Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

The Effects Of Creative Dramatics On Vocabulary Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students In A Language Arts Classroom: An Empirical Study, Annrené Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

Seattle Pacific University

Abstract

The Effects of Creative Dramatics on Vocabulary Achievement of Fourth Grade Students in a Language Arts Classroom: An Empirical Study

by

AnnRené Joseph

Chairperson of the Dissertation Committee: Dr. Arthur K. Ellis,

School of Education

That the arts enhance academic achievement has been a claim of educators for the past century. An empirical and replicable study to investigate this claim was needed.

This experimental study examined whether and to what extent the use of creative dramatics interventions increased the vocabulary achievement of fourth grade students in a language arts classroom. The 20-day study was conducted across …

Costume Design: A Vision From Paper To Reality, Caitlin Joye Moraska

Theses and Dissertations

What is art? Thomas Merton said, "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." This thesis is a detailed reflection of my process as a designer and how I have grown not only as a person but also, as an artist during my three years at the University of South Carolina. It describes my process and effort to refine my skills as a costume designer and to create the indelible world; that captures a plays mood, its characters, genre and time period.

Magdelena Abakanowicz stated that, "Art will remain the most astonishing activity of mankind …

Toward A Cross-Cultural Aesthetic: Directing A Kabuki-Inspired Madame De Sade, Kathryn Ruth Letrent

Theses and Dissertations

This text is a record of the preparation and rehearsal of a kabuki-inspired production of Madame de Sade by Yukio Mishima in an English translation by Donald Keene. The goals of this production were both artistic and pedagogical. I applied my knowledge of Japanese theatre and skills in directing skills in a new way to create a work of theatre with a cross-cultural aesthetic appropriate to both the play and the audience. This production also gave the cast of undergraduate acting students the experience of combining truthful and stylized acting and introduced them to both kabuki and Stella Adler acting …

The Aesthetic Which Is Not One: The Feminist (Un)Aesthetic In The Works Of Caryl Churchill And Suzan Lori-Parks, Kathren Martin

Theses and Dissertations

In the following essay I will establish a theatrical feminist (un)aesthetic that resists essentialism, which creates the dramaturgical space necessary to present a feminist (un)subject. The rejection of Ibsenite realism within the (un)aesthetic disrupts the male gaze as theorized by Laura Mulvey. This is achieved through a materialist feminist focus that highlights the constructive nature of gender difference anf disrupts the production of "woman" as sign. Through the use of Brechtian alienation techniques and theatrical formalism, the playwrights Caryl Churchill (Cloud Nine) and Suzan-Lori Parks (Venus) force the feminist goals of the (un)aesthetic to be considered beyond the context of …

Transformational Directing: An Analysis On How Leadership Affects The Creative Process, James Clayton Winters

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership is often ascribed as a quality one either possess or doesn’t. We often hear phrases like “She is born leader” or “All eyes are on you”, these are thrown around without discretion in the classroom, conference rooms, social gatherings, and business meetings. This work contends that leadership and in particular leadership that grows and transforms its participants is less an inherent character trait, than an outlook and set of core principles that lead to transformation. Through the application of current and developing business leadership theory and its effect on creativity and a cross analysis of “Best in Class” theatre …

Video Games: Their Effect On Society And How We Must Modernize Our Pedagogy For Students Of The Digital Age, Christopher J. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore how video games have become an extremely beneficial tool in regards to education, art, medicine, psychology, economics, and beyond. Chapter 1 focuses on how ubiquitous video games have become in America, and what makes video games such a uniquely enjoyable experience to warrant such popularity. Chapter 2 explores how video games have become instrumental in various fields. Chapter 3 discusses the role that video games now play in the world of education; specifically how we, as educators, must adapt a modern pedagogy best suited to students who have grown up with video games, which have …

Costume Design: More Than Imagination, Sean Anthony Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Through an analysis of my Costume Design process for Present Laughter by Noel Coward (2012), King Lear by William Shakespeare (2013) and Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (2014), presented at the University of South Carolina, I hope to relay the experience I gained as an artist and student. By examining my journey from an undergraduate design student, to graduate design student, and finally as an intern with William Ivey Long, I will analyze my work as a Costume Designer.

Scenic Design: A Compilation, Kelly Meredith Paysinger Hart

Theses and Dissertations

Scenic Design: A Compilation ventures into the process of creating three productions including, Boeing Boeing, Fusions and Three Sisters. Exploring the foundations of each design, the content covers all aspects from the beginning to the implementation of each production. Supported through historical research, inspiration, function of space and the endless possibilities of creation, this thesis will reveal the growth of each design in great detail. Theatre is about collaboration, creating a world from a script and transforming it into an art of performance and design.

Collaborative Costume Design, April Emily Andrew

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores my portfolio of graduate work as a costume designer, covering four diverse theatrical works. 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, a self proclaimed "Mississippi Delta Comedy" by Tennessee Williams examines the themes of domestic violence, isolation, and desire in rural America. Polaroid Stories, a modern poetic play by Naomi Iizuka, blends the harsh realities facing today's street youth with classical mythology to create a unique and theatrical world. Jeffrey Hatcher transported us back to the spectacle, scandal, and upheaval of King Charles II's English Restoration in Compleat Female Stage Beauty, following actor Edward Kynaston, who famed diarist Samuel …

Adult Learning And Development Theories And Principles Represented In Theater, Jeffrey Miele

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how adult learning and development theories and principles are represented in theater. The study also investigated if there was significant evidence to support the idea of using dramatic works as an example to illustrate adult learning and development theories and principles as an educational tool. Ten plays were analyzed along with an accompanying rubric that the evaluator completed while reading the plays. The rubric searched for information if adults and/or educators were present in the text, how andragogy and barriers were presented, along with other theories and principles. The findings suggested that …

Speech In America: Tracking The Evolution Of Speech Pedagogy In Theatre Training, Zachary Campion

Theses and Dissertations

Speech work, as it relates to actor training, has undergone many important changes since its formal introduction to the field over a century ago by Edith Skinner. Unfortunately, there are many who hold on to antiquated, misinformed and often harmful approaches to this kind of training. This thesis questioned the traditional models of speech pedagogy by creating a narrative for its development, questioning its efficacy, and exploring the alternatives that have developed over the years. I looked at the texts and approaches of Edith Skinner, Patricia Fletcher, Louis Coliaini, and Dudley Knight/Phil Thompson. I acknowledge that each practitioner has made …

"You've Got To Be Carefully Taught": Reflections On War, Imperialism And Patriotism In America's South Pacific, Jayna D. Butler

Theses and Dissertations

Underneath the romance, comedy and exoticism, South Pacific is a story that questioned core American values, exploring issues of race and power at a time when these topics were intensely relevant-the original opened just four years post WWII, on the heels of Roosevelt's aggressive expansionist response to domestic instabilities. Much has been written about the depiction of war and racial prejudice in South Pacific. However, examining such topics in the context of their cultural and political moment (both in 1949 and 2008) and through the lens of Terry Eagleton's unique take on morality, is not only a fascinating study, but …

Code-Switching In The Classroom: Teaching The Neutral American Dialect To The 21st Century Student, Hollis Louise Casini

Theses and Dissertations

Language is a personal process, a product of not only our development, but of one’s culture. Yet in the United States, an actor must be able to speak without a detectable dialect to be competitive in the entertainment world. How can voice teachers in a multi-cultural society, train students with more attention to the individuality of the students we educate? In this thesis, I present the information I have found important in my development as a voice teacher that has influenced my approach to training actors to use the Neutral American dialect. I begin by outlining human language acquisition and …

Applied Theatre: History, Practice, And Place In American Higher Education, Joseph A. Obermueller

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this paper is to examine the practice of Applied Theatre in order to better define the genre and make a case for its legitimization and inclusion in higher theatre education. By looking at the theatre practitioners of the 20th century who paved the way for its existence as well as modern practitioners, a definition will be distilled down to five core characteristics of the practice with several case studies illustrating those characteristics. Once a clear distinction has been made between Applied Theatre and other similar genres, the case will be made for why the field should be …

The Physical Theatre Of War: Language, Memory, And Gender In Black Watch And War Horse, Andrea M. Gunoe

Theses and Dissertations

The public's perception of war is influenced by every media story they see, every account they read, and every story they hear. News telecasts and newspapers tend to lean towards a focus of the grand narratives of war such as political involvement and overarching strategy. Media such as books and film can tell a more personal narrative of the events of war and attempt to display how war "really is" through the use of written and visual language that focuses more on how things happened as opposed to simply what happened. Theatre provides a unique perspective on war as the …

Serve The Ones Below: The Dramaturgy Of Sweeney Todd, Michael Hegarty

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a personal journey. My work on VCU’s production of SWEENEY TODD began in the Spring of 2012 when I came on board the production as dramaturg. Part of what is contained within is both an explanation of my dramaturgical research method as well as samples of the research I have compiled. However, my role was drastically changed in the Fall of 2012 when I was cast as the primary antagonist in the production. The thesis chronicles the rehearsal process as my role as dramaturg increasingly gave way to my role as actor. It attempts to answer the …

Shockheaded Peter: A Junk Opera. Costume Design., J. Theresa Bush

Theses and Dissertations

My concept is rooted in the fairy tail land of the dark woods like so many other terrifying fairy tails from my youth. Shockheaded Peter, our boogie man, is of the trees. The blood of the rotten children feeds the trees in this concept for the marbles that fall from our children literally representing blood will flow down the rake, across tin gutters, and into a huge tin washbasin out of which grows our gnarly set tree, a gnarly knobby willow. Peter comes from this tree that is fed by the blood of children. I set my costumes in the …

In Perceiving Monsters: A Costume Design For Caryl Churchill's The Skriker, Joshua Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to document my process for a costume design of The Skriker by Caryl Churchill. Included is the design account confronted in telling the story, analyzing the script, developing concepts and looks, and final rendering of the characters. The paper finishes with a reflection on how the design served the script and my conclusions on its success.

Laughing Together: Comedic Theatre As A Mechanism Of Survival During The Holocaust, Robin Knepp

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to analyze the ways many Jewish victims of the Holocaust used comedic theatre to help them overcome their dire circumstances by exploring the high demand for comedic performance in both the ghettoes and concentration camps and analyzing the numerous comedic works that were penned amidst the terror and catastrophic loss surrounding the Jews at this time. The second portion delves into the therapeutic values of comedy and explores the ways laughing may have benefitted those who partook in comedic theatre events. The final chapter investigate whether or not laughter should still be used to help cope with …

Teaching And Performing Theatre For Youth Using Physical Storytelling, Brooke Turner Alison

Theses and Dissertations

For children to enjoy theatre they must see a story played out physically. The same is true when children act. Young performers must be taught to act using a simplified version of the Stanislavski System that puts emphasis on playable action. This thesis evaluates current acting texts for youth based on whether or not the author is able to outline a method that is accessible for children, and highlights the importance of playable action in scene work. It also provides a guide to teaching theatre for youth based on a class of the author’s design where students developed curriculum, managed …

Considering Strasberg’S Method In The Twenty-First Century: A New Pedagogy, Terry Hardcastle

Theses and Dissertations

Student of Richard Boleslavsky and Maria Ouspenskaya, co-founder of the Group Theatre, Artistic Director of the Actors Studio, founder of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and developer of The Method, Lee Strasberg is one of the most famous acting teachers of the twentieth century. In the same way a concert pianist must practice her scales daily to maintain expertise, Strasberg believed an actor must regularly practice the use of sense memory to be emotionally authentic. Using Strasberg’s Method, this is achieved through a combination of relaxation and concentration, which leads to a sense of truth in performance. The …

Decoding Acting Vocabulary, Daniel Granke

Theses and Dissertations

This paper compares seemingly similar words from a variety of acting teachers, and shows how it is impossible to draw clear comparisons between words that are often used as synonyms. The paper is a reflection of the journey from believing in translation to recognizing its impossibility. In Chapter 1 we focus on one of the most common elements in actor training, Attention/focus/concentration, and analyze the shades of meaning in those words and the difficulty of talking about them in isolation. In Chapter 2 we look at the way in which semiotic analysis can explain the words resistance to equivalence. In …

Developing A Masters Of Fine Arts In Classical Performance For Cincinnati Shakespeare Company: The Transformation Of An Education Department Into An Education, Matthew Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis focuses on the development of a fully accredited Masters of Fine Arts in Classical Performance degree program for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC). Chapter 1 is a narrative of the author’s experience with CSC’s Young Company, the touring and teaching artist arm of the educational department. This chapter establishes culture of the company and the context of the program, the argument for the thesis. Chapter 2 is an exploration of existing and defunct MFA programs in Classical Performance or related fields of study, the steps toward NAST accreditation and curriculum development. Chapter 3 is a description of the MFA …

Live Art: A Positive Change In This World, Phillip Vollmer

Theses and Dissertations

LIVE ART is a program for students with special needs and students who are typically developed. They work collaboratively, with integrated forms of performance and visual art, culminating in a live performance. LIVE ART sought to use innovative methods of pedagogy, peer support and artistic influence to create a new curriculum where all students, regardless of ability, could grow. Along with this account, this thesis illustrates the experience of one teaching artist and his growth and journey through the program. His personal struggles with previous educational systems are mirrored in the struggles of the students, with their successes leading to …

The Mysteries Of Breath: What Do We Need And How Do We Teach It?, Rachel Hillmer

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this paper is to explore the philosophies, attitudes and beliefs that surround the teaching of breath. Voice and speech teachers want students and actors to be versatile; able to adjust to the demands of any role, and each student enters the classroom with a myriad of mental and physical breathing habits. Many voice and speech trainers, however, only address a limited number of breathing habits and primarily teach "deep breathing." Why has deep breathing dominated voice training, and how do we effectively teach breath for all students and all habits? I will examine six major voice practitioners: …

Singing For The Actor: An Interdisciplinary Approach To Musical Theatre Training, Valerie Accetta

Theses and Dissertations

Typically, singing training for the musical theatre student is divided into three subjects: music theory, private voice instruction and acting through song. By separating the study of the components of musical theatre performance, musical theatre programs reinforce this compartmentalization and few students are able to make connections between these components in performance. This thesis gives an account of my design of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of musical theatre, specifically a class I developed called Singing for the Actor. In this class, I focused on connecting three components of musical theatre singing: music theory, vocal production (specifically the Estill …

Theatre Triad: An Approach To Devising Collaborative Ensemble Theatre, Keith G. Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

Theatre Triad is a new approach to devising collaborative ensemble theatre starting with the three main components of Performance: Voice, Movement, and Text. These components were deconstructed and reconstructed in pairs as the basis for the devising process. The performance process begins with creating an ensemble followed by four steps: exploring the theatrical genres affiliated with the pairings of Voice and Movement, Movement and Text, Voice and Text, and completed with reintegrating all three components. Through this process many things occur, a new play is created, ensemble members focus on exploring the elements of acting and performance, and a strong …

Fem And Funny: Three Women Who Changed The Face Of Stand-Up Comedy, Rachel Eliza Blackburn

Theses and Dissertations

Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, and Lisa Lampanelli as performers demonstrate an arc of evolving female empowerment in the world of stand-up comedy. In this thesis I shall study the development of each woman’s career by examining her material, progression of her comic persona, and relationship to women’s gender roles, both personally and professionally. While there are many other female comics who contribute to the story of women’s stand-up comedy in the contemporary period (in particular, Moms Mabley and Elayne Boosler), Diller, Rivers and Lampanelli each represent a distinct shift in how their persona combined with subject matter, allowing women to …

The Commercial & Artistic Viability Of The Fringe Movement, Charles Garrison

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation compares and contrasts an established theatrical festival (The Edinburgh Fringe Festival) with two relatively new American festivals (The Cincinnati Fringe Festival and The New York City Fringe Festival) to determine the commercial and artistic viability of those particular fringe festivals and any commonality with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Each festival displayed four primary struggles on the ongoing path towards commercial and artistic viability: the involvement and development of locally-developed, internal theatre companies versus the invitation and involvement of external theatrical companies from other cities; the decisions determining if and how productions are selected or filtered for the festivals; …

The Development Of The Femme Fatale On Stage As Seen In The Works Of Jesse Lynch Williams And Edna St. Vincent Millay, Hillary Elizabeth Macarthur

Theses and Dissertations

The Femme Fatale in the United States developed from certain characteristics represented by the New Woman movement of the 1920's. Jesse Lynch Williams and Edna St. Vincent Millay capture the identifying factors of what a Femme Fatale is and should be. This paper will explore the differences and similarities in the images of the Femme Fatale and New Woman, and discuss how those differences are related to origins of the image of the New Woman.