Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Responding To The Plague Years: Aids Theatre In The 1980s, Jason Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first discovered in 1981 and consequently changed United States history. Initially, it affected the gay community, and the United States Government did not actively combat the spread of the disease for the first four years of the epidemic. In response to a need for education, the theatre community took it upon itself to raise awareness about the disease. Artists such as Robert Chesley and Larry Kramer created pieces of theatre that helped society deal with AIDS. This thesis explores the AIDS theatre canon while focusing on two major works: Robert Chesley’s Night Sweat: A …

The Machine's Effect On The Psyche Of The American Woman: A Dramaturgical Analysis Of Machinal By Sophie Treadwell, Kori Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Sophie Treadwell's style is often associated with the male contemporaries of her time: Eugene O'Neill and Elmer Rice. During the 1920s, these writers were being influenced by German Expressionistic theatre in a way that the American stage had not yet witnessed. Expressionistic drama is characterized by Jackson 15 of 26 heightened text that is often expansive, clipped, or musical. This type of dialogue connected the audience with a rhythm particular to the play. Expressionist drama is also characterized by the environment often being boiled down to its essence. This often involved bare-boned sets and dynamic levels. Sophie Treadwell' s style …

The Reflection Of The Wastelands Of Waiting For Godot And Endgame In Electronic Media, Anya M. Cronin

Theses and Dissertations

The Reflection of the Wastelands of Waiting for Godot and Endgame in Electronic Media is a study of the wasteland settings of Waiting for Godot, Endgame, and the Internet according to the method of play analysis established by Bruce McConachie in American Theatre in the Culture of the Cold War: Producing and Contesting Containment, 1947- 1962. Chapter One establishes my justification, methodology, structure, and survey of literature. Chapters Two-Four explore isolation and language, magic, and death in regard to Godot, Endgame, and the Internet, respectively. Chapter Four also briefly concludes the work. This thesis invites …

Dropping Knowledge And Breaking Barriers: My First Year Teaching At John Marshall High School, Jeffrey Cole

Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis draws from my experiences during my first year teaching at an inner city public school, John Marshall High School, from September 2007 to June 2008. It details apprehensions, conflicts, adjustments and corrections, both in my instructional method and personal interaction with students. I seek to illustrate mistakes and insights any first-year teacher might experience, as well as synthesize my own impressions regarding my evolving teaching philosophy.

Matoaka: Pocahontas In The Age Of Identity, Matthew Shifflett

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis details the labors of research and judgment that informed the writing of Matoaka, a Play in Three Acts. Specifically, the thesis explores the historical puzzles surrounding the life of Pocahontas and justifies the decisions made in dramatizing her life in the aforementioned play. Non-fictional works of the last four hundred years are considered, as well as popular dramatic performances of the nineteenth century. These works are examined closely in order to reveal the Pocahontas story as a point of contact between many concurrent social discourses. Reflections are also offered on the production of the aforementioned play and its …

Alba Emoting: A Safe, Effective, And Versatile Technique For Generating Emotions In Acting Performance, Angela Katherine Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes that Alba Emoting™ is a safe, effective, and versatile technique of generating emotions for acting performance. Alba Emoting is safe because it resolves four major problems some actors experience while generating emotions for acting performance. These problems include, &ldqup;emotional hijacking,” “emotional hangover,” “emotional blockage,” and using emotional memories which are faded, incomplete, inconsistent, or full of mixed emotions. Alba Emoting solves these four problems through the help of certified trainers, the step-out procedure, and the emotional effector patterns, which allow actors consistent access to a large range of emotions. Alba Emoting is effective because it enables actors …

Exploring The Ba And Bfa Curriculum, Jane Frazier

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a picture of my journey as an educator. I taught at the University level from Fall 2001 – Summer 2006 before I became a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Theatre Pedagogy where I continued to teach until 2008. My education and real life experiences over the last seven plus years have contributed to my teaching methodology which is ever evolving. There were several trials and tribulations as I progressed as an educator and this is an exploration of my experience teaching in the BA and BFA curriculums.

A Study Of The Life And Work Of Christopher Durang: Laughing Wild Amidst Severest Woe, Jeannine M. James

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis maps Durang's struggle with faith and demonstrates how his personal journey to discover and document his pain acts as a catalyst for his creative work. It will explore his style of masking and unmasking himself in his characters revealing his innermost pain and suffering. I also surmise that his work serves as a kind of therapy by allowing him to constantly unravel and unveil his investigation of self.

This thesis examines Christopher Durang's personal history and family struggles in an effort to understand the experiences that shaped the work of one of America's premier authors of absurdist comedy. …

Storming The Castle: Non-Secular Subversion Of The Pas D'Armes In The Castle Of Perseverance, John Moss

Theses and Dissertations

It is important to remember that the categories of medieval performance were established far removed from their period in history. As a genre, the morality play includes a wide diversity of time, geography, content and performance styles. Such disparities have made it difficult to develop a comprehensive definition, without which comparisons between works cannot be consistent. As scholarship continues to explore these works in context of their performance, it becomes increasingly important to identify which performance styles best inform their production. In examining The Castle of Perseverance within the parameters of pas d’armes, new meanings can be drawn from its …

Unlisted Properties: An Exploration In Solo Performance, Lauren White

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the process of creating, producing and performing a solo performance titled UNLISTED PROPERTIES. We intend to intertwine historical text and contemporary narratives to create portraits of women throughout different periods of history/her-story dealing with the theme of women as property or owning others as personal property. The historical text will be taken from the self-written works of Mary Chesnut, Harriet A. Jacobs, and Elizabeth Packard. The contemporary pieces have been pulled from a variety of sources, which include an interview with Mary Ford, an Army bride during World War II, Pagan Moss, a website blogger describing her …

Unlisted Properties: An Exploration In Solo Performance, Jason Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the process of creating, producing and performing a solo performance titled UNLISTED PROPERTIES. We intend to intertwine historical text and contemporary narratives to create portraits of women throughout different periods of history/her-story dealing with the theme of women as property or owning others as personal property. The historical text will be taken from the self-written works of Mary Chesnut, Harriet A. Jacobs, and Elizabeth Packard. The contemporary pieces have been pulled from a variety of sources, which include an interview with Mary Ford, an Army bride during World War II, Pagan Moss, a website blogger describing her …

Directing Earth, Fire, And Water With A 5th Grade Class, Lucy Bryson

Theses and Dissertations

The value of arts education in our schools is on the rise. Many studies have been conducted in the recent past supporting this rise. The College Board reports that students since 1999 exposed and involved with arts education score higher on the SAT. (Americans for the Arts) As a result theatre education is on the rise. Traditionally drama programs have only been established in secondary schools; however, middle and elementary schools are beginning to add drama programs to their curriculum. These programs vary from school to school. Some are very performance based using class time to choose a play, audition, …

Gershwin's Fascinating Rhythm: The Rise Of The Jazz Musical, Amy C. Baumgartner

Theses and Dissertations

The shift in the American economic viewpoint before and after World War I left an indelible mark on the arts, allowing the only indigenous music to arise, jazz. In the transitory period following the war, it was George Gershwin who paved the way for jazz to become America's only indigenous music. Yet, the current definition of jazz is so racially polarized that it has lost focus on the music. This work explores George Gershwin's role in creating a jazz culture in a xenophobic country and argues for an inclusive definition of jazz, one based on the music itself.

Flow-Acting: Modern Sports Science And The Preparation Of Actors, Barrett Slade Billew

Theses and Dissertations

Theatre artists and acting teachers throughout history have sought to find and create presence. By combining modern sports science with an understanding of systems of actor training I have suggested an approach that makes presence a trainable skill. My coach Dr. Scott Sonnon, developer of the Circular Strength Training System, has refined modern sports science to emphasize the development and maintenance of flow-state. This state allows the athlete to respond openly and freely within a constantly changing situation.By combining my life long study of acting with my eight years of work with Coach Sonnon I am developing a system to …

Choreographing Cabaret: A Guide To Storytelling Through Dance And Movement, Katie Claire Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

American Musical Theatre is one of the unique American methods of storytelling that exists in performance. In a musical, text, song, movement, and dance tell a story. In Music Theatre, when a character can no longer express what they desire in words, they sing. If singing cannot satisfy the need, the element of dance comes into play. Richard Kislan states, "What sets dance apart is the universality in movement and gesture which is not bound like language to nationality or culture. Dance transcends geography in a way that language cannot. Dance humanizes expression in a way that music cannot."(237) In …

Creating A Realistic Set Design For Doubt: A Parable, Philip Avery Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a narrative describing the set design for the Richmond premiere of Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley. The project was a creation of a set to be used by the Barksdale Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. The performance was held in February 15, 2008 through March 22, 2008 at the Barksdale Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. The production was a cooperation between the Virginia Commonwealth University Theatre Department and the Barksdale Theatre Inc.

Open Your Eyes...On Impressing The Important Things., Heidi Dawn Ortega

Theses and Dissertations

Open Your Eyes… On Impressing the Important Things is the documentation of my first semester as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. The purpose of this thesis is to document that journey to gain greater understanding of myself and my teaching. I embrace teaching as an artist. It is an opportunity to inspire and empower. As a teacher, I am attentive to the fact that learning is a complex process. It is individual, content and context specific. I believe that the goal of teaching is to empower students to take responsibility for their learning. Teaching is an art form that can be …

"Bat Boy: The Musical" Scene Design, Christopher Shane Dills

Theses and Dissertations

A. Environmental Facts

1. Geographical Location: The Exact Place Hope Falls. West Virginia, Population 500

2. Date: Year, Season, Time of Day. What is significant about the date? Present (2008), Fall at the beginning of the play and progresses into Spring by the beginning of act two and the revival. Time of day is generally midday except for the Christian Charity until the end of Dance with Me, Darling. During this portion of act one it is night time and it is storming, Hence the lightning flashes and power outages called for in the script and stage directions. The end …

Jules, Emily Oye

Theses and Dissertations

The short play Jules is a response to August Strindberg's Miss Julie and Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie. Jules is the story of a wealthy young woman celebrating her Sweet 16 birthday at a lavish "Juicy Couture" theme party in Orange County, California. At the party, her best friend tries to disuade her from falling for a young Mexican immigrant who is catering the party. Jules explores the tensions between rich and poor, the attitude of the privilaged towards the working class, the consequences of relationships, and the attitude that characterizes our "girls gone wild" era.

Integrating Actor Training Into Movement Design: An Analysis Of The Fight Direction In Tamburlaine And Edward Ii, Christopher Drew Vidal

Theses and Dissertations

The following thesis draws from a recent production assignment at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., in which I acted as Associate Fight Director under Broadway Fight Director Rick Sordelet. We worked on three shows in all: William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, and Christopher Marlowe's first play, Tamburlaine, and his last, Edward II. By analyzing and assessing the working methods utilized during this production process, I hope to elucidate the most effective elements, and finally synthesize the tenets of my own working method. Structurally, I will recount the experience chronologically, from preproduction to performance, treating the pros and …

The Director's Presence, Paul Stephen Wurth

Theses and Dissertations

This text is partial record and narrative of the process and productions of Orphans by Lyle Kessler that opened on March 29th 2007 for a four day run ending on April 1st, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh that opened October 28th 2007 for a three day run ending on October 30th, and Terra Nova by Ted Tally that opened on February 21st 2008 for a four day run ending on February 24th. The majority of the text follows the three shows from Spring 2007, Fall 2007, to Spring 2008, focusing on the process of direction of each production. Incorporated in …

Entertainment News: Agitprop To Colbertisms, Chanelle Renee Vigue

Theses and Dissertations

At the beginning of the twentieth century, newspaper theatre was born from the need to inform those who could not read the news for themselves. There have been many contributors and influential factors to the multi-faceted evolution of newspaper theatre. Contributors include Meyerhold, Piscator, Brecht, Hallie Flanagan and Arthur Arent, and Augusto Boal. Influential factors include technology, politics, and the influence of theatrical movements. The most popular and most frequent contributors to contemporary newspaper theatre are the legitimate news media and comedy news shows.

Looking For Ways To Ruin A Perfectly Good Day: Masculinity In Bash: The Latter-Day Plays By Neil Labute, Daniel F. Devlin

Theses and Dissertations

Neil LaBute is one of the most prolific and challenging playwrights in America today. My thesis will explore his work bash: the latter-day plays through the frame of the performance and use of masculinity by his characters, and will create a vocabulary through which the remainder of LaBute's works can be studied, both in terms of academic scholarship and the practical application of that scholarship to the process of theatrical creation.

Directing For The Small Professional Theatre: Directing "Nothing Sacred", Robert Hunter Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The challenges of producing and directing small professional theatre in any metropolitan area are many. This thesis is concerned with the process of finding a producing theatre, casting, rehearsal and staging the play, "Nothing Sacred" by George F. Walker, in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Unlike many thesis projects this one was conducted completely outside of the university setting and is thus a true reflection of the small professional theatre community.

Bollywood Broads: Reconstructing The Femme Fatale In Popular Indian Film, Erin Zimmerman Moss

Theses and Dissertations

Mumbai is currently one of the most prolific and lucrative film centers in the world. Its production of the "Bollywood" popular film has attracted billions in audience members outside the nation of India, many of whom do not belong to Indian culture in the Diaspora. The significance of this influence draws from the cross-cultural borrowings increasingly present in Bollywood cinema. The advent of Western investment in the production center has coincided with the diversification of the standard Bollywood film from "masala" musical to more genre specific action, horror and even romantic comedy musical. Within this genre expansion, a nod to …

Sing Together! Choral Singing As A Supplementary Training Method For Actors, Daniel C. Dennis

Theses and Dissertations

Voice and speech training for the actor has traditionally defined itself as distinct from the vocal training of the musical theatre or opera singer. The separation in philosophy and practice by trainers of actors and singers reflects the resultant capabilities and proclivities of our performers. Those performers generally sing or act, and if asked, will sometimes do both, but may damage their voices in the process. This study aims to explore and reveal how actors may develop a greater sense of courage and trust, have easy access to breath, find freedom in their bodies and voices, become better listeners and …

The Pedagogy Of Shakespeare & Company, Catherine Bryne

Theses and Dissertations

The Pedagogy of Shakespeare & Company examines in several ways the principles and practices of actor training at Shakespeare & Company of Lenox, Massachusetts. Chapter 1 is a narrative of my personal experience at the Month-long Intensive in Lenox, elaborating its multiple components. Chapter 2 recounts the genesis of the company and looks at the influences that shaped its identity. Chapter 3 is a more specific attempt to define the pedagogy developed by Tina Packer, Kristin Linklater and the other founders of Shakespeare & Company and to provide some contextual analysis. The remainder of this document explores my own pedagogical …

Bananas In The Mist: Directing Amazing Adventures Of The Marvelous Monkey King, Diego Villada

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis details -in personal narrative form- the process by which the author directed a production of Elizabeth Wong's Amazing Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey King at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in Miami, Florida. The following text explains elements of pre-production, presents relevant research associated with the play, describes the production process in detail, and states conclusions drawn by the author about the experience. The work challenged both the ensemble and the director to seek new avenues of expression and theatricality different from those traditionally explored in their respective educational settings.

Arlecchino's Journey: Crossing Boundaries Through La Commedia Dell'arte, Janine Michelle Sobeck

Theses and Dissertations

La commedia dell'arte is a recognized, vibrant theatrical form that emerged in Italy during the Renaissance. However, while great attention has been given to the particulars of the genre (performance techniques, important troupes, leading players), there lacks a study behind the reasoning for its vast international popularity. In this thesis, I explore why this particular genre was able to cross cultural and linguistic boundaries, finding a dedicated and enthusiastic following in most European countries for over 200 years. After analyzing commedia dell'arte's original development in the Italian peninsula, examining the predominating Carnival ideology and the ability of the troupes to …

The Media Production Experience: A Phenomenological Study Of Student Media Production In A Secondary Education Environment, Brian N. Saxton

Theses and Dissertations

Many media education researchers have pointed out the benefits of incorporating a production element into a media literacy program. In fact, the simple use of the word “literacy" alludes to both critical analysis of (“reading") media and creative expression through (“writing") media. However, many of those same researchers have found that there are serious difficulties with student media production from a practical standpoint. The lack of equipment, the lack of class time, poor educator training, and the possibility that students may produce school-inappropriate or offensive texts create doubts about whether or not the effort is worth the reward. This qualitative, …