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Articles 1 - 30 of 43
Full-Text Articles in Acting
Empowering English-Language Learners Through Acting, Translanguaging, And Collaborative Devising, Natasha L. Yannacanedo
Empowering English-Language Learners Through Acting, Translanguaging, And Collaborative Devising, Natasha L. Yannacanedo
Journal of English Learner Education
The author explores the transformative potential of using acting, translanguaging, and collaborative devising as tools for linguistic and personal development among English Language Learners (ELLs). Through a reflective narrative of teaching Acting I to ELL students, the paper delves into the challenges and successes encountered in integrating acting, translanguaging, and devising into the curriculum. Emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between acting and language learning, the author discusses how expressive language development, vocabulary acquisition, and enhanced pronunciation skills were cultivated. Additionally, the paper considers the role of translanguaging in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, where students' linguistic diversity is celebrated …
The Dyslexic Actor: How Dyslexia Affects The Acting Process, Kate Milazzo
The Dyslexic Actor: How Dyslexia Affects The Acting Process, Kate Milazzo
Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024
Dyslexia can benefit an actor, especially if the individual is aware of how the challenges and advantages of dyslexia impact their personal acting process. Dyslexia is widely understood to be a learning disability that affects an individual's reading and writing abilities. Many forms of theater rely on the written word, and an actor's success lies in their ability to interpret the text, leading one to question whether a dyslexic individual can find success as an actor. Yet several famous actors, including Octavia Spencer and Henry Winkler, are known to be dyslexic. As a dyslexic individual, I have also successfully participated …
Creating Living Characters Through Stanislavski's System And Michael Chekhov's Psychological Gesture, Robert Stark
Creating Living Characters Through Stanislavski's System And Michael Chekhov's Psychological Gesture, Robert Stark
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
This thesis examines the application of psychophysical techniques of Konstantin Stanislavski's System, coupled with use of Michael Chekhov's Psychological Gesture, to prepare for multiple roles of intersectional characters in the production of Paula Vogel's Indecent, directed by Dr. Julia Listengarten at the University of Central Florida, January 25th through February 7th, 2022. Vogel's Indecent revisits the events surrounding the production of Sholem Asch's God of Vengeance on Broadway in 1923, which featured a lesbian relationship. The show's cast and producers were arrested for depicting scenes of obscenity, which reflected the intolerance of immigrant, Jewish, and queer communities in the 1920s …
Trauma In The Acting Process: My Role As Camae In The Mountaintop And The Implementation Of Practical Techniques For Empowerment, Anita Bennett
Trauma In The Acting Process: My Role As Camae In The Mountaintop And The Implementation Of Practical Techniques For Empowerment, Anita Bennett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Actors often use their life experiences to evoke emotions and give a compelling performance. Connecting with personal experiences for a role, however, can manifest traumatic experiences. Trauma in the acting process can trigger difficult memories and emotions, which affects the actor's well-being. In graduate school, I discovered that trauma was a detriment to my artistic freedom in the acting process. Without the appropriate tools to address trauma, it affected my well-being and caused me to burnout. Furthermore, trauma was ignored by those involved in the creative process and there was an expectation to mask emotions for the sake of the …
Flow Theory In The Actor's Process: Can The Pursuit Of Optimal Experience Alleviate Anxiety?, Kimberly (Kimber) King
Flow Theory In The Actor's Process: Can The Pursuit Of Optimal Experience Alleviate Anxiety?, Kimberly (Kimber) King
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Using techniques from acting scholars and practitioners, this practice as research study seeks to lesson anxiety in actors by measuring the actor's preparation, rehearsal and performance process against each of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's conditions of flow. Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory describes flow as an "optimal experience" in which a person is so invested in their goals, there is "no threat for the self to defend against" (M. Csikszentmihalyi 76). His research identified conditions that when present, can induce a state of flow. However, actors can be plagued by negative thoughts and self-consciousness. While a certain amount of anxiety is expected and normal, …
The Process Is A Journey, Victoria Micaletti
The Process Is A Journey, Victoria Micaletti
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Actors are tasked with the opportunity to perform roles from multiple assorted styles of theatre performance throughout their career. How can performers best create an effective acting process that allows them to develop a pathway that is unique and dynamic across all styles to best embody the characters that they are cast as? I am seeking to refine and develop an approach that will be comprised of a series of steps which include exercises from the acting techniques of Jerzy Grotowski, Michael Chekhov, and Konstantin Stanislavski to create a character that is unique and dynamic. Through the investigation of the …
Keeping The Ball Alive: The Marriage Between Sports And Acting, Giuseppe Pipicella
Keeping The Ball Alive: The Marriage Between Sports And Acting, Giuseppe Pipicella
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
This thesis examines the link between sports and theatre from the actor's perspective and concludes that these two practices should be used together to achieve optimal performance. Using context provided by great physical theatre practitioners such as Jacques LeCoq, Vsevolod Meyerhold, and Rudolf Von Laban, the candidate used his past experience as a gymnast and a soccer player, and the teachings of Timothy Gallwey's The Inner Game of Tennis, to craft a rehearsal and performance regimen for Theatre UCF's production of Paula Vogel's Indecent. This regimen included an experiment where he alternated days in which he swam to days in …
Play As A Means Of Connection, Charles Street
Play As A Means Of Connection, Charles Street
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
This thesis research and practical application focuses on rediscovering the playfulness of the actor's process and evaluating how that translates into an actor's performance. An actor's confidence can be found in their willingness to play with vocal placement, physical tensions, and emotional and mental patterns and depth. As an actor, my definition of play theory is the act of choosing to be spontaneous, creative, and explorative in the process of storytelling to ultimately lead to stronger choices that develop rich connections. Through the lens of play theory, I demonstrate how play affects our mind, emotions, body, and voice. This thesis …
For The Very First Time: A Process Of Rehearsal And Performance In The Beginnings Of Covid-19., Andrew Hansen
For The Very First Time: A Process Of Rehearsal And Performance In The Beginnings Of Covid-19., Andrew Hansen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Acting is a discipline that changes over time not only for the audience, but for the actors who create it. Not only is their craft shaped through study, practice, and repetition that we as individuals have towards the art form, but it is strongly influenced by our environment and personal histories. As actors, we have to bear in mind what we are presenting, when we are presenting it, and why. These choices are a collaborative effort made through the discussion of various artists including, actor, director, writer, etc. For my thesis, I would like to show you what my journey …
An Actor Auditions, Jessica T. Johnson
An Actor Auditions, Jessica T. Johnson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
In the fall of 2020, I began one of my most demanding graduate career courses, Audition Techniques. We explored Michael Shurtleff's book, Auditions, to learn about his auditioning techniques. I found early on in this journey that I lacked a consistent approach to auditions. This thesis represents the process of auditioning and will serve as a tool for actors transitioning from the educational theater, seeking to improve confidence in auditioning. In a regional theater audition for the Orlando Shakes, I will evaluate my ability to apply techniques learned in educational theater training, such as Shurtleff's 12 guideposts and ways to …
Performing Belvile: Developing A Transformative Method, Brian Wiegand
Performing Belvile: Developing A Transformative Method, Brian Wiegand
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Learning to act is a difficult process, particularly for a young adult who is still discovering the wide variety of human experiences that make up much of dramatic literature. As an actor in training, I have struggled to play characters whose experiences and given circumstances differ from my own. I am not resistant to this idea, I have, however, come to realize that my own personal habits continue to get in the way of making a full transformation into the inner life of the character. As a result, my characters are often similar to one another, even if these characters …
Combating Performance Anxiety: Reflections Of A Personal Anti-Anxiety Plan For Onstage And Filmed Media, Megan Friend
Combating Performance Anxiety: Reflections Of A Personal Anti-Anxiety Plan For Onstage And Filmed Media, Megan Friend
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
As a performer, I am still challenged with thoughts of anxiety, fear, and premeditated responses. This anxiety often prevents me from exploring choices in the rehearsal room and impedes my character's given circumstances during a performance. It has become imperative for me to explore a new way to approach a role psychologically, emotionally, and physically. I hope to eliminate the persistent problem that occurs in my process; the common gap between mind and body that prevents me from creating a dynamic, holistic performance. This document will examine two vital stages of the development and application of my new process. As …
"Keep Your Facts, I'M Going With The Truth": Toward An Ethical Perfromance Of Satire In The Age Of Hyper-Polarization And Culture War, Carson Betts
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Satire is having a unique cultural moment. Conversations about what constitutes satire, why it should be performed, and how can it be done ethically are abundant in American popular culture. As with many forms of art and entertainment, satire has become a major subject of discussion in the great American Culture Wars: the conflict between the highly stratified ideological poles of right and left over the dominance of each's closely held social values, political ideals, and aesthetic sensibilities. Divides, real and imagined, in the American public have given popular discourse a sharp and biting edge, driven by growing political polarization …
The Actor And The Iceberg, Christopher Creane
The Actor And The Iceberg, Christopher Creane
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Actors have ingrained vocal, physical, and mental habits they unknowingly use on stage in the form of physical movements, vocalization, and character choices which can inadvertently communicate information to the audience. Rarely, however, are actors asked to play themselves and if their own habits are unconsciously being merged with their intentional character choices, then the audience's perception of the actor's portrayal may be shaped by unintentional behavior. "The Actor and the Iceberg" will be a synthesis of awareness building and control techniques for the mind and body, specifically: meditation, mindfulness, the Feldenkrais Method, and the Alexander Technique. The goal of …
Braving The Discomfort: An Examination Of Hate Speech And Racially-Motivated Violence Onstage, And How We Should Approach It, Sarah Hubert
Braving The Discomfort: An Examination Of Hate Speech And Racially-Motivated Violence Onstage, And How We Should Approach It, Sarah Hubert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
This thesis is an exploration of best practices in regards to creating a safe space within the theatre for artists to feel comfortable creating without risk to their emotional or physical safety. These safe spaces are particularly needed around shows which call for onstage racial violence or racist language. Methodology for these best practices includes theatrical intimacy, safe space creation as utilized by various advocacy groups, Theatre of the Oppressed, and drama therapy. In addition to these best practices that apply to the entire production, ideas for individual practice are explored. As a case study, Theatre UCF's production of Sweat …
Sympathy For The Devil: A Compassionate Approach To Morally Reprehensible Characters In Drama, Amy Livingston
Sympathy For The Devil: A Compassionate Approach To Morally Reprehensible Characters In Drama, Amy Livingston
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Empathy is often heralded as a vital part of the theatrical experience. Generally understood as the experience of feeling what another person is feeling, it is believed to help actors create more honest performances and to help audiences better understand viewpoints different from their own. These empathic experiences are complicated, however, when applied to stories about characters who commit unforgivably evil acts and may lead people to feel manipulated into justifying or sharing the immoral beliefs of these characters. This thesis argues that for theatre practitioners telling stories about morally reprehensible characters, compassion, involving feelings of care and concern for …
The Death Of Beowulf: Exploring The Conception, Process, And Lessons Of An Original Solo Performance Based On A Classic, Jeffrey Sneed
The Death Of Beowulf: Exploring The Conception, Process, And Lessons Of An Original Solo Performance Based On A Classic, Jeffrey Sneed
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The Death of Beowulf: Exploring the Conception, Process, and Lessons of an Original Solo Performance Based on a Classic is the exploration of a performer's journey understanding how their own identity and aesthetic has been defined by other works of art and how it affects their creative expression. The author examines the nature of classics as culturally and personally formative texts, and how the artist's experiences and interpretation can potentially deliver fresh understandings of a familiar text. Then, by applying this to his own process of devising a script based on the epic poem Beowulf, he grapples with the challenges …
Emotional Availability: A Practice-As-Research Exploration On Acting In Film And Theatre, Janice Munk
Emotional Availability: A Practice-As-Research Exploration On Acting In Film And Theatre, Janice Munk
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Actors are frequently required to be emotionally available on the spot, in situations ranging from an early morning acting class, to filming a scene well past midnight after a full day on set. In theatre, there is the expectation to deliver the right emotion every performance, and in film, when the camera and crew are ready, the actor is expected to produce the emotion at that moment. This demand to give emotionally compelling performances can cause an actor to stress under the pressure to deliver. Acting for stage and film have similarities and differences, and an actor needs to learn …
Past, Present, And How To Proceed: Creating My Actor Tool Kit, Joshua Kimball
Past, Present, And How To Proceed: Creating My Actor Tool Kit, Joshua Kimball
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
As theatre graduates walk across the stage and receive their diplomas, the message they hold close to their hearts is "Go forth and act." The next day, week, or month the question becomes very clear, "HOW?" This thesis focuses on a practical problem facing theatre graduates whose goals are pursuing the field of acting professionally. Theatre students are given the basic tools for honing their skills but are unequipped to create a viable, sustainable career in the field. The objectives in this paper are to outline problems actors encounter when attempting to build a career and offer practical advice for …
Playing Disability, Daniel Romano
Playing Disability, Daniel Romano
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Disability in performance has a long history, starting with fictional characters such as Shakespeare's Gloucester/Richard, progressing through the freak shows of the early twentieth century, and finally with artists such as Neil Marcus, Mat Fraser and Deaf West Theatre in the past twenty years. Looking to the work of disabled artists, activists, and theorists such as Petra Kuppers and Carrie Sandahl, I will examine the history of both disability in performance and the performance of disability. I will discuss my performance of Garret, a man with muscular dystrophy, in my original play, The Sick Parents Club. Through analysis of what …
Performing Feminism: Boy Gets Girl During The #Metoo Movement, Amanda Dayton
Performing Feminism: Boy Gets Girl During The #Metoo Movement, Amanda Dayton
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Sexual misconduct is currently a very hot topic in the media. Not only has the #MeToo Movement encouraged many women to come out with their stories of sexual assault, but it has also given women of many different backgrounds an opportunity to band together in support. I will be exploring the role of Theresa Bedell in Boy Gets Girl, by Rebecca Gilman. I will use the given character relationships to build an honest portrayal of the struggles Theresa faces as a woman in the world. I will touch on the mindset behind as well as the effects of victim blaming, …
Performing Bernarda: Activating Power And Identity, Ana Martinez Medina
Performing Bernarda: Activating Power And Identity, Ana Martinez Medina
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The musical Bernarda Alba tells the story of a woman who is confined within the heavily patriarchal and Catholic society that was 1930s Spain. Because of this, I thought it the perfect arena to explore power dynamics on stage. My thesis will explore status, hierarchies, relationships, and identity via the stolid matriarchal character Bernarda Alba. Through analyzing the playwright's words, fleshing out the character, and exploring the character's relationships with others in rehearsal, I have studied how to activate status on stage. There are many sociology theories and psychological studies that can be applied to theatre-making in order to create …
Gender Performance In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Amanda Lee
Gender Performance In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Amanda Lee
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Cross-dressing is a recurrent theme in Shakespeare's comedies, and the theatrical trend of gender bending casting has added an extra layer of complexity to performing his work. How does the gender of the actor affect the performance of a role in Shakespeare? How does it affect the perception of the role, and how can an actor utilize that perception to connect more fully with the audience? How does the female perspective illuminate hitherto unexplored elements of Shakespeare's text and characters? I was inspired by Orlando Shakes' all male production of Twelfth Night to research gender theory in relation to classical …
Mindful Acting, Terence Lee
Mindful Acting, Terence Lee
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As we transition into a more goal-oriented society, our ability to nurture and cultivate individual growth in emotional, spiritual, and mental awareness in the performing arts has been stifled by the desire to get ahead in our modern-day race for success. This fierce struggle brings with it a risk of subconscious deterioration in mental, spiritual and emotional health. As actors in an aggressive industry, we are often faced with the monumental task of preserving our artistry while competing in the industry, and we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the inescapable pressures in the business of acting. In "Mindful Acting", I …
Gee, Officer Krupke: An Actor's Casebook, Eric Eichenlaub
Gee, Officer Krupke: An Actor's Casebook, Eric Eichenlaub
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In 2016, I was cast as Officer Krupke in a production of West Side Story at Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF. Even though Krupke can be thought of as a minor character in the play, bringing him to life required a great deal of research and imagination. In order to ground myself in the reality of the role, I researched the effects of implicit bias in modern policing, applied that research to Uta Hagen's Nine Questions, and brought that knowledge into the rehearsal hall and onto the stage. I examined how my character's interactions with Lieutenant Schrank influenced …
From Dude To Dad: A Study On Prenatal Fatherhood And Its Representation In Theatre, Michael Nilsson
From Dude To Dad: A Study On Prenatal Fatherhood And Its Representation In Theatre, Michael Nilsson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A man in the preparatory phase for parenthood with his first child can go through a lot of extreme emotional highs and lows, depending upon the man's economic, relationship, and physical status, as well as community pressures and support. In preparation to portray an array of prenatal fathers in a showcase of scenes, I have read an assortment of plays and scholarly sources. In reading a large sample of prenatal plays, I have extracted several possible emotional changes within a man's psyche. I also analyzed the social rationale behind these changes through the writings of sociologists and other scholarly sources. …
Women In White: My Journey Into Color, Madison Tarbox
Women In White: My Journey Into Color, Madison Tarbox
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In many religious circles white is a symbol for purity, cleanliness, and perfection. However, white is also synonymous with empty, blank, and colorless. Women in White: My journey into color is a project centralized around a personal study of the cultural pressures of "perfection" presented both in religious cultures and in the every-day life of a performer. Utilizing the catalyst of a cabaret-style performance, Women in White explores the struggles of nine different female characters in the musical theatre cannon and aims to draw a personal connection from their journey. Inspired by the wise words of my own mother, this …
Rebirth Of The Renaissance Man: Creating Actor Agency Through Ensemble Theatre, Kody Grassett
Rebirth Of The Renaissance Man: Creating Actor Agency Through Ensemble Theatre, Kody Grassett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Contemporary models of educational and commercial theatres espouse the belief that theatre is the true collaborative art form: one in which artists of different talents, training programs, and experiences can come together to briefly create something more significant than themselves. However, as the theatre has moved into the twenty-first century, the ensemble nature that is so unique to theatrical performance is frequently abandoned for a streamlined top-down structure of theatre making, one in which monetary, scheduling, and efficiency concerns inhibit the true creation of an ensemble. For multi-faceted theatre artists who have interest and talents in more than one field …
Living With Marie: Dramatherapy In The Creation Of Performable Theatre, Madelyn James
Living With Marie: Dramatherapy In The Creation Of Performable Theatre, Madelyn James
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Living with Marie is a project aiming to adapt dramatherapy techniques so that they are better suited to the creation of theatre in an attempt to educate audiences of the struggles some individuals cope with while living with mental illness. By using the practices implemented by dramatherapists Sue Jennings, John Casson, R. M. Simon, and Phil Jones, the evolution of my play Living with Marie can be seen as first originating in imagery before progressing to text and finally, performable art. This venture, inspired by my own psychotic struggle, gives audiences a glimpse into the clandestine existence of a nameless …
Giving Theatrical Life, Quentin Darrington
Giving Theatrical Life, Quentin Darrington
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
An experience, early in my life, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opened my eyes to the transformative power of Theatre - it would shape my ambitions for performance, inform the choices I made about my acting career, and impel my passions. That single moment had a profound and lasting effect on my soul, one that would ultimately point me to the purpose of "me;" but what exactly was it? What transaction occurred between the performers on stage, and myself, and others in attendance that evening? My life as an actor has been an incredible journey of growth. Over …