Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Cloud Tectonics: A Footlight 2 Production, Cal Kreiner

Honors Theses

The purpose of “Cloud Tectonics: A Footlight 2 Production,” was to produce a full length, professional production of Jose Rivera’s one-act play, Cloud Tectonics, part of which includes the creation of a professional grade directorial book detailing the process and thought that went into the staging of the show. Because of copyright and other legalities, the directorial book without the annotated script is all that can be included in Scholarworks; however, in the book you’ll find a thorough analytical examination of the playwright’s dramaturgical choices, their intended impact, and how the director interpreted and expressed those concepts in the …

The Caregiver: A Play Script To Raise Awareness Of The Caregivers Of Alzheimer's Patients, Sarah Stiner

Honors Theses

Inspired by true events that are happening every day, The Caregiver shows glimpses into the life a woman who is caring for her husband, who has been diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s. Follow the woman, her husband, and her daughter as they search for answers and experience the emotional rollercoaster of living with this disease. There is sadness, confusion, frustration, but also joy, hope, and love in a story which explores how much care we all truly need, wherever we are in life.

Stigma Mitigation Through Fine Arts, Kendall Owens

Honors Theses

Social stigma has plagued our society for centuries. It isolates groups of people based on erroneously defined characteristics causing stigmatized persons to be viewed as socially “abnormal”. This debarment from full social acceptance results in poor population health and well-being. Fine arts have been an integral component of society since the beginning of civilization; current and past research have found involvement in fine arts to improve health and well-being in many ways. In this project, relevant studies related to stigma, fine arts, and population health will be reviewed to support the argument that “fine arts combat and mitigate the …

Mobilizing Jewishness, Gabriella Foster

Honors Theses

As a dance practitioner and self-identified Jew, I am deeply committed to social action through performance. Over the course of the past year, I explored the capacity of contemporary dance practices to support Jews in reflecting on and conceptualizing their Jewish experience. Through literary and creative research, the designing and facilitating of movement workshops in mid-Maine Jewish communities, and the creation of an evening-length performance piece titled, Shelanu (Ours), I discovered the numerous ways in which these two aspects of my identity could enrich one another. In the wake of several anti-Semitic incidents both nationally and locally this year, this …

Documentary Theatre: The Bridge Between Radical Performance And Dramatic Interpretation, Baxter Chaney

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Examination Of A Magic Show In Its Past, Current, And Future Forms Based Around A Recorded Performance Before A Live Audience, Armory Hermetz

Honors Theses

This project is an analysis and reflection on a magic show performed by myself before a live audience and recorded for documentation. It is a snapshot in time of my progress as a performer at a particular point in my career as a magician. In this paper, I detail my current philosophies on the performance of magic and the reasons why I made certain decisions regarding the structure of the show and the routines I performed. In addition to this, I also discuss adaptations that I have made to these routines since the performance. The analysis is based entirely on …

The Art Of The Dress: How Getting Into Costume Affects An Actor’S Self-Perception, Ella Embry

Honors Theses

Both actors and psychologists devote enormous amounts of time to understanding how people think, act, and respond even if for completely different reasons. While there are psychological studies that look at the way clothing influences attraction, aggression, and attitude, none of it looks critically at theatrical performance. Costuming is a vital part of the theatrical process that has yet to be studied empirically. As such, my study is an inter-disciplinary endeavor dedicated to developing an understanding of exactly how and whether costuming affects an actor’s personality perception as a way to contribute to the field of psychology, future theatrical performances, …

Drama As A Tool For Addressing Cultural Stereotypes, Elizabeth Smoak

Honors Theses

In children’s drama and literature, Native Americans are rarely represented fully and accurately. Generalizations and stereotypes have lead to severe misunderstandings and an underappreciation for Native American cultures, even in areas rich with their history. This research study sought the efficacy of classroom drama strategies on classroom learning, particularly using storytelling to further children’s understanding of Native American culture. The results show that drama and storytelling can be effective ways to teach children about other cultures by keeping students engaged, promoting participation, and allowing students to make connections and explore learning on their own.

Planning A Year End Formal, Anna Volkman

Honors Theses

The intended outcome of this project was to create an event not only to celebrate the successes of the Department of Dance at Western Michigan University, but also to gain visibility for the student-ran organization, Orchesis Dance Society while emphasizing the power art has to unify communities. This project is an example for the organization and the Department of Dance as to how events like this are important for visibility, community involvement, and the celebration of art’s power. I created a year-end formal as an example of how art brings communities of people together and should be celebrated in order …

A Written History Of The Western Michigan University Department Of Dance, Amy Russell

Honors Theses

This historical, introspective telling of the Western Michigan University’s Department of Dance examines its development in relation to dance in higher education and dance across the United States. An analysis of the development of dance at Western Michigan University in comparison to other universities and the dance field was conducted by studying professional influences in the field and evolving social, educational, and industry trends. Research from texts written by respected dance scholars was collected, and trade journals were consulted for information regarding current trends in the dance field. Archival research at the Western Michigan University Zhang Legacy Collections Center: Archives …

Beyond The Mortal Coil: The Culture Of Ghost Belief And Storytelling In The Modern-Day Theatre, A.P. Anderson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Dichotomy: A Creative Exercise In Theming Artistic And Emotional Dance Around Scientific Fitness Principles, John P. Davenport

Honors Theses

The creative dance work entitled Dichotomy investigated the following research question: is it possible to choreograph an artistic dance work that is firmly related to exercise science principles yet can still evoke an emotional response from the audience? This concert dance was performed in the Fall 2016 Studio 115 Dance Concert in Hattiesburg, MS by three Repertory Dance Company members. This paper seeks to explore the relationship between modern dance and exercise programming, to describe the methodology implemented to generate movement from exercise programming and testing, and to investigate the emotional response that the audience had to the work based …

Autobiography And Authenticity: Writing Are You Sure?: Experiences Of A Gay Foster Youth, Zachary A. Clein

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of authenticity in autobiographical writing, then apply what has been discovered to the author’s own autobiographical play. Researching for the project involved reviewing various forms of autobiographical writing performed on the stage (including The Normal Heart, a straight play/ non-musical production, a musical, From Foster Care to Fabulous, and a “memory play” The Glass Menagerie). One thing became clear after reviewing these pieces of literature: emotional authenticity, not fact, was the driving force. This stems from the inherent power autobiographical writing possesses to inform audiences on important topics, which allows …

Books And Bodies: A Collaborative Process Between Dance And Literature, Sarah Dexter Givens

Honors Theses

This senior choreographic project, Reading Response #6, was created and performed in the fall of 2016 in collaboration with five dancers, one apprentice, and the choreographer. The project was a collaboration of dance with literature by Emily Dickinson, Leo Tolstoy, Richard Wilbur, Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, and Walt Whitman. The final product was performed in the Studio 115 Dance Concert in the University of Southern Mississippi’s Theatre and Dance Building in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This paper investigates the relationship between dance and literature and explores methods of integration between the two art forms.

Impulse Graduating Presentation Of Erzsi Bernath, Erszebet Bernath

Honors Theses

No abstract available.

Western Michigan University’S Department Of Dance Marketing Plan, Cassandra Hartline

Honors Theses

The following report constitutes the formal marketing plan for the department of dance at Western Michigan University. This plan is intended to synthesize all of the marketing related information pertinent to Western’s dance department and provide easy one step access to this material at any time. The other purpose of this plan is to dictate the primary objectives the department is looking to accomplish through implementation of marketing tactics.

The first primary objective includes increasing visibility of the department of dance as a whole to both our primary and secondary target audiences; the second objective is to create innovative marketing …

Haunted Houses: A Directorial Exploration Of Expressionism, Jose Martinez-Chavarria

Honors Theses

The purpose of “Haunted Houses: A Directorial Exploration of Expressions” is to demonstrate the effectiveness of my directorial skills in staging a drama on stage with both an objective and subjective reality. The play Haunted Houses by Kathryn Schultz-Miller served as the chosen work whose staging would implement the common expressionist staging strategies of abstraction, simple and flexible blocking, nonrealistic lighting and a strong emphasis on visuals and stage images. The following thesis provides a detail directorial book containing the blocking, scenery, props and creative concepts used in this original production that allows it to be recreated if desired. A …

Devising From A Distance: A Study Of The Difference In Process, Composition, And Audience Response Between In-Person And Digitally-Mediated Choreographic Collaborations, Kathryn Butler

Honors Theses

This paper argues that dance devising shares a value system with that of the digital age, justifying the use of a virtual choreographic site to facilitate geographically distributed collaborations. The presence of technology in our social lives, working environments, and creative practices is steadily increasing. Before we passively let technology digitize and make virtual the choreographic process, or before we expedite this seemingly inevitable trajectory, we need to know what the consequences and opportunities might be. Through use of a controlled empirical investigation, this study analyzed the process experience, composition, and post-performance audience response between in-person and remote choreographic collaborations. …

Analysis Of The Foreigner, Hannah Matias

Honors Theses

In my senior year at Western Michigan University, I had the privilege of portraying Catherine Simms of the university’s production of The Foreigner. I was never been more excited to play a role in my entire life. For me, this is where the rubber met the road. I have trained for four years in the acting program and I was more than ready to apply the skills I have attained in this performance. I did extensive bookwork for this character. From doing research, to creating a biography, finding out Catherine’s objectives, and so on, my bookwork is definitely a sight …

Movement In The Classroom To Practice Sight Words, Galina Vander Meer

Honors Theses

This project encompassed the development and implementation of a unit plan that proved beneficial for first grade students in learning and practicing their sight words. Sight words are words that students are expected to read and write by the end of the school year. Every student learns differently, and using movement to enhance students’ learning can give kinesthetic learners a chance to grow. There were four lessons in the unit plan that incorporated different modes of learning, including movement and technology, and correlated to the first grade curriculum. By the end of the four lessons, the students collaboratively created a …

Recurring Ankle Injuries In Dancers, Alexis Jawny

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research, obtained from various Journals of Dance Medicine and Science, is to identify the cause of recurring ankle injuries in the dance community. Ankle injuries are the most common type of injury making up 50% of injuries in dancers. The main cause of recurring ankle injuries is improper diagnosing and then leading to the wrong treatment plan. The research focusses on how to prevent these improper diagnoses and what the dancer and specialty care professional (orthopedics, physical therapists, and rehabilitative medicine) can do to decrease the number of ankle injuries occurring and reoccurring in the dance …

Devising Performance & Queer Futurity, Brendan F. Leonard

Honors Theses

This project argues that devising performance is an inherently queer and utopian form. In response to recent political movements, such as Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter, which seek to stage dissatisfaction with the systems of late capitalism, I turn to devising performance as a site. Informed by the queer and performance theories of Jose Esteban Munoz, Lee Edelman, and Jill Dolan, I argue that devised theater allows us to process disillusionment, rehearse collectivity, and stage futurity. In conversation with Munoz, I define futurity as an imaginative site that considers what will follow what some scholars suggest will be …

John Jasper: The Creation Of A Character, Blake Price

Honors Theses

On November 13th, 2015, I will be participating in my last mainstage performance at Western Michigan University. To say I’m excited to be finishing my college career as John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, would be an absolute understatement. Over the course of the past three and a half years, I have had the rare privilege to split my time evenly between performing plays and musicals, which does not always happen for Music Theatre Performance majors. The ability to work with new directors on a variety of different styles of plays and musicals has given me the opportunity …

Exhuming Ophelia: A Feminist, Costume Design Exploration, Shelby M. Gable

Honors Theses

Ophelia is a character that has captivated and moved audiences since her first appearance onstage in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark around the year 1600. Unfortunately, she represents a negative and slim representation of femininity that reflects a long-standing trend that has established a specific and limited iconic understanding of her character. As a feminist theatre maker I have undertaken a multi-phase approach to reconstructing Ophelia based on four separate approaches. First, I will examine how it is that Ophelia’s representation is harmful in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Second I will show how feminist readers and critics have approached the …

An Outsider Amongst Outsiders: Psychosocial Impact Of The Devil’S Backbone, The Orphanage, And Mama, Abigail M. Cathcart

Honors Theses

The horror movie genre has a history of developing stories that use both empathy and fear to reflect upon timeless cultural concerns. Guillermo del Toro’s works, The Devil’s Backbone, The Orphanage, and Mama, are contemporary examples of this formula at work. In this project, I intend to examine the sociality of these films according to the psychological theories of Freud’s “Uncanny” and Todorov’s “Fantastic.” Through these concepts, del Toro and his collaborators fashioned the issue of social isolation in a variety of ways to sculpt villains, victims, and families into entities that engender both our compassion and …

"Existing On A Continuum Of Intensity" Original Dance, Sarah Rot

Honors Theses

The following documents display the many aspects of my Graduating Dance Presentation, a culminating project of my choreographic, performance, and academic studies at Western Michigan University. This project displays my focus in both the fine arts, as well as the behavioral sciences, combining the two into a multi-dimensional project. This portfolio includes the technical, budgetary, and scheduling aspects of the project, as well as the analyses for my spatial design, music, and movement. Finally, there is a video of the dance portion of the project, which is the first piece featured in the concert.

"Bachelorette": A Footlight Production, Tamsen Glaser

Honors Theses

A WMU Theatre Footlight Production of “Bachelorette” by Leslye Headland. An in-depth directing process of Headland’s third installment of her Seven Deadly Sins series, focusing on a re-definition of gluttony in today’s society and how our culture of excess affects the young adult generation.

Co-Authorship In Action: Curation & Collaboration In American Post-Judson Dance, Sara Gibbons

Honors Theses

This essay aims to illuminate and champion concert dance through an investigation into a sliver of American postmodern dance, which I term post-Judson dance, in an attempt to better understand, define, and assert dance in academe, art, and culture. This thesis examines the use and benefits of collaboration in today’s dance devising processes and the influences that constructed collaboration as a choreographic working method. Through historical, theoretical, contemporary, and practice-based evidence, this essay argues that through choreographer and performer participation, leading to the transformation of content, style, structure, and discovery, choreographers harvest an expansive collection of information that they use …

"Trying To Resurrect People": Musical Theater And Theater For Social Change In Witness Uganda, Emilie Jensen

Honors Theses

In spring 2014, the musical Witness Uganda premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. Written by Griffin Matthews and Matt Gould, the show takes on the problematic idea of aid work in the United States and worldwide. In this thesis, I look at Witness Uganda in relationship to theater for social change. Theater for social change is theater that actively works for social justice. In studying Witness Uganda, I investigate the possibilities and challenges of creating a piece of commercial musical theater that could be considered theater for social change.

Early Career Theatre Production Portfolio, Emphasis In Lighting Design, Mara Johnson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to create both a traditional and digital portfolio, with the intention of showcasing myself as a theatre artist. It cohesively compiles, organizes, and displays the theatre design and technical skills I have acquired during my four years as a student in Western Michigan University's Department of Theatre. It contains a variety of work, including in-class exploratory projects as well as realized productions, in both digital and traditional mediums. Projects range from scenic painting to hand rendering to 3D modeling and visualization to advanced programming.

The main focus of the portfolio is my work …