Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Affirmative Acts: The Need For American Black Theatre In The Classroom, Angela Batrice Brooks-Van Niel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to reveal that racial inequality in American Theatre is still in existence: that while our country has gained some level of integration, several societal and artistic echelons evidence a remaining tendency towards discrimination--a separatist sense of culture that unfortunately informs elementary and secondary classrooms all across the United States as well as still exists in the general arts.

Theatre Of The Uncanny: Lesbian Theatre And The Uncanny Valley Response, Gina Marielynn Hanson

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis contends that the notion of an uncanny valley can be extended to explain the lack of lesbian presence in the traditional dramatic canon. Because mainstream theatre audiences are unfamiliar with lesbian dramatic representation, lesbian theatre often provokes an uncanny valley response in general audiences and this negative response leads to little commercial success for lesbian plays. This project examines how both the reading of lesbian dramatic literature and the performance analysis of lesbian plays can offer insight into those dominant cultural tenets that not only oppress lesbians in everyday society, but also contribute to their erasure from academic …

The Changes In Irish Dance Since Riverdance, Angelika Masero

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

During the past 15 years, traditional Irish step dance experienced dramatic changes. As a traditional dance form, Irish step dance lends itself to and is dependent upon innovation and change; it is a living and flexible art form, and thus, change is expected and necessary to keep it novel, fresh and progressive. However, its “traditional” signature is now a focus of debate as its “modern” signature gets explored and as traditional Irish dance scholars study the impact touring Irish dance shows have caused. The seven-minute interval act Riverdance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest ignited the debate. Moreover, the rate …

Costume Design And Dramaturgical Analysis Of The House Of Bernarda Alba By Frederico Garcia Lorca, Geneva Ged

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis is a dramaturgical analysis of The House of Bernarda Alba, by Frederico Garcia Lorca, and a reflection upon the costume design, by the designer, in Western Kentucky University's production of the play. By examining the biography of the author and the culture surrounding the play, the themes of The House of Bernarda Alba and the effect of the themes upon the design process are explained. As well, in-depth character analysis is used to show the relation between characters and their costumes. The reflection upon the design process further illuminates how a dramaturgical analysis can be a vital tool …

The Visions Of Lena Younger Created By Lorraine Hansberry In A Raisin In The Sun, Lizandra Gomes

Undergraduate Review

This is one chapter of a full Honors’ Thesis entitled “The Visions of Women Created by Three Major Female African American Playwrights of the Twentieth Century: Georgia Douglas Johnson, Lorraine Hansberry, and Suzan-Lori Parks”. This chapter addresses the vision of Lena Younger created by Lorraine Hansberry in A Raisin in the Sun. It analyses the vision of African American women emerging through the character of Lena Younger, during the Civil Rights Movement by employing traditional dramaturgical methodology, including facets of Literary Structural Analysis, and Stanislavskian Analysis. This study in its whole will, thus, demonstrate how the self-perceived image of African …

Just Before Dawn: Pre-Test Rituals And Preparation For Test Day, T. Fulton Burns

Theatre Faculty Research

In Asian martial arts films there are usually beautiful moments that reveal the fighters in deep meditation before they are to meet on the field of battle. The process appears to center and calm the individual while preparing them for the final moments of their lives. The day of a skills proficiency test (SPT) can feel the same way. The day of the test can be frustrating for the testers as well as those around them. Nerves can run high during this stressful time. I can still recall the excitement and nerves of my first test day at the 2000 …

Ua100/2/2 Training School & College High Departments, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Training School / College High departments which inlude Athletics, Classes, English, Library, Music and Theatre.

A Comparative Study Of Robert Lewis, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler And Sanford Meisner In The Context Of Current Research About The Stanislavsky System, Ruthel Honey-Ellen Darvas

Wayne State University Dissertations

Decades of interpretation based on incorrect and incomplete information regarding Stanislavsky and his System have erroneously guided the advent of modern acting theory in the United States. This study, using current research about the Stanislavsky System, examines four notable acting teachers--Robert Lewis, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner--to determine whose philosophy most accurately reflects the Stanislavsky System as it is now understood. The concepts of action, imagination, bits, tasks, emotion memory and active analysis are each explored independently. Each concept is examined as it relates to the System and then compared to the concepts as interpreted and put into …

In The Wake, Lindsey Mantoan

Faculty Publications

Lindsey Mantoan reviews a performance of In the Wake (by Lisa Kron) for Theatre Journal.

The Lab Report, Volume 03, Issue 08, Todd Ristau

Lab Reports

• House of Atreus by Sean Engard
• Student Spotlight: Sean Engard
• Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference Held at Hollins University
• Kenley Smith to teach playwriting at Randolph College
• Rosalee Was Here by Maura Campbell in Vermont
• From the Director: Why Buying Advance Tickets is Important

Direction Of The Play: Blithe Spirit, Richard Shultz

Graduate Student Projects

This project entailed the selection, background research and documentation, musical analysis, casting, direction, vocal coaching, and post-production analysis of Derby High School's production of Blithe Spirit. Documentation includes research and analysis of the play, its music, and an evaluation of the play as a production vehicle for the Department of Theatre Arts at Derby High School.

Direction Of The Play: Epic Proportions, David Franklin Crutcher Jr.

Graduate Student Projects

This project entailed the selection, background research and documentation, musical analysis, casting, direction, vocal coaching, and post-production analysis of Dobie High School's production of Epic Proportions. Documentation includes research and analysis of the play and an evaluation of the play as a production vehicle for the Department of Theatre Arts at J. Frank Dobie High School. The analysis also includes a discussion as to the directorial vision of this production.

Remixed Practice: Bollywood Dance And The Global Indian, Pallabi Chakravorty

Dance Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Commissions: Devoted To Investigating And Research By Members Of Usitt: Computers And Software, Patrick Michael Finelli

Theatre and Dance Faculty Publications

Describes the history of theatre-related computing over the past 50 years including the evolution of computer-controlled lighting and sound. Covers the development of CAD software for set design, data visualization and intelligent lighting fixtures. Mentions a wide variety of technical, design and historical applications.

Designing An Attraction: A Hans On Approach To Themed Entertainment And Attraction Design, Matthew Estevez

Whittier Scholars Program

My senior project is a combination of my skills that I acquired in Art, Literature, Theatre. The Project uses these skills in oder to create a theme park attraction from the beginning for the final floor plans and rendering. A large portion of the project is the renderings. These rednerins will be made with water color as the primary medium. The purpose of this project is to illustrate how the difference disciplines come together to create an attraction for a theme park. It is also intended to be a hands on approach at creating a theme park attraction. Using the …

Dance Matters: Performing India, Pallabi Chakravorty, N. Gupta

Dance Faculty Works

This volume presents a multidisciplinary perspective on dance scholarship and practice as they have evolved in India and its diaspora, outlining how dance histories have been written and re-written, how aesthetic and pedagogical conventions have changed and are changing, and how politico-economic shifts have shaped Indian dance and its negotiation with modernity.. Written by eminent and emergent scholars and practitioners of Indian dance, the articles make dance a foundational socio-cultural and aesthetic phenomena that reflects and impacts upon various cultural intercourses -- from art and architecture to popular culture, and social justice issues. They also highlight the interplay of various …

Ua1b1/1 Rodes-Helm Lecture Series, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

These records were created by and about the Rodes-Helm Lecture Series which invited distinguished, and prominent individuals from the spheres of politics, economics, and the arts, to lecture at the university. The records include programs, and recordings of lectures.

Synesthetic Landscapes In Harold Pinter’S Theatre: A Symbolist Legacy, Graça Corrêa

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the light of recent interdisciplinary critical approaches to landscape and space, and adopting phenomenological methods of sensory analysis, this dissertation explores interconnected or synesthetic sensory "scapes" in contemporary British playwright Harold Pinter's theatre. By studying its dramatic landscapes and probing into their multi-sensory manifestations in line with Symbolist theory and aesthetics, I argue that Pinter's theatre articulates an ecocritical stance and a micropolitical critique.

Chapter One explains the dissertation's theoretical framework (landscape theory, Symbolist theory, ecocriticism, phenomenology, and sensory analysis), while arguing for an ecophilosophical reading of Pinter's landscapes that engages not only with spatial patterns but …

Imagining The Imaginary: Finding Mr. Marmalade, Brian Kappler

Theses

Unavailable.

Commonthought (2010), Commonthought Staff

Commonthought

This issue features works created by Lesley University students and covers a broad range of topics. The work itself crosses many disciplines from creative writing to visual arts.

Playing The Part: An Actress Prepares The Role Of Cathy In The Last Five Years, Katy Slaven

Honors Program Theses

My honors thesis project took the creative/performance-oriented form. I embarked on (in the words of my advisor, Jay Edelnant) a "self-pedagogical case-study centered on role preparation." My task was to prepare the role of Cathy from the musical The Last Five Years using a process I developed based on combining my musical and theatre training with outside resources.

I chose to do this project for my honors thesis for many reasons. First of all, I was always looking for more opportunities to do musical theatre. I have learned that in order to get anything you want in life, and especially …

The Impact Drama Has On Enabling International University Students To Assimilate Into The American Culture, Julie Baldwin

Honors Program Theses

We often take for granted how accepted we are by others around us. Without realizing it, we may forget we belong to a larger community connected by the culture of the United States that shapes the way we understand the world. Culture plays an invaluable role in much of how we live. According to Marcelle E. DuPraw and Marya Axne, authors of the article, "Working on Common Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge, "our culture "influences how we approach problems, and how we participate in groups and in communities" by shaping our communication and decision-making styles, attitudes toward conflict and disclosure, and approaches …

Costume Crafts An Exploration Through Production Experience, Michelle L. Hathaway

LSU Master's Theses

The process of developing Costume Crafts for any production begins with research into the given time-period of the proposed production. With the appropriate research into the fashions of the day and the available tools and techniques, the Craftsperson can collaborate with the Costume Designer to create that Designer’s vision. This project included two productions set in adjacent time-periods. The first step in the process was to research millinery fashions from 1910 through 1927 thus encompassing the time-periods set for each production. This research included the prevailing fashions of the day, the available materials, fabrics, and techniques employed in creating millinery. …

The Royal Family Costume Design, Katherine Johnson

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract It is my intention through this thesis to demonstrate the journey taken for the costume design process of The Royal Family written by George S. Kauffman, A Swine Palace Production, presented in celebration of the reopening of the Claude L. Shaver Theatre located in the Music and Dramatic Arts building on the campus of Louisiana State University. In turn, establishing that the abundance of practical experience as well as the technical and design courses undergone throughout my graduate career here at Louisiana State University, have supplied me with the knowledge and skills required in the professional field of Costume …

The Dancing Imagination: How Does Imaginative Imagery Facilitate Movement Qualities In Dance Training And Performance?, Rachel Perica

Theses : Honours

The purpose· of this case study was to explore how imagery facilitates movement quality in dance training and performance. A literature review on classifications of direct and indirect imagery and imagery in relation to neuroscience, was investigated to firstly define imagery. The confusion over defining movement quality led to a literature review on Kinesiology and Gaga methods and how these dance-training methods utilise imagery in different ways to enhance the movement quality of dance in training and performance. Qualitative research methodology was used in this case study. The case study used a purposeful sample of eight subjects who were undergraduate …

A Pattern Of Patience: On Providing Technical Direction For King Lear, Theron L. Seckington

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

The following writing will document my process as technical director for the 2009 mainstage production of King Lear at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film (JCSTF) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). King Lear was directed by Virginia Smith with scenery designed by fellow Master of Fine Arts (MFA) candidate Patric Vendetti, lights by senior Angela Sharman, and sound by sophomore Max Holm. Costumes were designed by MFA candidate Cecilia Sickler. The shop foreman was Bryan Ruhs, and the production was stage managed by junior Amber Naylor. I was advised by JCSTF technical director Edward Stauffer. …

The Dialogism Of Self And Other In Contemporary American Drama, Shih-Yi Huang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This work is interdisciplinary in orientation and brings together American theatre (and culture) and contemporary ethical philosophy. I am introducing the French philosopher Emmanuel Lévinas and his theory of Self and Other to an analysis of contemporary American drama—a mode of approach that is new to the discipline of theatre studies. Lévinas’s insights are particularly relevant to the concerns of the 21st century and how we might rethink relationships and values. My work looks at contemporary American plays in terms of nationalism, gender politics, racial dynamics and ecological issues. I contend that these playwrights are attempting to go beyond conventional …

Dancing With Risk: Risk-Taking As A Performance Practice In Contemporary Dance, Gemma Dawkins

Theses : Honours

Why is risk intentionally cultivated in contemporary dance? What purpose does it serve, for performers, choreographers and audiences? This thesis explores the ways in which risk-taking affects the meaning and significance of a dance work. It seeks to question whether the use of risk can render a dance more powerful, affecting or confronting, or whether intentional risk overshadows and, thus, detracts attention away from the aesthetic content. I also ask how being 'at risk' affects the performer. Can it engender investment and authenticity? The risks explored in this thesis include both physical and emotional or intellectual risks. I refer to …

The Ephemerality Of Dance, Abby Frances Johnson

Theses : Honours

"A dancer is bound to the given form of the human body" (Hamalainen, 2009, p. 107). As an art form, dance relies on the movement of these bodies. Dance is not fixed but can leave a lasting impression on the viewer. As a performance art, dance is truly ephemeral- a term that has been defined as "lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace" (Encarta®, 2009). As a dance performer and spectator, I am affected by this ephemerality on a daily basis. Within this thesis, I initially outline what constitutes dance as ephemeral. I then …

Historically And In The Context Of Globalisation, How Do Western European Perceptions Of Folk/ Traditional Dance Pervade And Shape The Field Of Dance?, Emma Fishwick

Theses : Honours

With the international dance community becoming increasingly globalised, how do Western European perceptions of folk/ traditional dance pervade and shape the field of dance? This paper will discuss Western European perspectives towards traditional and folk dance and investigate the origins of such perspectives, if they do indeed exist. In doing so the reasoning of Western European perspectives will be examined, considered and questioned alongside that of non-Western European perspectives. The thesis is compiled from a wide range of textual sources that explore Western European world views in relation to non-Western European perspectives to argue that such perspectives do, to a …