Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

The Pajama Game, Otterbein Theatre And Dance Department

2021-2022 Season Production

Based on the novel 7 ½,The Pajama Game tells the story of a labor furor over a seven-and-a-half-cent pay raise at a pajama plant that complicates the course of true love for Sid Sorokin, the new factory superintendent, and Babe Williams, the feisty firebrand heading the Union Grievance Committee.

The World Would Be Better If They Hadn't Died: Alexandra Juhasz With Don’T Rhine, Alexandra Juhasz, Dont Rhine

Publications and Research

In Final Transmission: Performance Art and AIDS in LA, eds. Brian Getnick and Tanya Rubbak. When we chatted for an hour before to prepare, the first thing I asked you was how old you are. I’m 52, and you’re 54. But we realized that we didn’t know a lot about our shared history because we met in an activist part of the AIDS scene in Los Angeles. I picked up pieces about your history, and we’ve even collaborated, but I actually don’t know that much about you personally. Checking in before this public conversation, one of the things we realized …

Performer Training Evolutions: Nsp The Firstborn Son Of Smat, Chelsea Crothers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examined the Nobbs Suzuki Praxis (NSP), a performer training that evolved as an Australian variant of the Japanese Suzuki Method of Actor Training (SMAT). There has been little research on NSP up until now and this study seeks to establish its importance as a training approach that has the potential to be transformative for the performers who practice it. The study utilised a multi-modal approach that included traditional and practice as research methodologies. The origins of NSP in SMAT were traced to identify similarities and differences, and reveal NSP’s inspirations and the reasons for its subsequent divergent evolution. …

A Fat Imposter: The Embodied Intersection Between Race, Body Type And Fatness In Margaret Cho’S Comedy, Julia Cox

Theses and Dissertations--Linguistics

Margaret Cho is a comedic goddess who, in her mockery, serves flaming hot social commentary about race, body image, and fatness. Within this thesis, I used critical discourse analysis to understand how Margaret Cho embodies Asianness, whiteness, and the body types and images prescribed respectively. While working on data analysis, I came across a common media trope of fat women: the use of indexically Southern (United States), Appalachian, and Working class indexicals in speech and lexical items. I connected the ideologies surrounding Southern and Appalachian language to the inequalities that fat women face. This voicing had not previously been written …

Tya And Educational Outreach In Higher Education: An Asset To Undergraduates And Their Community, Emily J. Mattison

Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate students pursuing a career in theatre are at the beginning of their life-long training and understanding and appreciation for the art. Performing in a Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) touring production alongside the responsibility of crafting educational outreach opportunities provides the students with a unique chance to comprehend the art they have chosen to devote their lives to. This paper details the value of offering a course I crafted entitled “TYA Educational Outreach”, for both the undergraduates enrolled and the community they would be reaching. While undergraduates develop an understanding of the impact theatre can have on an individual …

“It’S The Only Thing We Have”: Whisper Networks Among Women Theatre Actors, Richard Edward Carter

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Women who secretly warn one another via informal communications about men in their environment who may engage in some kind of misconduct are participating in a whisper network. This dissertation employs the narrative paradigm to understand how these networks function in the context of professional actors. Interviews conducted with actors who have worked in a variety of communities were analyzed in order to better understand how whisper networks function as warning systems that must be created because conventional means of protection may not exist or be trusted in their industry.

Menander’S Arbitration: From Pieces To Performance, Marie Claire Plunkett

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

9/11 In Selected American Plays: Postmodern & Postcolonial Encounters, Shaimaa M. Saeed

English Language and Literature

History immortalised the date 9/11 as it witnessed the sudden attacks on one of the world’s superpowers, the United States of America. The repercussions of this date boomed in the world’s four corners leaving behind feelings of insecurity and fears of the unknown in all aspects of life to the extent that the literary contexts along with political, economic, and social ones were impacted. This book probes into postmodernism and postcolonialism, as two interrelated literary approaches having many intersecting points, to unravel the psychological, political, and social significance of the 9/11 events as depicted in selected American plays: The Mercy …

Religion And Theatrical Drama, Charles A. Gillespie Ed., Larry D. Bouchard Ed.

Catholic Studies Faculty Publications

With an introduction on how to redefine our thinking about religion and theatrical drama, these nine essays on contemporary and classic plays rehabilitate the link between theatrical performance and dramatic stories for the study of religion. These new and distinctively interdisciplinary perspectives will be of interest to scholars working in the fields of religion, theology, theatre and performance studies, literary studies, and philosophy.

Creating The Role Of Crissy In Hair, Yu Miao

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 Musical Theatre. It is a detailed account of author Yu Miao’s artistic process in creating the role of Crissy in the Minnesota State University, Mankato’s production of Hair in the Fall of 2020. The thesis follows the actor’s process beginning with the early production analysis in chapter one. The actor then researched its historical background followed by a detailed journal of the rehearsal process in chapters two and three. Chapter four is the post-production analysis, and the fifth chapter gives an overall review …

The Power Of Perserverance: Creating The Roles Of Hippodamia And Pythia In Atreus, Lindsey L. Oetken

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This paper is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre. It is a comprehensive overview of Lindsey L. Oetken’s process constructing the roles of Hippodamia and Pythia in Atreus, produced by Minnesota State University, Mankato in early 2021. From pre-production to performance, the document covers Oetken’s artistic process through five chapters: an early production analysis, an historical and critical perspective, a journal of rehearsals and performance, a post-production analysis and a process development chapter, which encompasses the entirety of the graduate experience.

Because Wonder Will Always Get Us There: Directing Lauren Gunderson’S Silent Sky, James C. Van Oort

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 theatre. It is a detailed account of author James C. Van Oort’s artistic process in directing Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky in a studio production of the play at Minnesota State University, Mankato, in the fall of 2020. The thesis chronicles the director’s artistic process from preproduction through performance in five chapters: a preproduction analysis, an historical and critical analysis, a production journal, a post-production analysis and a process development analysis. Appendices, works cited and works consulted are included.

The Ballet Folklórico De San Antonio: A Vehicle Of Empowerment And Cultural Preservation Through Dance, Victoria Villasenor

Capstone Projects

Since the mid 20th century, ballet folklórico has been a source of community, identity, and = celebration for Mexican Americans across the United States. Despite the popularity throughout Texas, its migration from Mexico to the United States is not well-documented nor widely known. Utilizing digital media, oral histories, personal artifacts, and archives this project is an effort to capture the development of ballet folklórico in San Antonio as a pillar of the city’s identity and reputation as culturally distinct. I share this history through the perspectives and experiences of the Ballet Folklórico de San Antonio (BFSA) dance company as they …

Harlots And Hooligans: The Representation Of Women In Hogarth’S Strolling Actresses Dressing In A Barn (1738), Hannah Arnold

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Licensing Act egregiously hindered the English theatrical community when it was placed into effect by King George II in 1737. Strolling actors were thereby forbidden to perform in new plays for profit, forcing acting troupes to disband. This act was widely protested throughout England at the time, most notably by artist William Hogarth in his etching titled Strolling Actresses Dressing in a Barn. This etching cleverly protests the Licensing Act as well as a myriad of quandaries that plagued 18^th-century English society, namely, gender roles both on and off the stage. Yet, what exactly is the …

Theatre History I, Dohyun Shin

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Mezcla, Liz Quinones

Dance (MFA) Theses

Modern-day colonialism negatively impacts marginalized Americans on a daily basis. Beyond the emotional detriments caused by microaggressions and stereotyping, systems of oppression create unequal access and opportunities for those who fall outside the margin of the “norm.”

Through the re-telling of her father’s migration story, researcher Liz Quinones uses personal narrative alongside scholarly research to expose the harmful impacts of white supremacy in America. Quinones investigates her own identity crisis and dissociation with Puerto Rican heritage that has been and continues to be white-washed by society. Using dance performance as a medium, Quinones creatively manifests her research while seeking reclamation …

Steps Last: A Pedagogy For Existing In The Vanishing Point, Cihtli Ocampo

Dance (MFA) Theses

In this thesis I will present Steps Last, a pedagogy for teaching flamenco to non-Spaniards rooted in the translation of the Andalusian methodology for transmitting flamenco from one generation to another. At the same time, I will examine how flamenco, at its essence, shatters the notion of the machine-body, freeing us to seek and exist within the “vanishing point” as a way of achieving permanence through ephemerality. First, I will present the history of the Steps Last pedagogy and explain how rhythm, singing, history and improvisation must be mastered in flamenco if one is to move comfortably within the form. …

Bharatanatyam: A Reflection Of The Past And Evolving Embodiment Of The Times, Tulsi Juhi

Dance Department Best Student Papers

This paper examines the art form of bharatanatyam, which is the pinnacle of Indian classical dance that brings together music, art, and movement through the lens of storytelling. With roots in ancient Sanskrit literature and a foundation in the devotional dancing of the dēvadāsis, bharatanatyam’s training methods, audiences, performance settings, gender norms, and dancers’ status is recontextualized throughout shifting historical contexts of colonialism and the post-colonial era. By showcasing bharatanatyam’s historical progression as both a mirror to past traditions and window into the future of endless possibility, this paper illuminates how this respected global art has developed through its far-reaching …

2021 Illinois Shakespeare Festival Program, School Of Theatre And Dance

Illinois Shakespeare Festival

2021 Season. The Professional Theatre at Illinois State University, Ewing Theatre. Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare. The PDF available for download from this page is a capture of this web page archived by the Internet Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20220612164727/https://illinoisshakes.com/plays/past/program-2021/.

Drag Artist Interviews, 2020, Destiny Baxter, Ezra Temko, Adam Loesch

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

This public dataset contains transcripts of 8 in-depth semistructured interviews with drag artists. Destiny Baxter conducted these interviews during Spring 2020. This follows up on an available dataset of 22 interviews of drag artists conducted in Spring 2019 by SIUE students, available at https://spark.siue.edu/siue_fac/104/

All 2019 and 2020 interviews used the same instrument.

Judges’ Evaluation Reliability Changes Between Identifiable And Anonymous Performance Of Hip-Hop Dance Movements, Nahoko Sato, Luke S. Hopper

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2021 Sato, Hopper. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Hip-hop competitions are performed across the world. In the recent inclusion in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, the assessment of hip-hop performance is undertaken by a panel of judges. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of different visualisation tools utilised in the assessment of the hip-hop dance movements. Ten dancers performed basic rhythmic hip-hop movements which were captured …

Religion And Theatrical Drama, An Introduction, Larry D. Bouchard, Charles A. Gillespie

Catholic Studies Faculty Publications

Often, a lonely light bulb illuminates the edge of a stage outside of working hours. Part safety mechanism against falling in the dark and part theatrical tradition, the “ghost light” keeps the living alive and brightens up the place for any spirits still hoping to practice an old monologue. Stages juxtapose worlds, or fragments of worlds. The ghost light, then, would illuminate juxtaposed worlds, of the living and of the possibly otherwise. In some ways, this Special Issue of Religions takes theatrical juxtaposition as its premise. We invited papers working at intersections between studies of religious history, thought, and practice …

Maiden, Martyr, Sinner, And Saint: Performing The Narratives Of Joan Of Arc, Emma Cox

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This Capstone Experience/Thesis Project, made possible through the WKU Mahurin Honors College, is a study of historiography, or the way history is written. Joan of Arc is used to explore historiography because she is a figure that is written in many ways, each version giving us a snippet of the whole picture. The show written based on my research is titled Jehanne. I wanted to tell Joan’s story, but not just one version of it; I wanted to tell the whole story of who she is, not just what she did or what she believed. Not only does Jehanne …

“On 2” And Overseas: The Migration Of Salsa Dance, Natalie Farrell

Dance Department Best Student Papers

Hailing from its native land of Cuba, the Afro-Cuban rhythms of salsa dance immigrated to America during the 20th century. The contagious groove permeated urban cities across the country, eventually becoming an artistic landmark in New York City and Los Angeles. The following paper addresses how the genre of salsa dance endured stylistic, social, and cultural changes during its migration overseas. Specifically, this paper contextualizes salsa dance in the rich history of the New York City and Los Angeles dance communities. By exploring how L.A style salsa dance teams became a global phenomenon, this essay articulates how the popularization of …

Group Playwriting Project, Thomas L. Rothacker

Open Educational Resources

This assignment is designed for any lecture based course that does not inherently have collaborative work or assignments as part of the curriculum. For any student taking a theatre arts course, understanding how it is to work with others and create something is one of the biggest lessons that can be learned. To take the pressure off the idea of "performance", this playwriting assignment starts with the role of the Playwright and how to create from the ground up.

[Insert Play Title Here] Collage Assignment, Thomas L. Rothacker

Open Educational Resources

Approaching analysis of Dramatic Literature can easily be accomplished via class discussion and through writing. Since plays are “written to be performed”, other approaches of analysis must be explored. The collage assignment and synthesis focuses on the visual aspects of the writing and how the playwright offers clues as to what can or should be focused on.

Critical Reviews & The New York Times Assignment, Thomas L. Rothacker

Open Educational Resources

What is the role of criticism in any art form?

What is the purpose? Is it to enlighten the artists involved? The audience?

Using sample Plays and Playwrights from this term, students will go on a deep dive into the archives of the New York Times theatre reviews. Comparing reviews on the same play with different productions shows different points of view.

Grit In The Performing Arts: A Mixed-Methods Study Of High School Theatre Student Perceptions Of Grit, Kelsey Gibson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Previous grit research has not yet studied how the performing arts may have an impact on student grit scores and perceptions of grit. Grit is defined by two main characteristics: consistency of interest and perseverance of effort. Continued participation in an extracurricular theatre production requires students to maintain interest and sustain effort throughout the rehearsal and performance period. This mixed methods interpretivist research study examined how high school students from three groups (performing arts, non-performing arts, and non-arts) measured on Duckworth and Quinn’s (2009) Grit-S scale, as well as how performing arts students perceived their own grit after participation in …

Protest Music Of The 2010s, Tumaini Sango

McNair Scholars Manuscripts

Throughout U.S. history, music has served as a soundtrack to transformative social and cultural movements. Songs like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Lift every Voice and Sing,” and “We Shall Overcome” are linked to key events that inspired hope and change. Collectively, these songs are known as protest music. Protest music can act as a type of social commentary, expressing a wide range of emotions, and have a uniting element, calling leaders and groups to action for tangible results. At its core, protest music is a musician’s creative response to events happening in the world around them. The 2010s saw the …

Twelve Angry Men: A Twenty-First Century Reflection Of Race, Art, And Incarceration, Mackenzie A. Gross

Honors Theses

Twelve Angry Men: A Twenty-First Century Reflection of Race, Art and Incarceration is a Comparative and Digital Humanities Honors Thesis concentrating on Africana Studies, theatre, sociology and legal studies to demonstrate the importance of investing in incarcerated communities through theatre and education.

In Chapter I, I critique the loss of identity attached to incarceration, and introduce the foundation for Black bodies individuals being discriminated against in the prosecution system. I analyze the “Punishment vs Progress” mentality, and introduce current educational programs in place in prisons. I elaborate on the details of our production, as well as the makeup of actors. …