Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (3)
- Other Theatre and Performance Studies (3)
- Performance Studies (3)
- Theatre History (3)
- Acting (2)
-
- Accessibility (1)
- Disability and Equity in Education (1)
- Education (1)
- English Language and Literature (1)
- European History (1)
- European Languages and Societies (1)
- Fine Arts (1)
- History (1)
- History of Gender (1)
- History of Science, Technology, and Medicine (1)
- Literature in English, British Isles (1)
- Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (1)
- Playwriting (1)
- Psychology (1)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (1)
- Women's Studies (1)
- Keyword
-
- Theatre (5)
- Feminism (2)
- A Doll's House (1)
- Actual reality (1)
- Bethmarch (1)
-
- Chronicillness (1)
- Classicliterature (1)
- Control (1)
- Cross-Dressing (1)
- Disability (1)
- Femininity (1)
- Gender (1)
- Henrik Ibsen (1)
- Historical Theatre (1)
- Historicalstereotypes (1)
- Inclusion (1)
- Kabuki (1)
- Katehamill (1)
- Literature (1)
- Littlewomen (1)
- Memory (1)
- Mental health (1)
- Misogyny (1)
- Musical (1)
- Musicals (1)
- Onnagata (1)
- Perceived reality (1)
- Play Analysis (1)
- Play analysis (1)
- Playwright (1)
Articles 1 - 8 of 8
Full-Text Articles in Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory
Onnagata, Femininity, And Cross-Dressing In Narukami: A Look Into Gender In Kabuki, Mary Hughes
Onnagata, Femininity, And Cross-Dressing In Narukami: A Look Into Gender In Kabuki, Mary Hughes
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
This paper explores the gender dynamics within Kabuki theatre through the examination of the play Narukami. Kabuki is a theatre style that was originated by women, but it quickly excluded them in favor of using men to portray female characters. This study delves into the relevance of these female characters to modern non-male identifying performers and challenges the traditional casting norms. Looking to the onnagata role, which is the role of a male actor playing a woman onstage, the paper examines how gender is represented within the existing practice of Kabuki. For example, the character of Teama in Narukami is …
Wole Soyinka: A Life Of Arts And Advocacy, Maggie Feduccia
Wole Soyinka: A Life Of Arts And Advocacy, Maggie Feduccia
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
The life and work of playwright, novelist, and activist Wole Soyinka (born in 1934) serves as a perfect example of the marriage of the arts and advocacy, through the telling of stories of the Nigerian people. Soyinka grew up surrounded by Christianity, Islam, and the tribal religion of the Yoruba people. Additionally, Soyinka’s parents exposed him to Nigerian and other West African literature, Western literature, and ancient Greek drama. Soyinka’s intellect was formed at the intersection of these various theologies and literary traditions, and further developed through studies at the University of Ibadan and the University of Leeds, from where …
I Was Crazy Once: An Examination Of Elizabethan Insanity In Shakespeare’S Work, Hope L. Kobus
I Was Crazy Once: An Examination Of Elizabethan Insanity In Shakespeare’S Work, Hope L. Kobus
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
William Shakespeare wrote numerous works, diving into the common motifs of love, revenge, power, but most importantly, madness. While Elizabethan audiences were more accustomed to seeing madness as a ploy for comedy, Shakespeare changed the appeal through shows such as King Lear, Hamlet, and Macbeth. He presents the power and ambition of women, as well as the failings of the upper-class, but he disguised them through the idea of insanity. At a time when the public had little understanding of mental health, it was easy to blame madness on gender, social status, and even the supernatural. Through …
Analysis Of A Doll's House, Matthew Gilleran
Analysis Of A Doll's House, Matthew Gilleran
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibson is, first and foremost, a play about freedom. I outline how this theme is portrayed in the general plot, the structure of said plot, the language (and imagery within said language), as well as how this theme is portrayed in the characters themselves. This want for freedom ties all the characters together in an uncomfortably spun spider web; none of them can have what they want without taking something from another. Almost every character is aware of this, as well, which makes for a very tense setting within the play. This web of conflict …
Internalized Misogyny As Displayed By Aunt March In Little Women, Sydney Lofton
Internalized Misogyny As Displayed By Aunt March In Little Women, Sydney Lofton
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
It seems that more women fight against each other than for one another. Women have developed a reputation for gossiping to disparage the reputation of each other, leveraging terms like “floozie,” “bimbo,” and “slut” against one another. While women will rage against men who support the patriarchy, women are often some of the strictest enforcers of its standards. In Kate Hamill’s playscript Little Women, an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, it is Aunt March, not a man, who places pressure on Jo to assimilate to society’s expectation of women. This push of conformity may reflect Aunt March’s own …
What Is Normal In Mental Health?: A Script Analysis Of Next To Normal, Caitlyn Campbell
What Is Normal In Mental Health?: A Script Analysis Of Next To Normal, Caitlyn Campbell
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
Next To Normal, the Broadway musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, follows a dysfunctional family whose matriarch struggles with a multitude of mental health issues. Delving into hard topics, such as mental health and family relationships, the musical challenges what we consider to be normal family dynamics and mental states. These important themes are mainly demonstrated through Diana, a mother and wife who struggles with severe mental health diagnosis. Through this analysis, these difficult questions are unveiled while looking closely at the musical’s plot structure, characters, ideas, and dialogue.
Fun Home: Revelation Of Reality And Relationships Through Grief, Mary Margaret Hughes
Fun Home: Revelation Of Reality And Relationships Through Grief, Mary Margaret Hughes
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
The musical Fun Home by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori follows Alison Bechdel as a child, a young adult, and a grown adult as she looks back on her memories of her deceased father and their relationship as two queer individuals. Alison’s father carries the emotional gravity of the text, driving the scenes forward through the theme of control and the damage it does. Alison and her father both seek to control much of their lives, including their sexualities and subsequent realities about their sexualities. Made clear through a critical analysis of the musical’s plot, character, themes, and language, Fun …
The Conscience Of Little Women: Beth's Epic, Mcewen Baker
The Conscience Of Little Women: Beth's Epic, Mcewen Baker
[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)
From its conception, and through countless retellings, there is no doubt that Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is an American classic that has stood the test of time. Kate Hamill’s stage adaptation affirms and extends this legacy; the playwright adopts a contemporary feminist approach that defies gender norms and exclusivity in casting and encourages an actor-centered approach. This essay explains the importance of this adaptation and its influence on my portrayal of Beth March in Belmont University’s Fall 2021 production. It touches on the often overlooked significance of the second youngest sister as well as how my personal battle with …