Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Many Telling Moments:The Essence Of Fragmented Image Culture, Bonnie Ebner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My purpose in entering the UCF MFA program was to further explore and develop my passion for photography. During my time in the program, I developed my methodology--from having the traditional photography paradigm ingrained in my mind (and wanting to fit into it) to accepting and valuing my own unique process. I construct installations using diverse imagery and non-traditional presentation. In my installations, one may witness a reflection of the contemporary pace of image perception--fragmented, complex, abundant, and disordered. Together, images and their arrangements are used to create a unified piece that satisfies a new system within apparent disorder. The …

The Development Of Loop-Based Cinematic Techniques In Twentieth Century Motion Pictures And Their Application In Early Digital C, David Scoma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For centuries, repetition in one form or another has been seen as a significant element in the artistic palette. In numerous formats of expression, duplication and looping became a significant tool utilized by artisans in a multitude of creative formats. Yet within the realm of film, the Griffith and Eisenstein models of cinematic editing techniques (as the most popular-- and near-monolithic--narrative aesthetic criteria) effectively disregarded most other approaches, including looping. Despite the evidence for the consistent use of repetition and looping in multiple ways throughout the course of cinematic history, some theorists and practitioners maintain that the influx of the …

Memories And Milestones: The Brighton Seminole Tribe Of Florida And The Digitization Of Culture, April Van Camps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project discusses individual photographs of the Brighton Seminole Tribe of Florida from the early 1900s to the current period, each organized by way of their institutional significance, not their place in chronological history. Following Jean Mohr and John Berger's model in Another Way of Telling, I create a narrative for the pictures with a discussion of historical information, current data from interviews, Tribal members' stories, and my own personal story as it is tethered to the tribe. The research addresses the following questions: Can photography offer a technological means to communicate culture in a vital, organic way? Can …

From Textbooks To Safety Briefings: Helping Technical Writers Negotiate Complex Rhetorical Situations, Brian Blackburne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I analyze the organizational and political constraints that technical writers encounter when dealing with complex rhetorical situations, particularly within risk-management discourse. I ground my research in case studies of safety briefings that airlines provide to their passengers because these important documents have long been regarded as ineffective, yet they ve gone largely unchanged in the last 20 years. Airlines are required to produce these safety briefings, which must satisfy multiple audiences, such as corporate executives, federal safety inspectors, flight attendants, and passengers. Because space and time are limited when presenting safety information to passengers, the technical writers …

Beyond Postmodern Margins: Theorizing Postfeminist Consequences Through Popular Female Representation, Victoria Mosher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1988, Linda Nicholson and Nancy Fraser published an article entitled "Social Criticism Without Philosophy: An Encounter Between Feminism and Postmodernism," arguing that this essay would provide a jumping point for discussion between feminisms and postmodernisms within academia. Within this essay, Nicholson and Fraser largely disavow a number of second wave feminist theories due to their essentialist and foundationalist underpinnings in favor of a set of postmodernist frameworks that might help feminist theorists overcome these epistemological impediments. A "postmodern feminism," Nicholson and Fraser claim, would become "the theoretical counterpart of a broader, richer, more complex, and multilayered solidarity, the sort …

United States Cold War Policy, The Peace Corps And Its Volunteers In Colombia In The 1960s., John James

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

John F. Kennedy initiated the Peace Corps in 1961 at the height of the Cold War to provide needed manpower and promote understanding with the underdeveloped world. This study examines Peace Corps work in Colombia during the 1960s within the framework of U.S. Cold War policy. It explores the experiences of volunteers in Colombia and contrasts their accounts with Peace Corps reports and presentations to Congress. It intends to show the agency's assessment of volunteer work and how it compares to the volunteers' views and Congressional reports. Although the Peace Corps presented some topics and themes expressed by volunteers, the …

Constructing African American Histories In Central Florida, Katherine Parry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From the time of their occurrence up to the present, people have constructed and revised narratives about violent racial events in Florida. In the case of the racial violence in Ocoee and the lynching of July Perry, multiple accounts coexisted until one particular group in the 1990's contested earlier conservative white Southern narratives with new public memories containing African American perspectives of the events, demanding racial justice and memorialization of the events. A struggle over the power to construct this narrative resulted in compromises between the two sets of memories. While some goals were attained, the landscape of memorization remains …

Still Life: A Dramaturgical Study Of A Vietnam War Play, Lauren Fajerski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emily Mann's play Still Life is a story of a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to a less than enthusiastic welcome. Like most veterans from this war, he struggles to come to terms with the atrocities he witnessed and even carried out himself. The play consists of three characters: Mark, a Vietnam veteran, Cheryl, his wife, and Nadine, his lover. Both women believe they intrinsically understand Mark, but neither truly can. Mark has returned from the war violent, irrevocably broken, and feeling that he has been abandoned by society. Emily Mann interviewed real people and transcribed their words into …

True Will Vs. Conscious Will: An Exploration Of Aleister Crowley's Concepts Of True Will And Conscious Will And Its Possible Applications To A Midsummer Nights Dream, Marison, And Wicked, John Payne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In our lives we will have to make hundreds upon thousands of choices. The effects of these choices will follow us with varying intervals; some effects may be brief while others may literally last a lifetime. In these moments that we are forced to chose, it ultimately comes down to two options, what we should do, and what we want to do. Essentially, it is a choice between the head and the heart. Playwrights depend on these moments of choice, for it is the basis of almost all plays. At some point, the protagonist must make a choice, even if …

The Role Of Other:An Exploration Of A Facilitator's Role In Playbuilding With Economically Disadvantaged Adolescent Women, Laurie Melnik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the Fall 2007 semester, I facilitated the devising of a new play with students from a school located in St. Louis, Missouri. As an employee of a mid-America prominent regional theatre company, the organization partnering with the school on this project, I was hired as the teaching artist who oversaw the students' playwriting. Both the school and the regional theatre company hoped my being there would assist the girls in writing a play that connected to their Top 20 Teens curriculum as well as demonstrate the high standards that are expected of them by their school's administration. This is …

Me,Myself,And Liza, Jennifer Sirianni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This master's thesis project focuses on the life and music of Liza Minnelli, the research of which culminated in the development of a one-woman performance piece and monograph. Using song, dance, and dramatic dialogue, this presentation reveals the many aspects of Liza's heart and soul, her relationship with her famous mother, and her own personal struggles. Through the eyes of Liza, this piece will explore the duality of her life--the underlining turmoil that fluctuated between her personal life and professional career. My methodology includes studying biographies, articles, and interviews written about Liza Minnelli, as well as watching films and performances …

Sexuality And Courtships Of 19th Century Vienna Vs 21st Century America Through The Roles Of Alfred And Sam In Romance, Romance, James Haynie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For my thesis, I plan to research the sexuality and the process of courtship, and the differences between 19th century Vienna and modern America, specifically as to how it relates to my characters in Romance, Romance. My interest in the topic springs directly from the script. What I mean is, my initial idea of sexuality of the 19th century is very Victorian and straight-laced, where as I think of modern day as very sexually liberated. However, in the script, the first act, set in Vienna, is much more sexually explicit and active. In fact, the second act is all building …

A Scenic Design For Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show, Gary Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents my process as Scenic Designer for Richard O'Brien's musical, The Rocky Horror Show, presented by the University of Central Florida Conservatory Theatre. This production premiered on the University of Central Florida's Mainstage Theatre 29 March 2007 and ran for fifteen performances, closing on 15 April 2007. This thesis includes my research and analysis of the published script and a production journal which documents my process for our specific production. In this document, I illustrate how my communication and meetings with the director and members of the design team moved from initial conversations into the research, development, and …

Emulating The Swedes: An Exploration Of The Developing Trends In Swedish Theatre For Young Audiences, Amanda Wolgast

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a practitioner in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), I have always been drawn to looking at literature and productions that challenge my preconceptions of what constitutes good theatre for youth. I enjoy the bold and innovative, versus the cute and playful. My training and education in this developing branch of theatre has undoubtedly exposed me to the many accomplishments of the American TYA system, but quite often - through attending conferences, as well as participating in class discussions - I find that many debates/conversations center around what more we need to do in this field or …

A Performance Study And Analysis Of The Role Of Mrs. Medlock In The Secret Garden, Samantha Stern

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will examine the character of Mrs. Medlock in the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre's "Theatre for Young Audiences" stage production of The Secret Garden. While recording my preparation and performance of the role, I will be drawing on and integrating many of the skills I have been acquiring in my Master's Degree program at UCF, including not only acting, movement, and voice, but also theatre research. My goals are twofold: first, to document the method of creating a rich, multi-layered, remarkable character, and second, to try to solidify what I have learned about this process and thus prepare for future …

Turning Tricks And The Modern Female Protagonist: An Analysis Of The Portrayal Of The Role Of The Demimonde From Viennese Operet, Melissa Nay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The demimondaine, an exclusive courtesan in nineteenth-century Europe, and the modern mezzo-soprano protagonist are prevalent characters in American musical theatre and can be observed in various styles throughout European music and drama. In Arthur Schnitzler s The Little Comedy, the female protagonist is both a romantic heroine and mistress; and in Jules Renard s Le Pain de Ménage, the lead player is anything but the classic ingénue. In preparation for performance and to further the research in the contemporary music comedy realm, I prepared for the roles of Josefine and Monica in the University of Central Florida s production of …

Investigating The 'Audience' In Theatre For Young Audiences: The Call For Artistic Educators, Amanda Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theatre history provides little information on theatre audiences and how the concept of an audience has changed over time. Through the investigation of theatre history texts, theatre theorists' manifestos, and interviews with workers in the field of theatre for young audiences, this thesis outlines the theatre audience from the first performance to the present and examines how the history of the concept of "child" and young audiences has developed in recent years. Opposing views exist on the subject of how a child is perceived as well as the purpose and role of a theatre audience. In this thesis, I investigate …

A Performance Study And Analysis Of The Role Of Soot In The Marriage Of Bette And Boo, Jodi Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 1985, Christopher Durang created a master work titled The Marriage of Bette and Boo which was described by The New Yorker as a "brimming cornucopia of brilliant lines." Frank Rich of the New York Times called it "so speedy and chipper that it could almost be mistaken for a Bob Fosse musical." Douglas Watt of the New York Daily News referred to it as a "farcical study of a disastrous marriage, marked by still births, insanity in the family and divorce." These critical responses indicate the necessity to maintain the complexity of the character of Soot without allowing her …

Devising Dramaturgy: An Investigation Into The Art Of Dramatic Composition When Devising Theatre For Young Audiences, Meghann Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the dramaturgy of devised theatre for young audiences, specifically children ages 2-5. The chapters dissect current applications of dramaturgy in regards to the development of dramatic and performance texts, and present an exploration of devised theatre. My research revolved around qualitative research tactics through a review of the current literature on dramaturgy and devising, unobtrusive data collection, and interviews with the artistic directors of three Theatre for Young Audience (TYA) companies: Patch Theatre Company based in Adelaide, Australia, Theatre Mala Scena based in Zagreb, Croatia, and the Coterie Theatre located in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition, I …

Making Victim: Establishing A Framework For Analyzing Victimization In 20th Century American Theatre, Victoria Hahl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is my belief that theatre is the telling of stories, and that playwrighting is the creation of those stories. Regardless of the underlying motives (to make the audience think, to make them feel, to offend them or to draw them in,) the core of the theatre world is the storyline. Some critics write of the importance of audience effect and audience reception; after all, a performance can only be so named if at least one person is there to witness it. So much of audience effect is based the storyline itself - that structure of which is created by …

The Dark Side Of The Tune: A Study Of Villains, Michael Biggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On championing the villain, there is a naive quality that must be maintained even though the actor has rehearsed his tragic ending several times. There is a subtle difference between to charm and to seduce. The need for fame, glory, power, money, or other objects of affection drives antagonists so blindly that they ve no hope of regaining a consciousness about their actions. If and when they do become aware, they infrequently feel remorse. I captured the essence of the villain by exposing these lightless characters to the sun. On Monday, April 9th and Tuesday, April 17th, 2007, on the …

Primogeniture Made Me Do It: Finding The Motivation Behind Oliver's Tragic Actions In As You Like It, Joseph Kemper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As an actor, it is absolutely imperative to resist the urge to pass judgment on the characters we portray. True, that as people, we sometimes judge ourselves, and deem our conduct as right or wrong, but usually after finding the justification in the action first. We understand why we do the things we do. Therefore, it is as important to find our character s point-of-view as well. When I was cast as Oliver de Boys in the Orlando Shakespeare Theater s mainstage production of William Shakespeare s As You Like It, I knew the biggest challenge before me was to …

A Prototype For Narrative-Based Interactivity In Theme Parks, Kirsten Kischuk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to look at the potential for interactive devices to enhance the story of future theme park attractions. The most common interactive theme park rides are about game-based interaction, competition, and scoring, rather than about story, character, and plot. Research into cognitive science, interactivity, narrative, immersion, user interface, theming and other fields of study illuminated some potentially useful guidelines for creating compelling experiences for park guests. In order to test some of these ideas, an interactive device was constructed and tested with study subjects. Each study subject watched a video recording of an existing theme …

The Attic Door: A Feature Length Motion Picture, Daniel Daneau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

THE ATTIC DOOR is the feature-length film co-written and directed by Danny Daneau while pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Central Florida. Many challenges had to be met to produce a feature-length motion picture utilizing digital technology on an ultra-low budget as part of a graduate education. Beyond gaining a profound understanding of the physical, financial, and emotional strength it takes to complete a feature-length motion picture, Daneau experienced the creative challenges that all filmmakers must meet when applying the principles of filmmaking theory to an actual work of self-expression. The production process for an original …

Hope For A Thorn: The Making Of A Microbudget Digital Feature Film, Leslie Kitzinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper provides a look at the making of a microbudget feature film. It seeks to explain my growth as a filmmaker and an artist, through the challenges, both narrative and practical, that I encountered, as well as provide documentation following the process. Hope for a Thorn: The Making of a Microbudget Digital Feature Film includes elements from each phase of filmmaking, from script and preproduction to the marketing plan. This document shows the tremendous amount of preparation and planning that goes into the making of a microbudget digital feature film.

Gutter King, Keith Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gutter King had a threefold purpose: to create a feature film using limited resources, to make the film bridge the gap between a defined artistic aesthetic and its broader distribution goals, and to make the film entertaining to its target market of 14-24 year old males. The methods used: exploiting new digital technology, using a limited workforce (crew), and implementing a planned improvisational structure.

Chaos In Clinton., Heather Flood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The integration of Clinton High School, located in Clinton, Tennessee captivated the nation in the fall of 1956. This paper depicts the events that occurred during that period. Also included are the events that occurred prior to the desegregation of the high school, the understanding of which is necessary to fully appreciate the events that unfolded in Clinton.

Design And Construction Of The Audrey Ii Puppet Series For The Play Little Shop Of Horrors., Chad David Fraley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project's objective was to design and build 4 stages of the Audrey II puppet for the East Tennessee State University production of Little Shop of Horrors (Ashman, 1982). The puppets were to be created with consideration for the production space, budget, and operator ease, along with audience impact. This paper will present the design and construction in a step by step-bystep fashion using illustrations and photographic examples.

Each puppet in the series was originally conceived using references to living plants and animals combined with an artistic vision of the designer. The puppets were built with light, modern materials using …

Hearing Adam: Gender Relationships In The Short Fiction Of Caroline Gordon., Linda Elaine Hipple

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Writer and critic Caroline Gordon has been a participant on the Southern literary scene since the early 1930s, yet her works have been neither studied nor appreciated as frequently as the works of her male contemporaries. Her novels and short fiction never received the critical acclaim that they merited due to the perpetuation of the erroneous idea that women have little to say. While at the time other female writers were exploring their emancipation, Gordon retreated to the consistent confines of male-dominated tradition and created fiction embodying her conservative philosophy. This thesis will examine five pieces of her short fiction, …

The Rise And Fall Of The Hillbilly Music Genre, A History, 1922-1939., Ryan Carlson Bernard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research will examine the rise in popularity of the hillbilly music genre as it relates to the early part of the twentieth century as well as its decline with the arrival of the western hero, the cowboy.

Chapter 1 examines the origins of traditional music and how instrumental the fiddle and banjo were in that development. Chapter 2 looks closely into the careers of recording artists who recorded what would later be called hillbilly music. Chapter 3 examines the string band and the naming of the hillbilly genre. Chapters 4 and 5 look at the aspect of radio programming …