Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Making Historians Of Theatre History Students: The First Three Steps, David Wintersteen

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Without the guidance of a clear hypothesis, student research projects founder. This paper outlines a process by which students undergo the essential first stages that lead to successful research projects in Theatre History. The paper outlines three stages: “Quest for Fire,” in which the student identifies a subject area that interests them; “Fence Me In,” in which the student defines the research area and established distinct parameters; and “The Dreaded Hypothesis,” in which the student articulates a clear, unique and functional hypothesis. By implementing these initial three stages, teachers can create the conditions under which students motivate themselves to complete …

Our Town Program [2015], University Of Southern Maine Department Of Theatre

Programs 2015-2016 Season

A drama by Thornton Wilder

Guest Director: Andrew Harris

This production was a Participating entry in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KC/ACTF).

Legally Blonde: The Musical (October 29-31, 2015), Heather Hach

Student Theatre Programs

Program for Legally Blonde: The Musical (October 29-31, 2015).

To view the photos from this production of Legally Blonde, please click here.

The Next Time Someone Has Something Bad To Say About Your Work..., Heather Gibson

UCF Forum

A theatre student recently came to my office a little on the glum side. He was an actor in a production that had received a less-than-favorable review and he wasn’t taking it well. He had taken the writer’s words to heart and it was affecting his performance.

Columbinus (October 9-10, 15-17, 2015), Stephan Karam, P J. Paparelli

Student Theatre Programs

Program for Columbinus.

To view the photos from this production of Columbinus, please click here.

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Program, University Of Southern Maine Department Of Theatre

Programs 2015-2016 Season

Lyrics by Tim Rice

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Direction by Edward Reichert

Choreography by Jasmine Ireland

Music Direction by Kellie Moody

The Beauty Queen Of Leenane Program, University Of Southern Maine Department Of Theatre

Programs 2015-2016 Season

A Dark Comedy by Martin McDonagh

Directed by Thomas Power

This production was a Participating entry in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KC/ACTF).

Theatre Appreciation, Deborah Liss-Green, Elizabeth Perkins, Caryl Nemajovsky

Fine Arts Grants Collections

This Grants Collection uses the grant-supported open course Theatre Appreciation from Darton State College:

http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/arts-ancillary/1/

This Grants Collection for Theatre Appreciation was created under a Round Three ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.

Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process.

Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials:

• Linked Syllabus
• Initial Proposal
• Final Report

Let Theatre Take You To A New World — Without Ringing, Glowing Phones, Heather Gibson

UCF Forum

There’s been a lot of talk about patron use of technology in theaters, the most recent story of course being Patti LuPone’s snatching a phone out of a texting audience member’s hands in the middle of a scene during Shows for Days at the Lincoln Center Theater.

Dramaturgos Catalanes: Un Nuevo Cosmopolitismo, Sharon G. Feldman

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Las giras y traducciones, normalmente de manera conjunta, han servido como barómetros de la vitalidad de la escena del teatro catalán. En Cataluña la movilidad es sinónimo habitual del prestigio, y el éxito en el teatro se mide de manera frecuente en función de su alcance y reputación internacionales. Además, para los dramaturgos que escriben en catalán, siempre conscientes de la precaria situación de su lengua e identidad cultural, su paradójica posición política de distancia y proximidad en relación con España ha podido acentuar el anhelo de pertenecer a una mayor esfera global.

“Cold Coach = Victory” And Other Guidelines To The Director’S Playbook, Lavina Jadhwani

The Theatre School MFA in Directing Theses

ESPN columnist Gregg Easterbrook argues that "cold coaches," ones who expose themselves to the same elements their players are facing by wearing light jackets instead of warm parkas, are more likely to lead their teams to victory. The same is true for great stage directors; if we, as artistic leaders, expect our colleagues to open themselves up and be vulnerable in process, we must lead by example.

This essay includes other insights into the director's process, including working with actors, designers, and assistant directors, as well as working on specific types of plays (Shakespeare, Chekhov, musicals, American realism, etc.); it …

Theatre Directing Without An Mfa: A Practical And Systematic Approach For Directors In Kuala Lumpur, Kelvin Wong

The Theatre School MFA in Directing Theses

This paper investigates a practical and systematic directing approach for up-and-coming directors in Kuala Lumpur who may not have the time and resources to attend graduate school. This approach was constructed from production practice and multiple hours of classroom sessions over three years. The author hopes to elevate standards of local production practice in Kuala Lumpur; create a more vibrant, competitive and eclectic theatre scene; and inspire new directors in the city to discover their own directorial approaches.

Never Getting Back: Creating The Title Role In Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo, John H. Neisler

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents my rehearsal and performance of the role of Tiger in Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, including research, character analysis, role development, rehearsal journal, and an evaluation of my performance. Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was produced by the UNO Department of Film and Theatre, under the direction of David W. Hoover. The play was performed at the Robert E. Nims Theatre of the Performing Arts October 2 - 4, 9 - 11 at 7:30pm, and October 12, 2014 at 2:30pm. The play was performed at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival …

Making Theatre Special Without Special Effects : You Better Sit Down : Tales From My Parents' Divorce., Anna Neikirk

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

"V Is For Violin" - An Original Playscript, Brittany Taylor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As and MFA playwrighting candidate, I was given the opportunity to witness a fully realized production of my work. For this academic opportunity I chose the "V is for Violin." I will discuss the genesis of the idea, the evolution of the play, research conducted, and what I learned in the production process of the show.

The Mission Of A Theatre Artist, Laura Shatkus

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of materials documenting my thesis performance as well as a statement of artistry, a copy of my current headshot, and resume and a link to my website.

Existing On Earth And Stage: Exploring Human Relationships With Ecosystems Through Performance, Julia Stephanie Levine

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

"You're on Earth. There's no cure for that," says the character Hamm, in Samuel Beckett's Endgame. The stage offers a unique lens through which to explore the reality of human existence on Earth, sharing the behaviors of characters in imagined circumstances with audiences. My honors thesis production, GAIA: an eco-theatre project explores human relationships with the environment and comes out of research conducted during the 2014 Butler Summer Institute. My thesis project began by raising the following questions: How do we impact the environment, and how do we react to changes in our ecosystems? What do our actions in our …

Implementation Of Lighting And Projection Into Metamorphoses By Mary Zimmerman, Loren Haynes

Honors College Theses

On March 4, 2015, Metamorphoses opened its doors to the public. The cast, crew, and production staff had been working on this masterpiece for many months, but the night was finally here and the production was finished. The end product was a transformative work of art that took the audience through many of the old Greek myths through song and dance and words.

In order to help accomplish this, the lighting and projection elements were designed to accent each story and give the audience a clear sense of place, time of day, mood, and other aspects of the world. This …

Pericles (April 17-18, 23-25, 2015), William Shakespeare

Student Theatre Programs

Program for Pericles (April 17-18, 23-25, 2015)

To view the photos from this production of Pericles, please click here.

Performative Gender: London, Ryan-Patrick Mclaughlin

Collection of Engaged Learning

Funded by Southern Methodist University’s Engaged Learning program, mentored by Dr. Gretchen Smith, and informed by an eight week stay in London, Performative Gender: London is a solo performance that explores the ways Londoners think about, experience, and express (or perform) gender.

Unity (1918): The Lighting Of A Modern Dark Comedy With Gothic Elements, Steven J. Miller

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

This thesis is a reflection on the research and production process of the lighting design of the play Unity (1918) by Kevin Kerr, performed in the Studio Theatre at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film from October 9 to 11 and October 14 to 19, 2014. The play was directed by Ian Borden with scenic design by Vicki Halverson, costume design by Megan Cudd, lighting design by Steven J. Miller and technical direction provided by A.J. Lowery. This thesis documents the lighting design process including initial meetings, research, conceptualization, paperwork, technical rehearsals, critical response, and production photos.

Adviser: …

As You Like It Program [2015], University Of Southern Maine Department Of Theatre

Programs 2014-2015 Season

A Comedy by William Shakespeare

Directed by Assunta Kent

This production was a Participating entry in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KC/ACTF).

Student Directed One-Act Plays (March 19-21, 2015), Lindenwood University

Student Theatre Programs

Event program for Student Directed One-Act Plays (March 19-21, 2015).

A New Brain (February 27-28, March 5-7, 2015), James Lapine, William Finn

Student Theatre Programs

Program for A New Brain (February 27-28, March 5-7, 2015).

To view the photos from this production of A New Brain, please click here.

An Evening With Christopher Durang Program, University Of Southern Maine Department Of Theatre

Programs 2014-2015 Season

One act comedies by Christopher Durang

Directed by William Steele

This production was a Participating entry in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KC/ACTF).

Economies Of Touring In American Theatre Culture, 1835-1861, Nicole Berkin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Employing methods from print and material culture studies, this dissertation explores the economic, social, and cultural dynamics of theatrical touring during a period, 1835-1861, when the ultimate symbols of anxiety over rising industrialization, migration, and urbanization--con artists and prostitutes or "confidence men and painted women"- were associated with both theatre and transportation. I argue that touring was central to the spread of theatre culture and is therefore critical to understanding U.S. popular culture. This project examines how geographic movements, as well as the circulation of extra-theatrical materials like newspapers and photographs, were instrumental not only for performers who attempted to …

“The Autism Adventures Of Watson & Holmes”: Puppet Theatre To Improve Elementary Students’ Knowledge Of And Attitudes Toward Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah N. Simon

Departmental Honors Projects

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing concern in schools across the nation. More students with high functioning autism are being mainstreamed, and students on and off the spectrum are being exposed to a wider variety of behaviors and new opportunities for friendship in school. Many students who fall on the autism spectrum suffer from the stigmatizing attitudes of their peers, and this stigmatization often stems from a lack of early education about mental health. Puppetry has been proven to captivate young audiences while teaching important messages in an entertaining and relatable way. The purpose of this …

‘The 39 Steps’ Of Stage Management: An Analysis Of The Evolution Of Professional Stage Managment Practices And Their Application At Otterbein University's Department Of Theatre 2011-Present, Grace K. Murrin

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

One of the most vital roles in the theatrical world is that of the stage manager. The stage manager’s job is to manage everything that happens on the stage. They create schedules, manage actors, keep track of props, set pieces, and costumes, record blocking, and call the show. The stage manager is the glue that holds the production together. They act as a facilitator, conductor, advisor, and leader. For my honors thesis project, I have explored stage management methods as they have developed and changed over time. I have applied four new-to-Otterbein methods of stage management through my stage management …

The Fatal Lamp And The Nightmare After Christmas: The 1811 Richmond Theatre Fire, Amber Marie Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE FATAL LAMP AND THE NIGHTMARE AFTER CHRISTMAS: THE RICHMOND THEATRE FIRE OF 1811

By Amber Marie Martinez, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015

Director: Dr. Noreen C. Barnes, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Theatre

“How strange a preface the loud laughter excited by a pantomime, to volumes of smoke and fire” (The American Standard, 27 December 1811). Building fires were not exactly uncommon back in the …

The Theatre Missionary: Exploring The Early Career Teaching Experiences Of Theatre Educators Through Artistic Inquiry, Robert Andrew Strickland

Educational Studies Dissertations

For educators entering a fine arts classroom for the first time the transition can be quite difficult. Fine arts teachers are often the only specialists in their subject area at a school, placing them in a new situation without a mentor to guide them through the process. The difficulties can be exacerbated by the ideological, financial, and social marginalization of the arts in many schools. Despite the challenges faced by new fine arts educators, little research has focused specifically on their transitions into K-12 classrooms. To explore these transitional experiences this study was guided by the research question: How do …