Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Qosqo: A Documentary Approach To The Preservation Of Andean Culture, Emma Wheeler Volz

Student Works

This thesis and creative project aspire to follow the well-worn path of documentary filmmaking. The written portion of this thesis includes background information on Incan history and the Southern Andean language of Quechua that informed and developed into my film, Qosqo. The short documentary is a hybrid between traditional and experimental non-fiction filmmaking, exploring Cusco, Peru’s spirituality through the sage perspective of a native Cusqueñan woman, Norma Sanchez de Incaroca.

The film is a personal reflection of Norma’s experience with the Quechua language, a historically marginalized and currently endangered language. Her reflections are framed within the context of Cusco’s …

“What We Ought To Say”: Debating The Morality Of Dishonesty And Equivocation In King Lear, Markelle Jensen

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

King Lear does not reveal the nature of honesty but provides a stage on which the morality of honesty can be debated. The play questions whether honesty is inherently moral at all, or if there are ways in which honesty can be considered harmful and even immoral. Other scholars have noted this as well in characters such as Edgar and Kent, but missing from the critical conversation are the ways in which Cordelia is the pillar of moral goodness in the play, and how her own paradoxical honesty and dishonesty were what enabled Lear to “see better” and ultimately, to …

Tendu To Tango Across The Lifespan: An Argument For Prioritizing Fixed Ballet Instruction As A Contemplative Practice For The Adolescent Mind And Social Dance Instruction For Healthy Aging In The Elderly Population, Jenica Barker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Why dance? This thesis investigates and provides arguments for prioritizing different dance training methods and styles across a person’s lifespan for maximum neurological and mental benefit. Beyond the interpersonal, motivational, and creative skills it delivers, dance training provides significant neural benefits for the developing adolescent brain (ages 10-24). Additionally, there are significant implications for dance’s aid in the prevention or delay of symptoms of healthy aging, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

According to the synthesis of research provided in this thesis, fixed ballet training is an optimal form of ballet training for adolescents because of its features consistent with …

The Man In The Tree: The Fantastic As A Bridge Between The Ideal And The Real, Weber Griffiths

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the effect of genre on storytelling, specifically the effect of the Fantastic in creating, within narrative, intrinsic meaning. In life and fiction, there exists a gap between what is ideal and what is real, a gap of mortality. Human’s struggle with this gap results in many forms of creation and meaning making. The Fantastic, as defined by literary critic Tzvetan Todorov, seeks to bridge this gap. In this examination, we take Todorov’s literary critique and apply it to four films of modern fantasy, showcasing the language and mechanics of the genre and its effectual way of bridging …

Father Of Man: An Exploration Of The Afterlife In Cinema, Theodore Barrett Burgin

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates five films about the afterlife from various cultural perspectives and seeks to glean cultural insights based on their methods of portrayal. The films include Heaven Can Wait as an example of corporate America, After Life as an example of Japanese domesticity, Orpheus as an example of post-war France, and A Ghost Story as an example of secular postmodernism. Additionally, I examine my own BYU senior capstone film, Father of Man, as an example of Latter-day Saint influence. Apart from the visual choices of these films, which reveal interesting insights as to their culture’s imaginings of an …

All Signs Point To Profitability, Hannah Bender

Marriott Student Review

No abstract provided.

Monstrosity As A Problem Of Moral Proximity In Shakespeare’S Othello, Kyle Ward

Student Works

Abstract

In Othello, Shakespeare explores the idea of monstrosity through his titular character. This paper argues that Othello exemplifies the idea that monstrosity is not an inherent evil, but rather that it is a problem of Moral Proximity. The Problem of Moral Proximity, as it is explained in the paper, is the idea that good and evil are the moderation of or corruption of neutral traits. This paper not only argues that monstrosity is one of these neutral qualities, but also explores how Iago corrupts this monstrosity to bring about Othello's downfall.

Irish Dance In The State Of Utah: A History, India Eve Henrichsen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis summarizes the history of Irish dance in Utah. Over the past 35 years, from its beginning in 1983 to today in 2018, Irish dance schools have multiplied in Utah and evolved following international trends. The first school of Irish dance in Utah was started by Maureen McTeggart Hall at the request of Harold Gottfredsen in 1983. Five years later, in 1988, Brigham Young University established an Irish dance instruction program. Following the first television broadcast of Riverdance from Dublin in 1994, the interest in Irish dance increased exponentially. The number of schools has grown, new schools have emerged …

Student Production Manager And Coordinator For Onsite Series, Caitlin Shill, Kori Wakumatsu

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Fine art is entering a new age, the traditional structures that have protected art for centuries are now becoming relics in the face of social, political and cultural upheavals. Over the last twenty years dance has transitioned into the realm of Fine Arts in the world of academia, however it is struggling to find substantial outlets in society while maintaining its integrity as a fine art. This project was centered on two Brigham Young University faculty in their established Onsite Mobile Dance Series, a dance company that has been serving the local arts community for over five years. This production …

Pyramid Dream: An Unbelievable Opportunity, Emma Meurs, Brad Barber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pyramid Dream is a documentary film that investigates the reality of the promises of Multi-Level Marketing companies of financial success to their distributors, through the eyes of three female distributors. These three woman experience varying degrees of success as they endeavor to make millions by direct selling lipstick and other cosmetic items. However, it soon becomes clear that it getting to the top of the pyramid is more difficult than it seemed. But, although they may be unable to make millions, they are able to find a sisterhood which might make it all worth it.

The Littlest Ballerina (Kamilla) An Original Ballet In One Act, Daniel Fifield, Shayla Bott

Journal of Undergraduate Research

At the beginning of Fall semester 2016, I discussed the possibility of composing music for an original ballet with Elise Meiners, an adjunct professor for the BYU Dance Department. She agreed to choreograph the ballet and together we assembled a production team. Daniel Schwicht, a BYU student, joined the team as the artistic designer. Spencer Duncan, then BYU theatre student joined as the dramaturg. The production team met weekly during that semester to develop an original story to be told in the form of a 30 minute ballet. Shayla Bott, the Ballet Area Administer agreed to mentor the project and …

Lüge Und Wahrheit, Amalie Von Sachsen

Drama and Film

No abstract provided.

How Drag Culture Resolves Tensions In Victorian Shakespearean Cross-Dressing; Or, Slay, Feste, Slay, Isaac Robertson

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

In 2017, Madame Le Gateau Chocolat, a black drag queen, sashayed onto the stage of the Globe theater to portray Feste in Emma Rice’s production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. This bold move not only gave anxiety to its investors (eventually leading to the stepping down of Emma Rice), but also raised questions about the validity of drag performance within Shakespeare plays. Shakespeare has historically been inseparable with traditional cross-dressing (both in performance and in the narrative itself), although the relationship has not always been cordial. In Victorian England, cross-dressing was often set equal to homosexuality or moral deviance, and …

"If It's Not Right, You Have To Put It Right": The Play And Work Of Children In Matilda The Musical, Kristin Perkins

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

Perkins considers issues of subversive theatrical criticism and exploitative child labor as they combine in Matilda the Musical, examining the performances as a holistic, if ambivalent, production. In a play where the lead figure is a little girl, this essay uses the lens of gender and age to provide context for the revolutionary character of Matilda in a female-dominated play that critiques established norms, at the same time that the play is produced in, and by, a system that reproduces troubling power structures.

Ethnography Of Dance Pedagogy Traditions: Chinese Dance Culture Compared To Eurocentric Dance Culture, Caitlin Shill, Marilyn Berrett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project’s purpose was to analyze the traditions, customs and philosophies of professors at the College of Dance at Beijing Mingzu University during Brigham Young University’s China dance study abroad. Recording and analyzing their pedagogical practices informed our own theories on the optimal balance between nurturing artistic development while preserving technical traditions. The globalization of the world’s dance community has revolutionized teaching philosophies. The international standard for dance pedagogy and technique for professional dancers continues to defy preceding theories as pedagogical practices are shared and incorporated into various training systems. China has consistently produced some of the world’s best technicians …

“Sometimes You Have To Be A Little Bit Naughty”: Matilda The Musical Through A Feminist Lens, Kristin Perkins, Megan Sanborn Jones

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research analyzed the popular musical Matilda to dissect and explicate underlying feminist ideologies. The grant went primarily to helping fund a trip to New York City where I was able to watch Matilda the Musical as well as helping to fund my trip to present my research at a conference in Chicago. This project has yielded two conference presentations thus far and I am continuing to work towards fulfilling my Honors Thesis requirement using this as my research topic.

A Makeup Artist’S Guide To Mastery The Standard Procedure, Michaela Fordham, Mary Farahnakian

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is a rare opportunity to be able to study makeup design in a collegiate setting, especially one of Brigham Young University’s standard. Because I have the unique perspective of approaching makeup with an academic perspective, I wanted outside research to aid my personal career pursuit as well as explore the different jobs in the makeup industry. I wanted to find the common standards of procedures within different fields to compile a presentation for other makeup artists as well as inform others of Brigham Young University’s excellent program.

Ethnographic Observation Of Dance Pedagogy At The Minzu University For The China Dance Study Abroad, Emily Bayles, Marilyn Berrett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In Asian cultures, a lack of creativity shows a hindering element to the success and progress of the Chinese dancers’ education. Keeping with tradition, the “purpose of the arts was not the making of ‘art’”¹. A few methods of dance pedagogy put into action have enhanced the students’ ability to expand their knowledge and individual voice in the world of dance “rather than the creation of “perfect” art”².

The Culture Of British Servitude And Music, Erin Meeks, Jeff Parkin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I am writing a feature-length screenplay set in Victorian England about a servant of a manor trying to bring her mother’s fairy tales to life to escape her homesickness. However, I soon realized that writing this screenplay based solely on internet articles and my love of the BBC series Downton Abbey was not going to provide the research necessary to create an authentic setting and a believable, nuanced character. For this reason, I applied for an ORCA grant to attend a six-week study abroad program with the Theater and Media Arts department so that I could gather on-site research.

Putting It Together: Creating, Rehearsing, And Performing, Scott Whipple, George Nelson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a dancer the music dance theatre program, who is pursuing his goal to be on Broadway, the chance to be the dance captain for a musical is a priceless opportunity. When I was asked to be the dance captain for BYU’s stage production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I jumped at the opportunity. Getting the chance to work closely with a director like George Nelson as well as choreographer Becky Write Phillips was something I could not pass up, even though I was taking 21 credits; it was a challenge I was willing to take on. I knew …

The Heyday Of Hats A Look At Headwear In The 1950s, Kirsten Watkins, Mary Farahnakian

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With the end of World War II came a drastic change in fashion. Gone were the stiff shoulders and narrow silhouettes and in came the New Look of 1947, designed by Christian Dior. This look emphasized soft curves, narrow waists, and large wide skirts—a far cry from wartime fashions where fabric was rationed and such skirts were seen as a luxury that few could afford. With this change of fashion came a change in hats. While wartime hats were still widely worn, many new hats came onto the scene. This decade became the culmination of different hat styles from the …

A Study Of The Variances Between China’S And The United State’S Dance Education Strategies, Tessa Homer, Kate Monson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a dance education major at Brigham Young University (BYU), my constant goal is to improve my teaching strategies by studying methods of effective teaching and observing my professors. Through my dance and education courses at BYU, I have developed a personal teaching style and toolbox of different strategies and methods. The opportunity to travel to China and participate in prestigious dance courses expanded my knowledge of diverse teaching methods and styles. This project enabled me to recognize, study, and compare the various strategies of effective dance education in the United States and China and implement those techniques into my …

Creating History Towards Utopia: The 2016 Taiwanese Lds Celebration, Ting-Chun Chang

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that emotions and memories in a community are essential to shaping a common future. Furthermore, when performed on stage, these memories and emotions create a utopian experience that moves performers and audience members towards a brighter future. The foundation for this thesis is built upon the ideas of utopian performative theories combined with the Asian Ganzhi belief that every sixty years a new cycle of hope begins. This thesis also includes a practical work. I was invited to write and direct a cultural production for the 60th year anniversary celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of …

The Modern Mr. Darcy: An Analysis Of Leading Men In Contemporary Romantic Comedy Film, Amanda Rebekah Roskelley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an observation and analysis of male performance in romantic comedy films released between 2005 and 2015. As a lasting genre, rom-com, like all forms of media, has the potential to influence society. Gender plays a vital role in the generic template of these films. Because women are the dominant consumers of this genre, what they observe as gender performance is important. This genre has been dissected under the eye of feminism and female gender performance but the changes in masculinity have been largely overlooked.This paper identifies common characteristics in leading men of this decade's rom-coms. After establishing …

Persuasive Performance: Articulating A Space Between The Disciplines Of Rhetoric And Performance Studies, Joshua Evans Mckinney

Theses and Dissertations

This work explores persuasive performances, or performances which are wrought in order to affect changes in the thoughts, attitudes, emotions, ideas, beliefs, and opinions of others. Such performances are located in a space between the disciplines of performance studies and rhetoric. This work offers one way in which such performances might be better understood by proposing a model of negotiation comprised of the techniques of rhetorical dramatism and performance studies. A political debate and parts of Shakespeare's The Tempest are analyzed as examples using the model. This work represents an invitation to scholars of the disciplines of rhetoric and performance …

My Original Musical Project In The Arts, Kira Stone, George Nelson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hello! My name is Kira Stone. For my ORCA project, I wrote an original musical, and because of the grant, I have been able to begin the production of this musical. I have dealt with having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in my life, and it tends to come and go in waves. I have family members and friends who have experienced different kinds of anxiety disorders, depression, and bipolar disorders. Because I feel as though I know about the topic of mental disorders, I wrote a musical focused on two people who fall in love, despite their combative minds. I am …

Communication A Collaboration Between Theatre And Visual Artists, Kristin Perkins, Lindsay Livinston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With my collaborators, Pearl Corry and Aloe Corry, I constructed installation, video, and visual art pieces and presented this art as part of an exhibit entitled Striking the Set. Our initial objective was to use collaboration between theatre and visual artists in order to encourage healthy communication within our community. As our project evolved we encountered many problems. While our final product was something we could all be proud of, the setbacks in our process proved to be the greatest learning experience. The final exhibit was attended by more than sixty people and explored the theatrical elements present in visual …

Six Week Cinema, Matthew Siemers, Thomas Lefler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Six Week Cinema project had two main goals: A mentored film production learning experience and researching distribution for short films. Students face various obstacles when trying to create a film including funding, equipment, and crew. Six Week Cinema provided all these resources in one place in order for students to have an opportunity to work on projects with a mentored support system. Another obstacle for students is getting their projects shown. Our second goal was focused on getting these films to various audiences and finding out what methods worked the best in accomplishing this objective.

Stage Management New York Shadowing Opportunity, Crysta May Powell, Nathan Balser

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Everyone has those moments in life when everything seems a bit surreal.

For me, one such moment was that moment I was standing in front of the stage door of the Lyric Theatre about to go shadow the stage manager for On the Town. Broadway had always been this impossible dream in my mind and here I was about to enter that world first hand. It was something that I never dreamed that I’d be able to do while I was at college and I was so excited to learn and go from this experience.

Globalization Of Western And Middle Eastern Cultures Through Fashion, Rebekah Silver Jackson, Mary Farahnakian

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The intent of this ORCA project has been to explore the relationship between the West (specifically the U.S.A) and Middle East through a new perspective: fashion. With the help of my mentor, Mary Farahnakian, who immigrated from Iran, I studied Middle Eastern fashion identifying elements that have transferred in to Western fashion or vice verse. I then designed a fashion collection inspired by this research, which will be presented at two (or more) events in 2016.