Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

The Cherry Orchard

Taylor Theatre Playbills

The playbill for Taylor University’s Spring 2014 performance of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov.

The play follows an aristocratic Russian landowner who returns to her family estate (which includes a large and well-known cherry orchard) just before it is auctioned to pay the mortgage.

Bent, February 6-8, 2014, Theatre Arts Discipline

Theatre Programs

University of Minnesota, Morris production of Bent by Martin Sherman and directed by Deon Haider.

Synopsis: Bent is a story of living versus survival. It concerns Max, a gay "wheeler-dealer" who leads a dissolute life of drink, drugs, and sporadic sex in prewar Berlin. One night he and his lover Rudy pick up the wrong man--someone who's on the Nazi's wanted list. Max and Rudy are forced to flee Berlin and live underground. Ultimately they are arrested, and sent to Dachau. En route, Rudy is murdered, but Max survives with the help of a "pink triangle" prisoner, Horst.

Once in …

Stay In Time, Feb. 2014, San Jose State University, School Of Music And Dance

Upbeat (School of Music and Dance)

No abstract provided.

Performing Modernity In Turkey: Conflicts Of Masculinity, Sexuality, And The Köçek Dancer, Brittany Giselle Haynes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis reexamines the history of the köçek dancer in Turkey and thereby opens modern heteronormative constructs of masculinity and sexuality to contestation, particularly as they have been symbolically embodied by the rural population of Anatolia. It traces the evolution of the köçek dancer from the early modern Ottoman Empire when the dancer embodied notions of divine love and the ideal of beauty as a young male object of adult men's desires. In the nineteenth century, perceptions of the köçek began to change, primarily among Ottoman elites, whose modernization efforts were influenced by the European gaze and travelers' Orientalist interpretations …

Exquisite Corpses: Fantasies Of Necrophilia In Early Modern English Drama, Linda K. Neiberg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

My dissertation examines representations of necrophilia in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. From the 1580s, when London’s theatres began to flourish, until their closure by Parliament in 1642, necrophilia was deployed as a dramatic device in a remarkable number of plays. Exquisite Corpses analyzes the relationship between the English Reformation’s abolition of the doctrine of Purgatory and obsequies for the dead, and the frequent, often eroticized representations of dead bodies in the commercial theatre. Despite Protestant iconoclasm, “the cult of the cadaver,” as Eamon Duffy refers to it, was not readily relinquished and remained indelible in the cultural imagination. My project …

Theatre Of War: A Witness To Love, Tragedy, And Parody, Valerie N. Merlina

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

Central to American nineteenth century life was the theater. As the fratricidal fighting of the American Civil War broke out and divided the nation, this centrality remained, and audiences crowded into the theaters. For both north and south, the theater provided an outlet through which Americans could enjoy plays, performances, music, and variety shows that appealed to all social classes of American society. However, in order to understand the operations of theater companies during the war itself, it is first essential to examine the state of the theater as a concept during the mid-nineteenth century, and in the pre-war years. …

Summary Of Creative Development Of “Fields Of Light” Screenplay, T. Ryan Little, Sharon Swenson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The objective of this project was to write a screenplay for a film that would share gospel insights without being didactic in its presentation. Did I succeed? I believe I’m on the right track. I felt that a good place to start would be to view films made by LDS film makers such as Keith Merrill, Blair Treu, Matt Whitaker, Russ Holt and Stan Ferguson. Some of these wonderful films are The Lamb of God, Mountain of the Lord, Nora’s Christmas, Easter Dream and Legacy. These are great films that have touched the lives of members of the church as …

Terry Nails The Sale: Senior Narrative Film Project, Dustin Condren, Stan Ferguson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

After filming my third-year narrative film project, I felt ready for a significant change. Everything that I had done up until that point had consisted of stories of college-age men struggling to come to terms with their own weaknesses and desires. Essentially they were all “inner-struggle” pieces. The project that I had just completed was good, but I wanted something else. Something real, something that told a story, and would allow me as a director to explore dramatic structures.

At Our Crossroads, Jocelyn Lockhart, Jennie Creer-King

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dance is a unique art form in that it utilizes body movement to express ideas beyond the capacity of the spoken or written word. My project was to choreograph a ballet that explored some of the many transitions faced in life. I chose this subject because, although everyone does not undergo the same transitions, we all experience times of change in our lives. It is a universal subject that we can all relate to. Transitions are times that force us to define who we are, what we are doing, and where we are going. They are moments where we stand …

A Choreographic Medley Of Latin American Dances, Divina Teruel Wakefield, Cathy Black

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dance productions often involve several different numbers or dances. A single number in a production is usually created with one selection of music. Everything else such as the style, mood, and theme relate to the music. When a medley or suite of dances are arranged in a single number, the components become much more complicated.

“Earthcries” Experimentation On Elements Of Choreography Within The Frame Of Creating A Performance Piece Under Request Of The Ballet Division Of Dance At Brigham Young University, Anna Manja Larcher, Jennie Creer King

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In my ORCA project, my aim was to create a contemporary ballet piece for the BYU Theater Ballet Dance Company that would then be performed and judicated at the ACDF (American College Dance Festival) choreography competition and art festival in New Mexico, March 2001. I have focused on four major areas of choreography, experimenting with a.) dance form and movement (dance choreography), b.) lighting, film and costume (scenery), c.) music, and d.) the whole piece as a work of art.

Dramatic Elements In The Seminary/Institute Classroom, Daniel P. Stowell, George Nelson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Gordon B. Hinckley, current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently stated, “The schooling of our spirits is as important as the schooling of our minds, if not more important”(67). Hinckley here underlines the importance and reason for this study. Religious studies should have all the benefits dramatic elements provide. The purpose of this research project is to explore the possible effects of infusing theatrical or dramatic elements in the Seminary/Institute classroom. I have observed classes, interviewed a number of teachers, and researched the elements of theatre I thought the most pertinent to this portion of …

Poetry Archives On The Web: Thomas Gray Archive, The Poetry Of The Gentleman’S Magazine, 1731-1800: An Electronic Database Of Titles, Authors, And First Lines, And The Poetess Archive, Kate Parker

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

Recent innovations in digital scholarship have enabled new online archives, editions and bibliographies to flourish. Three such online resources--the Thomas Gray Archive, the Poetess Archive, and The Poetry of the Gentleman’s Magazine, 1731-1800: An Electronic Database of Titles, Authors, and First Lines--are explored in depth in this review, with an eye to how each archive specifically encourages scholarly collaboration and makes use of crowd-sourcing technologies.

Inspire Or Damage: A Documentary Film About Travis Eberhard, Brad Barber, Thomas Lefler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In making this documentary film, my original intent was to document Travis Eberhard’s personality, humor, and goals as a recently BYU-graduated film student. Specifically, I wanted to achieve this by not asking him any questions about what it was like to live with a wheelchair. This was not to be what I consider “a typical film” highlighting how Travis overcomes the obstacles life has dealt him, or how he deals with being treated differently. However, I believe the project was unique in that I still wanted to achieve some of the same goals such a film might seek after. By …

Images Of Earth And The Human Form, Heather Heiner, Pat Debenham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There is much beauty in the natural world that leaves me, as a dancer, stimulated with choreographic ideas. It was through the collaborative medium of dance and photography that I sought to share those experiences with others. I traveled with three other dancers from the BYU dance department and a photographer, Erin Holmberg, to Arches National Park, where we explored the connections and similarities between the human form and the elements of the natural environment. The visual aspect of the experience was captured through photography. We utilized the environment on both a large and small scale, with some improvisations being …

Aubade, Office Of Arts + Cultural Programming, Peak Performances At Montclair State University

2013-2014 Raise the Bar

For his entire career, Douglas Dunn has done it his way – all the way. Now, witness his next surprising pivot forward. Aubade, his new dance/theater piece, is all about apprehending mortality and the unstoppable progress of time. All the senses engage with scenic and video design, music, and lyrics by noted artists Charles Atlas, Steven Taylor, and Anne Waldman, respectively. As if that wasn’t enough, Douglas Dunn’s amazing company expands to even greater numbers by casting six Montclair State College of the Arts dance students. The title refers to the classic “aubade”, the opposite of a serenade. At its …

An Exploration In Learning, Thayer Jonutz, Rebecca Wright Phillips

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dance instructors teach using different methods. The three most common pedagogical practices are by imitation, imagery and the use of kinesiological principles. Teaching by imitation consists of showing the student what it is you are trying to teach with very little verbal communication and then having the student mimic you. There are different forms of imagery and I chose to explore sensory imagery specifically. Sensory imagery is the use of all the senses: sight, touch, hear, smell, taste. Teaching by sensory imagery consists of using the five senses to bring out different qualities in the movement. Teaching by dance kinesiology …

Casting Calder: Using Choreography In Dance To Express The Works Of Alexander C, Rhonda Rooker, Raymond Robinson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alexander Calder, one of the greatest creators of sculpture in the twentieth century, was the first American artist of his generation to win an international reputation for his achievements. He spent his lifetime creating works labeled “mobiles” and “stabiles”, according to the size and permanency of each sculpture. He used various materials including sheet metal, bolts, and paint, as well as wire and wood. His artwork can be found in major museums throughout the world, and is installed in urban spaces in the United States and abroad.

Victory From The Dust, A Senior Project In Dance, Kristi D. Brubaker, Susanne Davis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Victory From The Dust, was the result this grant. The project was a 20 minuet dance that consisted of seven sections. Each section represented a dispensation of time. The work was choreographed, rehearsed and performed between January and April 1998. It was viewed on the Senior Showcase #2, in the Richards Building Dance Theater. As a whole I felt this project was a success.

Unfolding, Christian Vuissa, Stanley Ferguson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For my last film project at BYU, I wanted to do something special that would help me get started in the film industry. Unfolding is a film that explores the struggle of a young woman. She learns to reconnect with her father who suffers from retrograde amnesia. The project was ambitious from its beginning due to its length and the many different props and locations needed for its realization. The scope of the project could easily compare to a masters program thesis film.

Documentary On Homeless And 2002 Winter Olympics, Emily Lewis, Dr. Dean Duncan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Emily Lewis Documentary on Homeless and 2002 Winter Olympics Faculty Mentor: Dean Duncan, Media Arts Studies The original project that I intended to complete for this scholarship was a documentary film on juvenile delinquents and the Utah court system. This project became impossible to do because of a lack of access and information, so my focus has since changed.

Unwilling Soldaten: The Story Of Slovene Conscripts In Hitler’S Army, Stacy Snider, Thomas Russell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

“[They said] we were called by the Furer and by God to help defend our home.”

So they were told, but of the 90,000 Slovene men, young and old, forced from their provincial homes and into German uniforms at the beginning of WWII, few were convinced. Swayed instead by commanders with rifles, threats to life and family, and stories of torture, hanging, even beheading, nearly one fifth the population of the tiny European country chose hell over death and became part of Hitler’s expansive and short-lived military force between 1942 and 1945.

Time Vindicated: Looking Behind The Masque, Amy Elizabeth Jensen, Dr. Megan Sanborn Jones

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The English courtly masque was an elaborate theatrical form of poetry, dance, music, and scenery that flourished under the reign of the Stuarts, James (1603–1625) and Charles I (1625– 1649). The masque’s spectacle, both highly theatrical and financially extravagant, reflected the magnificence of the king and the ideals of the court. Courtiers and royalty took part on stage as well as in the audience. The masques were also self-reflective; attention moved between the audience and the performers as each watched the other. As masque writer Ben Jonson wrote, masques were “the mirrors of man’s life.” Through the masque’s unique relationship …

Preserving The Past Through Historic Clothing, Janae R. Judd, Mary Farahnakian

Journal of Undergraduate Research

What we wear reveals a great deal about us, not only as individuals, but also as a society. Likewise, historic clothing allows us to see into the past. For example, in the 1940s cloth was used for war efforts. To help conserve fabrics, women made straight skirts with little flare. Such a simple thing as a skirt helps us understand the past a little better. Over a year ago, the Costume Institute of Utah desired to donate their entire historic clothing collection to Brigham Young University. The university already has an existing collection, however it is limited and this addition …

“A Spooky Evening” Chinese Film Project, Randy Astle, Dr. Darl Larsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Chinese folklore has been a rich mine for artistic production for hundreds of years, and continues to be so today. For example, Chinese ghost stories, such as in the medieval compilation of dozens of ghost stories in the work Strange Tales of Liao Zhai, have inspired artists for centuries. Many modern filmmakers have exhibited interest in this particular subgenre, giving it both serious and comical treatment. In particular, the New Wave in Hong Kong cinema that began in the 1980’s initiated the creation of innumerable films, usually slightly comic, that dealt in some way or other with magicians, vampires, ghosts, …

Setting The Stage For Change: Alumni And Students Creatively Worked Side-By-Side With Iwu Theatre Faculty To Create An Indelible Portrayal Of The Struggles Of America’S Working Poor., Kim Hill

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Department Of Theatre, Dance & Film To The Dominican Fathers And Sisters, Department Of Theatre, Dance & Film

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance & Film

Letter from the Department of Theatre, Dance & Film to the Dominican Fathers and Sisters inviting them to a production of These Shining Lives.

January 17, 2014

Welcome To The Big Top, Parkland College

Parkland Theatre

23rd Annual Student Production

January 17 & 18 at 7:30pm
Spring 2014

To view images from this production, visit Welcome to the Big Top (2014).

Blood Wedding, Federico Garcia Lorca

SFA School of Theatre

No abstract provided.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Christopher Sergel

SFA School of Theatre

No abstract provided.