Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Zeus Iv, Lauren Holmes

Theses and Dissertations

How do you survive a pandemic? When you’re trapped inside for weeks? When society’s rules are revealed as largely arbitrary?

You get a dog and bring it to the park.

This play is about a group of devoted dog owners in Boston who stumble on an unexpected community. It's a dog park ballet about the close care of strangers.

Developing The Nonprofit Theatre: Building A Foundation For The Emerging Theatre Company, Kelsey Mcmillan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper aims to guide entrepreneurial theatre artists in beginning a nonprofit theatre arts venture. It will provide an in-depth analysis of the foundations required to begin a nonprofit theatre organization and analyze the need for expanding upon traditional structures and styles. Incorporating evidence and research from relevant literature, coursework, and market data as well as analysis of a strategic plan for The Common Theatre Company, this paper finds that non-profit theatre companies can be positively served by developing unique products and services and a nontraditional governance model as an extension of the foundational needs of a nonprofit organization. The …

An Analysis Of Costume Design: Getting Near To Baby, Spring Awakening; Hair And Makeup Miss Bennet: Christmas At Pemberley, Amanda Cardwell-Aiken

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper chronicles three realized designs by Amanda Cardwell-Aiken during her MFA Costume Design and Technology studies; including Costume Designs for Getting Near to Baby and Spring Awakening the Musical, Hair and Makeup for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific play and highlights the research, design process, renderings and the execution of design through character breakdowns, production photos and examples of paperwork.

(138 pages)

The Theatrical Lighting Design For The Production Of The Moors., Austin James Bomkamp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper, The Theatrical Lighting Design for the Production of The Moors documents the process of the lighting design for the production of The Moors written by Jen Silverman and produced at the Fine Arts Center University Theatre by the University of Arkansas Department of Theater. This document includes the research, process, implementation, and evaluation of the theatrical lighting design for this play.

Jefferson Barracks Post Theater: A Place For People To Gather, John Granicke

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Jefferson Barracks Military Post had a rich and extensive history during its 120 years as an active military installation. The Post Theater was just one aspect of everyday life at Jefferson Barracks. This project is part of a collection of historic research blogs about Jefferson Barracks done in collaboration with St. Louis County Parks. The blogs will soon be available to view on the Jefferson Barracks County Park website.

The story of the Jefferson Barracks Post Theater begins with the Old Post Theater, which was built during World War I. From 1933 to 1944, four more post theaters were …

Learning To Let Go: Becoming A More Collaborative And Compassionate Director, Catherine Joy Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines all the directorial projects I’ve had the pleasure of working on throughout my time at UofSC, both as an assistant and as a director. Because I am completing my MFA without the mentor I originally started this journey with, my path has not been linear but, instead, a series of stepping stones in all shapes and sizes, guided by different directors and unofficial mentors who have various styles and approaches to theatre. These projects have molded my directorial approach in different ways, and I have become a better collaborator and leader because of them. This thesis examines …

Le Français Par Le Théâtre, Fatima Zahra Agnaou

Dirassat

The skill of communication is a notion that attracts attention of specialists. They believe it is the most important element of learning foreign languages. In fact, the main objective of teaching is achieving effective communication and being able to use the appropriate linguistic form to each situation. We are contributing to make theater as a means to teaching in FLE classes.

Edwina Williams Vs. Amanda Wingfield: The Mothers Who Shaped Tennessee Williams' Life And Legacy, Erin J. Schmidt

Theatre, Dance & Film Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Theater & Identity At Gettysburg College, Spring 1971, Jamie A. Riches

CAFE Symposium 2023

In 1971, the country was still in the process of extreme social upheaval and transformation brought on by the 1960s, and that included small, secluded communities like Gettysburg College. In the Owl & Nightingale Society, the school's theater program, many students found ways to express and explore themselves creatively and personally. Both historically and currently, theater tends to draw in queer people, and can be a comfortable and interesting way to embrace your identity and learn to build and work with communities. These are things queer people often didn't--and still don't--have access to in their everyday lives, making theater a …

A Real American Wife, A Japanese Object: Puppetry And The Orient In Minghella’S Madam Butterfly, Tobi Poster-Su

Representing Alterity through Puppetry and Performing Objects

In Anthony Minghella’s celebrated 2005 production of Madam Butterfly, three white men manipulate the small, fragile body of Sorrow (Cio-Cio-San/Butterfly’s child), and, in a dream sequence, Cio-Cio-San herself–this paper explores how the production uses puppetry to represent the racialized Other, and how this might subvert, reinforce, or make visible Orientalist views of the East within the source text.

Introduction: Puppets Have Always Performed Others, John Bell

Representing Alterity through Puppetry and Performing Objects

Puppets and performing objects have always performed alterities, often reflecting biased visions of Others. The papers in this collection about the object performances of Others can help us better understand global histories and cultures.

My Name Is Norma, Erin J. Schmidt

Theatre, Dance & Film Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Theatrical Scent Design As Compared To Traditional Design Areas With A Consideration For The Scientifically Notated Physical And Emotional Effects On The Human Body As It Potentially Relates To Future Creative Endeavors: A Framework, Katherine R. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional areas of theatrical design are established to the point of having a solid foundation for current and future designers to rely on as they strive to innovate. The same cannot be said for scent. I believe that art, like science, is a sector where the imagination is used to push the boundaries of what we currently know and can do. Artists are therefore entrusted with the responsibility to continue testing those boundaries, and that is what my topic lays the foundation for when it comes to scent. With my topic, I plan to look at the practical and ethical …

Women Play Football Too: Feminist Theory And Uk Football, Mikayla Kummer

Capstone Showcase

Women's Football in the UK has constantly overshadowed by Men's Football and with the popularity of social media it may have complicated the issue. The way women have been treated in the media has always been different to how men were treated. Gender can be considered a performance and how women are treated by the press demands a performance from them. Through Offside, a play by Hollie Poetry and Sabrina Mahfouz, this essay explores the relationship between feminist theory, women's football and social media. Women athletes have consistently been asked about their personal lives, bodies, relationships and anything besides the …

Inhumanity Restored: Digital Play & Poetic Drama, Ali Emir Dağlar

Comparative Literature M.A. Essays

This essay addresses the relationship of digital games to absurdism through a comparison of the 2011 video game Dark Souls with Samuel Beckett’s absurdist play Waiting for Godot. Staked in this comparison is the rhetoric not only of Dark Souls but of the contemporary digital game as a medium; establishing an analogy that speaks to the broader genealogy of modern media, my argument implicates the underemphasized yet critically meaningful kinship of computer games and poetic theater. I argue that understanding the digital game vis-a-vis absurdism means explicating how the 20th century stage, particularly that of Beckett, prefigures contemporary digital worlds …

Creating The Role Of Richard Iii For Richard Iii, Travis Grey Robertson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting. It is a detailed account of author Grey Robertson’s artistic process in creating the role of Richard III in Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Fall 2022 production of Richard III. This thesis follows the actor’s process through pre-production analysis, an historical and critical perspective, journals detailing the rehearsal and performance process, a post-production analysis, and process development. Appendices and works cited follow the process development.

Languishing Without A Human Touch: Directing In The Next Room Or The Vibrator Play, Sarah Belfrage Honerman

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This document is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts at Minnesota State University, Mankato. It is a detailed account of Sarah Belfrage Honerman’s directorial process for In The Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl. The play was produced in the Andreas Theatre and ran from September 21 to 24, 2022. The thesis outlines the director’s artistic process from pre-production through the performance in five chapters that include a early production analysis, an historical and critical perspective, a rehearsal and performance journal, a post-production analysis, and a process …

Theater Auf Der Wieden - History Of Location, Audiences, And Mechanics, Jonathan Jaworowski, Abriana Tereza, Rachel Thomaschefsky

2022 Festschrift: Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

There are many historical connections between Vienna’s theater scene and the original theater that Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte was performed in. This paper discusses the audiences of the Theater, the location, architecture and mechanics. Although much has changed within theaters since the 18th century, some things still remain the same.

Mozart & Schikaneder: Production Of Theatre In The 18th Century, Quinne Weinzierl, Miranda Preuss, Haley Tromblee

2022 Festschrift: Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

Die Zauberflöte was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with the libretto written by Emanuel Schikaneder. In this essay, we aim to present our findings regarding Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte in relation to the theater culture found in the 18th century. Because of the lack of writing on the production of Die Zauberflöte we aimed our research towards Schikaneder and the general layout of the theater surrounding the time Die Zauberflöte premiered. Using cross referencing and sources from the 18th century, we have put together a general synopsis of how Die Zauberflöte was likely promoted and produced. All of this information comes …

A Script And Acting Analysis Of David Mamet’S Glengarry Glen Ross, Abdelrahman Metwally

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Glengarry Glen Ross is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by David Mamet. This paper is a practical guide for the actor to understanding the events of the play and, specifically, to approaching the role of Richard Roma, with a particular emphasis on Michael Chekhov’s psycho-physical work. First, I will discuss the circumstances, values and themes of the world of the play in relation to the character Shelley Levene as the main agent of the events. Then my focus in character analysis will shift to Richard Roma as the lead character of the ensemble. Together, the two characters create a contrasting duo …

Review Of Theatrical Worlds, Lucas Skjaret

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Review of Theatrical Worlds (2014) found at https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00021870/00001.

Stephen D. Geller Papers, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

This collection includes the creative works of Stephen D. Geller and personal materials ranging from 1954-2007. Creative works include his completed screenplays, teleplays, scripts, manuscripts, novels, poems, research files, and other related materials. Personal bound copies of some of his works are handwritten while others are typed. Personal materials include family photographs, an astrology birth chart, correspondence, and materials related to Geller’s early education.

Find this collection in the University Libraries' catalog

Unifying Text And Music: Applying Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts To Operatic Arias For Soprano, Jamey J. Wright

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the present culture of operatic performance, artistry is measured not only by singers’ musical interpretation and vocal technique, but also by their ability to communicate compelling characterization. This monograph explores a helpful technique for dramatic interpretation in opera. The discipline of musical performance provides helpful guides to characterization through elements such phrasing, rhythm, harmony, and instrumentation. Techniques borrowed from the spoken theater, particularly those pioneered by Constantin Stanislavski, include the Magic If, objectives, actions, and tactics. The literature on auditioning for the theater is useful for synthesizing these techniques for singers, because audition techniques emphasize compelling characterization with …

Finding My Place In The Piazza: An Exploration Of Learning And Performing A Lead Role During A Pandemic, Emma Johnson

Honors Theses

The following thesis is a reflection of one student’s process as she learns a lead role in a musical amidst a global pandemic. The author begins with why she chose to be a performer and what has led her to this moment. She examines how significantly the pandemic has affected the performing arts job sector. The author explores her first exposure to the musical “The Light in the Piazza” and the role of Clara in a scenes program at the university which took place in the spring semester of 2021. The thesis then follows her journey through the abnormal virtual …

Dontrell, Who Kissed The Sea: An Expedition Into Technical Direction, Joseph J. Shelly Jr

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film: Theses, Student Research, and Creative Work

The Nebraska Repertory Theatre, in partnership with the Johnny Carson School of Theater, Film, and Emerging Media Arts at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, chose to produce Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea in March of 2021. Playwright Nathan Alan Davis completed the play in 2017. He is originally from Rockford, Illinois, and a graduate of Indiana University. Dontrell was his second produced play, premiering in June 2014 at the Source Festival in Washington, DC. Several theatres since 2014 have produced the play, and ours was the third show of the 2021-2022 season. The director was Ron Himes, the Founder …

Covid-19 & Broadway: A Comparative Analysis Of The Shifting Marketing Strategies Of Playbill And The Broadway League, Leah Gaffney

Honors College Theses

On March 12th, 2020, all Broadway productions closed their theaters due to the declaration of the Covid-19 global pandemic. This shutdown led to companies in the Broadway industry transitioning to nontraditional marketing strategies. This paper will outline how the Covid-19 pandemic led to changes in strategic marketing decisions and compare the motivations of these decisions for two Broadway companies: Playbill and The Broadway League. Previous literature denotes changes to marketing strategies as a result of other historic events in the
industry, and current news sources provide industry insight into the campaign discussions.Primary research will be conducted through one-on-one structured interviews …

Beneath The Surface: A Memory Play On Asperger's Syndrome, Conner Case

Senior Honors Theses

While academic, formal research proves to give readers an intellectual understanding of Asperger’s syndrome, this thesis serves as an approach to understanding the psychology of an Aspie on an emotional level. Through both research from peer-reviewed studies and the personal perception of an Aspie writer, a playwright develops a script inspired by the psychological aspects of Tennessee Williams’ memory play, The Glass Menagerie, to create an informative, yet engaging story about an Aspie protagonist. The playwright seeks to express that Aspies, despite their stereotypically cold exteriors, are emotionally complex individuals beneath the surface.

It’S An Old Song, But We’Re Gonna Sing It Again: The Myth Of Orpheus & Eurydice In Modern And Postmodern Theatrical Performance, Tiffani Brooks Hagan

Theses and Dissertations

Since theatre was established as an art form, productions have adapted myths into performance, creating an array of theatrical texts based on the oral practice of storytelling of ancient civilizations. This concept of adaptation, where playwrights draw from stories of the past in new works, has expanded in recent years to include new scholarship regarding the dramaturgy of theatrical adaptations and what it means to adapt a work, whether originally for theatre or not, into a text meant for theatrical performance. One such myth that has captivated audiences since its first recorded utilization has been the myth of Orpheus and …

Award-Wining Playwright Bess Welden Amplifies Marginalized Voices, Laura Meader

Colby Magazine

As playwright Bess Welden followed stories filed by her sister-in-law, a photojournalist covering the 2015 migrant crisis in Greece, she was captivated by a photo of an unaccompanied minor. She wondered how anyone could keep an emotional distance from a child like this.

Two, Pair: A Modern Menaechmi, Jacob L. Horn

Theses and Dissertations

Combining tools of faithful translation and liberal adaptation, I have modernized Plautus’s Menaechmi with the aim of recreating the spirit of Plautine comedy for a present-day viewer, focusing on playability. This dramaturgical process is documented in an introductory essay and text annotations, revealing key choices, theoretical considerations, and conceptual concerns.