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Articles 61 - 90 of 241
Full-Text Articles in Theatre and Performance Studies
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.
Labor And Happiness., Tyler Reid Madden
Labor And Happiness., Tyler Reid Madden
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis reflects my process and my development of performing Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences. I will be exploring the parallels that I have found on the concept of labor, between the history of labor as a black man in America and the labor of an actor. More specifically, I will be explaining my process in finding happiness in the laboring process of building a character. This is also an exploration of how I transformed myself from a 29-year-old black man to a 53-year-old black man. Also, transitioning from a black man in the 21st century, to a black …
Fantastical Body Narratives : Cosplay, Performance, And Gender Diversity., Tiffany M. Hutabarat-Nelson
Fantastical Body Narratives : Cosplay, Performance, And Gender Diversity., Tiffany M. Hutabarat-Nelson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation aims to explore how the phenomenon of cosplay has been able to produce and sustain a diversity of gender expression due to its emergence from an activity-based community that emphasizes creative play. This creative energy is manifested through cosplay as an active, ritualized practice in which gender diversity is invited to be realized as a distinct possibility, resulting in a display of a full range of masculinities and femininities as well as crossplays and genderbend cosplays. I argue that cosplay can therefore be understood as a phenomenon that destabilizes the gender binary—its active practice promotes the production and …
The Unkindness Of Strangers: Exploring Success And Isolation In The Dramatic Works Of Tennessee Williams, Chelsea Nicole Gilbert
The Unkindness Of Strangers: Exploring Success And Isolation In The Dramatic Works Of Tennessee Williams, Chelsea Nicole Gilbert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis aims to explore the theme of isolation in the dramatic works of Tennessee Williams using his essay “The Catastrophe of Success” as the base theory text. The essay attacks the American idea of success though an in-depth examination of the “Cinderella myth” that Williams claims is so prevalent in both Hollywood and American Democracy. Williams’ deconstruction of this myth reveals that America’s love for stories like it results the isolation of three groups: homosexuals, women and the physically disabled and terminally ill. Williams passes no judgment on his characters, instead showing their lives as they truly are. Through …
A Raucous Entertainment: Melodrama, Race, And The Search For Moral Legibility In Nineteenth-Century America, Sarah M. Olivier
A Raucous Entertainment: Melodrama, Race, And The Search For Moral Legibility In Nineteenth-Century America, Sarah M. Olivier
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Gathering together episodes from American theater history, my dissertation focuses on the destabilizing identities and paradoxical resolutions of so-called "Indian" and slavery plays to address nineteenth-century melodrama's fundamental engagement with race. Melodrama is a spectacular form that uses iconic images to move audiences to feel powerful emotions and to assign moral legibility to societal problems. Given the significant role of territorial expansion and chattel slavery in US history, race has always presented Americans with crucial moral dilemmas. Melodrama has long provided a dominant mode of representation for addressing such dilemmas that hinges upon racially inflected conceptions of good and evil. …
From Dude To Dad: A Study On Prenatal Fatherhood And Its Representation In Theatre, Michael Nilsson
From Dude To Dad: A Study On Prenatal Fatherhood And Its Representation In Theatre, Michael Nilsson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A man in the preparatory phase for parenthood with his first child can go through a lot of extreme emotional highs and lows, depending upon the man's economic, relationship, and physical status, as well as community pressures and support. In preparation to portray an array of prenatal fathers in a showcase of scenes, I have read an assortment of plays and scholarly sources. In reading a large sample of prenatal plays, I have extracted several possible emotional changes within a man's psyche. I also analyzed the social rationale behind these changes through the writings of sociologists and other scholarly sources. …
Women In White: My Journey Into Color, Madison Tarbox
Women In White: My Journey Into Color, Madison Tarbox
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In many religious circles white is a symbol for purity, cleanliness, and perfection. However, white is also synonymous with empty, blank, and colorless. Women in White: My journey into color is a project centralized around a personal study of the cultural pressures of "perfection" presented both in religious cultures and in the every-day life of a performer. Utilizing the catalyst of a cabaret-style performance, Women in White explores the struggles of nine different female characters in the musical theatre cannon and aims to draw a personal connection from their journey. Inspired by the wise words of my own mother, this …
Rebirth Of The Renaissance Man: Creating Actor Agency Through Ensemble Theatre, Kody Grassett
Rebirth Of The Renaissance Man: Creating Actor Agency Through Ensemble Theatre, Kody Grassett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Contemporary models of educational and commercial theatres espouse the belief that theatre is the true collaborative art form: one in which artists of different talents, training programs, and experiences can come together to briefly create something more significant than themselves. However, as the theatre has moved into the twenty-first century, the ensemble nature that is so unique to theatrical performance is frequently abandoned for a streamlined top-down structure of theatre making, one in which monetary, scheduling, and efficiency concerns inhibit the true creation of an ensemble. For multi-faceted theatre artists who have interest and talents in more than one field …
Synaesthetics, Samantha Turner
Synaesthetics, Samantha Turner
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Synaesthetics is a new philosophy of the arts. Expanding on its predecessors, aesthetics and its many branches of thought, Synaesthetics bridges the long-standing explanatory gap across the disciplines of science, spirituality, and art. The arts become the vehicle of exploring new ways to synthesize and study their cognitive effects and implications on aesthetes, be they audience or creators. The examination of a synthesis in color and sound, inspired by research in synaesthesia, is a model for explaining the new philosophy, as well as investigating its impact. Theatre is introduced as the most valuable art form with which to engage this …
Planting Seeds: Life Stories Of Awakening Self-Awareness, Aixa Mendez
Planting Seeds: Life Stories Of Awakening Self-Awareness, Aixa Mendez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Using real-life stories written by female offenders, Planting seeds - Life Stories of Awakening Self-Awareness seeks to identify the systematic challenges these females may have faced, that in most cases, are the root-causes of their derailment from the societal norms of conduct. Applying the concepts of community and social justice and equality as a lens, this work will attempt to corroborate, as a universal postulate, that the process of sharing life stories can have transformative effects on the individuals and that theatre techniques, such as theatre games and scripting can help identify those impediments to restoring lives. Key to the …
Living With Marie: Dramatherapy In The Creation Of Performable Theatre, Madelyn James
Living With Marie: Dramatherapy In The Creation Of Performable Theatre, Madelyn James
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Living with Marie is a project aiming to adapt dramatherapy techniques so that they are better suited to the creation of theatre in an attempt to educate audiences of the struggles some individuals cope with while living with mental illness. By using the practices implemented by dramatherapists Sue Jennings, John Casson, R. M. Simon, and Phil Jones, the evolution of my play Living with Marie can be seen as first originating in imagery before progressing to text and finally, performable art. This venture, inspired by my own psychotic struggle, gives audiences a glimpse into the clandestine existence of a nameless …
Working From The Outside In., Byron Lee Coolie Jr.
Working From The Outside In., Byron Lee Coolie Jr.
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis serves as an examination (or exploration) of how an actor can approach a role by working from the outside in, also known as the external acting approach. This thesis also chronicles my beginnings as an actor and preparations for my thesis role as the character of Lymon Jackson in The Piano Lesson. In this thesis, I explain how I uncovered my growth, overcame challenges, failures, and successes in the role of Lymon. I elaborate on how I, initially an internal actor, externally approached a muscular and complex role for the very first time. Also, I describe my undergraduate …
Negotiating Resistance With The Character G In Naomi Izuka’S Polaroid Stories., Konrad Ormand Davis Jr.
Negotiating Resistance With The Character G In Naomi Izuka’S Polaroid Stories., Konrad Ormand Davis Jr.
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis will analyze my portrayal of G (Zeus) in Polaroid Stories by Naomi Iizuka through my psychological journey as an actor. In my investigation of G, I will discuss the specific techniques used to create my performance in Polaroid Stories, which include influences from my Commedia, Improv, and ensemble training. I will examine the connection these tools acquired during my candidacy at the University of Louisville as well as real-life experiences that shaped my professional development as an artist and performer. In this thesis you will discover the influence of my early youth, my blackness, the artistic technique, …
An Actor’S Approach To Claire In Proof By David Auburn, Kathryn Patterson
An Actor’S Approach To Claire In Proof By David Auburn, Kathryn Patterson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The areas of study in the Proof thesis contain research on the play, the playwright, and the acting style utilized in the performance and character analysis. The acting style in this process focuses on the actor’s creative work in preparation of portraying a female character. This character is a controlling woman that is unable to manipulate others. By using relaxation techniques involving the Alexander Technique, the actor was able to transition into the character with honest emotions and motives. Finding similarities to the character by using personal relationships gave the actor the ability to discover connections with the character in …
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 …
Love On - The Life Of A Suicide Survivor: A Performance Autoethnographic Study, Patricia R. Wheeler
Love On - The Life Of A Suicide Survivor: A Performance Autoethnographic Study, Patricia R. Wheeler
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Suicide touches the lives of millions of people each year in this country alone, yet conversations about suicide loss and survival after a loss remain taboo and often do not happen. The story I performed for this performance autoethnographic study centers on my life as a survivor of suicide. It provides a starting point for dialog regarding trauma, grief, and suicide loss. The narrative was constructed directly following the sudden death of my father, which had a direct effect on my ability to produce artistic work. The development, staging and performance of the story were altered to account for the …
Giving Theatrical Life, Quentin Darrington
Giving Theatrical Life, Quentin Darrington
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
An experience, early in my life, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opened my eyes to the transformative power of Theatre - it would shape my ambitions for performance, inform the choices I made about my acting career, and impel my passions. That single moment had a profound and lasting effect on my soul, one that would ultimately point me to the purpose of "me;" but what exactly was it? What transaction occurred between the performers on stage, and myself, and others in attendance that evening? My life as an actor has been an incredible journey of growth. Over …
Playing Back Spirituality: Using Applied Theatre Practice For Spiritual Exploration An Meaningful Community Building In College, Ann Kinnebrew
Playing Back Spirituality: Using Applied Theatre Practice For Spiritual Exploration An Meaningful Community Building In College, Ann Kinnebrew
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Higher Education in the U.S. today is experiencing a theoretical and practical shift toward educating the "whole person" and to that end, is investigating ways to include spirituality in all facets of the academy. This requires focusing on the concept that "in addition to material knowledge, spiritual, emotional, and ethical knowledge is imparted to students" (Khan 2009). Many colleges and universities are searching for avenues to answer this call and better prepare students as business, political and social leaders in a new millennia that defines religion very differently than it did twenty years ago. Today, students are exposed to a …
The Actor Process: Playing Multiple Characters, Danielle Brown
The Actor Process: Playing Multiple Characters, Danielle Brown
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study examines the process used while preparing for the role of Daughter in Jim Helsinger's adaptation of A Christmas Carol: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, performed at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (OST). Within the framework of the play, Daughter is a character who is transformed into multiple roles. Her characters include Charity Collector, Belle, Martha Cratchit, Miner, Fred's Wife and Quarreler #1. Presented with the challenge of playing multiple roles in the same production, I sought efficient and straightforward character development and analysis methods to strengthen my performance. Using Uta Hagen's nine questions as a scaffold, I composed …
Christ On The Postmodern Stage: Debunking Christian Metanarrative Through Contemporary Passion Plays, Joseph Dambrosi
Christ On The Postmodern Stage: Debunking Christian Metanarrative Through Contemporary Passion Plays, Joseph Dambrosi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As a Christian theatre artist with a conservative upbringing, I continually seek to discover the role of postmodernism in faith and how this intersection correlates with theatre in a postmodern society. In a profession that constantly challenges the status quo of Christian living, and a faith that frowns upon most "secular" behavior, I find myself in a position of questioning the connection between these two components of my life. Furthermore, I am troubled by the exclusive nature of the evangelical Christian community for people who do not meet its expectations of absolute truth—namely, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and …
Pregnancy And Performance : Rights To The Unveiling., Takayla Justina Williams
Pregnancy And Performance : Rights To The Unveiling., Takayla Justina Williams
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Imagine you are an actress auditioning for a role, and the director asks, “If cast”, would you have conflicts?” You know you’re pregnant, but the director does not.You are also aware of the theatre’s production calendar; the production will be over before you start showing, or a couple of months before your due date. What do you do? Should you reveal the pregnancy, even though you know there is a possibility you may be discriminated against? Or do you hide it? What are the benefits and risks involved when the pregnant performer decides to conceal her pregnancy? This thesis serves …
Adapting To Eda : Embracing Change And Acting Accordingly., Tia Leshaun Davis 1989-
Adapting To Eda : Embracing Change And Acting Accordingly., Tia Leshaun Davis 1989-
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis serves to argue the importance of being able to embrace, promote and adapt to change in the pursuit of becoming a well-rounded artist. This thesis will chronicle my beginnings as a performing artist and show how the physical, spiritual and personal education I received from specific theatrical companies and academic institutions prepared me for my thesis roles and various production responsibilities in the University of Louisville production of Eda by Obotunde Ijimere, translated by Ulli Beier and directed by Nefertiti Burton. My education and willingness to embrace, promote and adapt to change allowed me to successfully immerse myself …
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, …
The Perceived Effects Of Dance For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease And Healthy Amateurs, Taylor Marie Mastin
The Perceived Effects Of Dance For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease And Healthy Amateurs, Taylor Marie Mastin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of dance participation on physical and psychological functioning as perceived by two distinct groups of dancers: dancers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy amateur (HA) dancers. Dancers in the Parkinson's sample group were gathered from participants in the Dance for PD® program, while healthy amateur dancers were recruited from university dance departments and through social media. Both groups were administered measures related to affect, self-efficacy, quality of life, and which aspects of dance classes were most helpful and/or challenging. Several open-ended questions for both groups were included, along with …
At Face Value: Investigating Perception Through Photographs, Dominic Dipaolo
At Face Value: Investigating Perception Through Photographs, Dominic Dipaolo
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
"At Face Value: Investigating Perception through Portraiture" is a body of work that examines how people process their perception in imagery. The Deadpan Aesthetic, photographic truth and American identity are discussed, as well as the amount of influence a photographer has in his work. Since perception is defined as an understanding of setting via the senses, I hope to challenge viewers by employing strategies to destabilize the viewer's reception of my photographs.
The User Experience Of Disney Infinity: Do Smart Toys Matter?, Shelly Welch
The User Experience Of Disney Infinity: Do Smart Toys Matter?, Shelly Welch
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated what factors come into play when looking at the user experience involved with the commercial video game Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition), and sought to determine if the unique combination between sandbox and smart toy based gameplay present in gameplay offers an additional level of immersion. This study analyzed the effect of Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) on immersion utilizing a Game Immersion Questionnaire modified to analyze play preference as well as video game experience. The study methodology analyzed 48 users while playing in "Toy Box" mode both with and without the associated smart toys, or Disney characters. Results …
Writes Of Spring 2014: Fostering Creativity In Theatre, Education, And Leadership, Alexandra Hodson
Writes Of Spring 2014: Fostering Creativity In Theatre, Education, And Leadership, Alexandra Hodson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Creativity is valued in many fields. In theatre, creativity celebrates the imaginative power of a theatrical experience. In theatre for young audiences (TYA), creativity is extended from the stage to the classroom, where theatre empowers learning through creative and imaginative teaching. Teaching artists and theatre makers in the field of theatre for young audiences utilize creativity as a means of connecting artistic and educational value. Through professional development and qualitative research, this project demonstrates the importance of creativity and its role in the classroom and on stage. This study examines my role as Project Coordinator in Orlando Repertory Theatre's (The …
The Branding, Creation, And Promotion Of A Solo Comedienne, Anna Mccorison
The Branding, Creation, And Promotion Of A Solo Comedienne, Anna Mccorison
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Comedy exists as a stronghold in American culture as a coping mechanism throughout history, but is often limited to the male headliner. From Charlie Chaplin to Jackie Gleason and Bill Cosby to Will Ferrell, men have kept us laughing from stages to screen throughout the last century. Thus, I inquire: who are the prominent women who rose to the top of this male-dominated industry and how did they create a brand for themselves that was distinguishable and celebrated? What is it about being a woman in the last century that made making a name in comedic entertainment more cumbersome, and …
Connections Between Voice And Design In Puppetry: A Case-Study, Ryan Skiles
Connections Between Voice And Design In Puppetry: A Case-Study, Ryan Skiles
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Puppets have been entertaining, educating, and mesmerizing American audiences since the birth of our nation. Both in live theatrical events and TV/film, audiences have watched puppeteers bring their puppet characters to life with clever voice quality choices, unique characterizations, and vivid visual designs. This thesis is a case study that first borrows insight from cartoon character designers, animators, and voiceover actors to provide considerations for voice quality choices, characterizations, and design elements when creating a new puppet character. It then investigates the connections that exist between those three elements once a puppet is fully realized. In order to identify these …