in their willingness to play with vocal placement, physical tensions, and emotional and mental patterns and depth. As an actor, my definition of play theory is the act of choosing to be spontaneous, creative, and explorative in the process of storytelling to ultimately lead to stronger choices that develop rich connections. Through the lens of play theory, I demonstrate how play affects our mind, emotions, body, and voice. This thesis …

Me And My Baby: Directing & Designing "Chicago" At The High School Level, Leo Arteche Arencibia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Directing a musical production in a high school setting under normal circumstances is a challenging undertaking – doing so in the throes and aftermath of a global pandemic, with its school closures, quarantines and general chaos, was an exercise in patience and creativity. For my Master's Thesis, I directed and designed a production of Chicago at Miami Arts Charter School, a performing arts high school in the Wynwood arts district, where I have taught for twelve years and served as the Theatre Director for the past eight years. Chicago made perfect sense as the first "post-pandemic" production. First, it is …

The Process Is A Journey, Victoria Micaletti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Actors are tasked with the opportunity to perform roles from multiple assorted styles of theatre performance throughout their career. How can performers best create an effective acting process that allows them to develop a pathway that is unique and dynamic across all styles to best embody the characters that they are cast as? I am seeking to refine and develop an approach that will be comprised of a series of steps which include exercises from the acting techniques of Jerzy Grotowski, Michael Chekhov, and Konstantin Stanislavski to create a character that is unique and dynamic. Through the investigation of the …

Theatrical Intimacy: Navigating A New Normal, Elizabeth Smith-Cortelyou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis explores theatrical intimacy choreography and coordination during current significant social shifts. Covid restrictions, keen awareness of "correctness", and a desire to "do better" have allowed protective practices like theatrical intimacy to become not only generally accepted but expected in rehearsal spaces. Using techniques such as consent-based spaces, actor disclosures, and common language acquired through training with Chelsea Pace and Laura Rikard, the founders of Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE), I explore choreographing close relationship moments through high school productions of Jane Eyre and Footloose presented in 2021-22 at Lake Highland Preparatory in Orlando and with older BFA/MFA student actors …

Decolonized Femininity And Post-Colonial Trauma Autobiographies: Reading Adriana Páramo, Julia Alvarez, And Azar Nafisi Through 'Scriptotherapy', Nicole Suárez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis investigates testimonies of three female authors from Latin America and the Middle East through scriptotherapy narratives which "give voice to previously repressed memories," defined by Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson. Through the genre of autobiography, women have an opportunity to showcase acts of resistance towards the inner turmoil of colonial trauma that has been brought upon their existence. Decoloniality re-integrates the roots of colonial power into re-invigorated narratives that will become lineage. The only way that they can create their own identity is through "legending," Gilles Deleuze's conceptualized theoretical framework, which does not offer an escape from colonialism …

Healthcare Access And Experiences Among Transgender University Students, Micah Reisner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background

As transgender identification rises in younger generations, it is imperative that colleges and universities account for the health and wellbeing of this growing subset of the student body. Previous research indicates that transgender populations experience unique barriers to accessing healthcare, including socioeconomic barriers and a lack of healthcare providers experienced in transgender medicine. These barriers contribute to low rates of healthcare utilization and significant health disparities in transgender populations.

Methods

A community health assessment of transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) students at the University of Central Florida was conducted in order to assess: (1) students' access to and experiences with …

Bowls, Bowls, Bowls, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

When you come across the word “bowl,” what comes to mind?

Peat And Patty: Providing A Voice For Nature Through Animation, Clinnie Brinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Peat and Patty is a 3D animated short story of a young scientist, Patty, and her pet parrot Peat, whose goal is to save their world from a dying ecosystem. Ultimately, they inadvertently receive help from a nearby polar bear which leads to the success of Patty's experiment. The purpose of this story is to highlight the dangers of global warming to our own ecosystem thus building eco-consciousness in viewers. We currently have natural disasters increasing in frequency, a rising global temperature, and pollution in our bodies of water (Rossati). By personifying nature, animation can invoke empathy from viewers towards …

World Series, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The last few weeks has offered some very good and exciting baseball. The new format of the playoffs has not noticeably damaged the playoff process. As in the case of most playoffs, some good teams are eliminated; some very hot teams move forward; and some very good teams advance. This is generally the case in most playoff schemes in most sports. A short series, five to seven games, does not always reward the best team. The Philadelphia Phillies, the hot team, and the Houston Astros, the very good team, have advanced to the World Series. It looks like a very …

Overdosing On Sports, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

We have arrived at that moment in the U.S. sports calendar when there is a high risk of overdosing. The NFL has started its season; college football is already deep into its schedule; the NHL starts regular season play next week; the NBA is less than two weeks away from opening night; and, baseball has begun its playoff march to the World Series. And, this is just the major sports.

Tennis In Transition, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Over the past few months, I have written this column only a few times, the last being late July. This has not been because I have had nothing to comment upon. Rather the summer has been filled with travel, some to escape the heat of Florida. Over the past few days, I have been trying to decide how to restart. Many topics have shot by over the past three months, any number of which could now be subjects for this column. Not the least of these are the passing of two giants of contemporary American sport: Bill Russell in basketball …

The Epistemology Of Complexity And "Doing" Interdisciplinarity, Sharon Woodill

Interface: The C3 Lab Knowledge Commons

Complexity is now well established as the driver of interdisciplinarity, but what this means for how knowledge is ‘done’ within Interdisciplinary Studies has not been well developed. This paper examines the theory of complexity and unpacks its epistemological implications for doing interdisciplinary work. The epistemology of complexity demands a cognitive toolkit that includes such things as open-mindedness, tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity, and intellectual courage. This paper draws out these connections and suggests implications for curriculum development in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Ripple Effect Of Discrepancies In Urban Farming Affecting Food Security, Rhiley Hodges

Inside-Out: Interdisciplinary Studies

The purpose of this research is to call attention to the inequalities which exist in the agriculture field. According to research, a disconnect between people and food systems has caused discrepancies in who is or can be successful and who cannot. Variations in support and services offered can have a direct effect on food accessibility in urban communities.

The Building Of Astronomical Observatories On Native American Sacred Sites, Jennie Lacomb

Inside-Out: Interdisciplinary Studies

In the past few years, there has been controversy about the use of the Hawaiian mountain Mauna Kea as a location for observatories. Astronomers are planning for a new telescope to be built while some native Hawaiian people are protesting it. This is one of the examples that will be used in discussing the general conflict between astronomy projects and Native Americans. Astronomers see mountains as prime locations for observing the sky; Native people can see them as extremely sacred places that, in some cases, are central to their traditional religion. Their differing worldviews are at the core of disputes …