Other Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

The Business Of Theatre: How Creativity, Collaboration, And Communication Infiltrate 'The Real World', Caroline Hale

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Too often ridiculed as a “dying art”, theatre endures a ceaseless struggle for validity among educators, employers, and citizens alike. However, the skills garnered by performers, technicians, and designers through theatrical education span far beyond the final curtain, and are significantly more relevant and impactful than we think.

A theatre education means learning about the human condition, communication, gaining self-confidence, expressing creativity, problem solving, and thinking on your feet. In addition, drama techniques have been enormously effective in improving self-esteem and building community. A theatre education is a highly successful catalyst for the development of a “soft skill set.” Because …

Intimate Apparel

Theatre Programs

INTIMATE APPAREL by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Dr. Jaye Austin Williams

Drama: In this brilliantly crafted portrait of turn-of-the-last-century New York, Nottage gives us a story about desire and common sense, of pleasure and pain, of resilience and fragility, and above all the unlikely triumph of the human spirit. True to its title, Intimate Apparel presents a story that is both delicate and eloquent. Winner of the 2004 New York Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle Awards and Sternberg New Play Award.

Waltmar Theatre
7:30pm – Dec. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, & 10
2:00pm – Dec. 3 & 10 …

Good Kids And Dog Sees God: Confessions Of A Teenage Blockhead

Theatre Programs

Good Kids by Naomi Iizuka
Directed by James Gardner

Drama, adult language: Something happened to Chloe after that party last Saturday night. Something she says she can’t remember. Something everybody is talking about. Set at a Mid-western high school, in a world of Facebook and Twitter, smartphones and YouTube, Good Kids explores a casual sexual encounter gone wrong and its very public aftermath. Who’s telling the truth? Whose version of the story do you believe? And what does that say about you?

Studio Theatre, Moulton Hall, Room 149
October 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22

To view photos from …

The Merchant Of Venice

Theatre Programs

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare
Directed by Thomas F. Bradac and starring Michael Nehring as Shylock

Bassanio, needing money to be a suitor to Portia, asks his close friend, Antonio, for a loan. Antonio's money is tied up in shipments away from Venice so he approaches Shylock, a money-lender. After being insulted in the street by Antonio, Shylock agrees to lend the money, jesting that if Antonio does not pay it back by an appointed time, Shylock may cut a pound of flesh from him. Antonio agrees, and so begins one of Shakespeare's most brilliant comedies. The Merchant …

Antitheatricality And Irrationality: An Alternative View, Kent Lehnhof

English Faculty Articles and Research

"Over the last three decades, antitheatrical authors like Stephen Gosson, Phillip Stubbes, and William Prynne have become increasingly visible in the literary and cultural studies of the early modern period. Even so, the tendency has been to treat these authors as ideological extremists: reactionary hacks whose opposition to stage plays originates in outrageous ideas of the self, impossible notions of right and wrong, and bizarre beliefs about humanity’s susceptibility to external suggestion. This characterization can be traced back to several of the pioneering studies in the field, including Jonas Barish’s The Antitheatrical Prejudice (1985) and Laura Levine’s Men in Women’s …

A Flea In Her Ear

Theatre Programs

A new version of Georges Feydeau's farce by David Ives
Directed by Tamiko Washington

Ives’ reimagining of the George Feydeau comedy is a farcical romp set in France at the turn of the 20th century. Raymonde Chandebise suspects her husband Victor is having an affair after he suddenly seems blasé about sex (though it’s actually due to a nervous condition). This sets off a whirlwind of comic mishaps, wild misunderstandings, and hilarious exchanges at the Frisky Puss Hotel!

Waltmar Theater
7:30 p.m. - February 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 & 27
2 p.m. - February 27

To view photos from …

El Metro En El Teatro Y El Teatro En El Metro: Un Escenario Laberíntico De Múltiples Velocidades, Polly J. Hodge

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"En esta investigación se explora el metro como un espacio teatral único y laberíntico. El metro se revela como un espacio ambiguo: es un lugar brindado con la capacidad de fomentar relaciones amorosas y transformativas entre los seres humanos; a la vez se concibe como un sitio condenado a destruir lazos personales al fomentar comportamientos de decepción y violencia aplastando cualquier esperanza para el espíritu humano. El metro, como espacio urbano recóndito y específicamente localizado bajo la tierra, con sus connotaciones que giran alrededor de la oscuridad, la clandestinidad, el secreto, el misterio y el crimen, es el escenario laberíntico …

"Pitiful Creature Of Darkness": The Subhuman And The Superhuman In The Phantom Of The Opera, Jessica Sternfeld

Music Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"This chapter focuses on The Phantom of the Opera, the megamusical that perhaps most boldly faces the idea of disability head-on, as it stars a character whose face, as one journalist described it, looks 'like melted cheese' (Smith, 1995). The musical's approach to the Phantom's disability is remarkably layered and inconsistent; the Phantom is portrayed in numerous ways (monster, criminal, genius, god, ghost) and his physical disability blurs regularly with his 'soul;' which is where numerous characters locate the origin of his problems. His face and its famous mask covering are both feared and thrilled over, but with a reassuring …

Eurydice

Theatre Programs

Written by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Theresa Robbins Dudeck

In Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

Waltmar Theatre
7:30 p.m. - November 12, 13 & 14
2 p.m. - November 14 & 15

To view photos from this production of Eurydice, please …

Rent

Theatre Programs

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson; loosely based on Puccini’s La Bohème
Directed by Matthew McCray
Music Direction by Diane King Vann

Impoverished young artists and musicians struggle to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with …

Stories Of Resistant Play: Narrative Construction As Counter-Colonial Methodology, Drew Chappell, Sharon Verner Chappell

Theatre Faculty Articles and Research

Narrative construction has an important and under-explored role to play in examining questions of power and privilege in P-12 classrooms or higher education courses in education and the humanities. In this paper, the authors utilize pedagogical deconstruction and reconstitution of stories about childhood play, examining how young people embody cultural narratives of power through their play. Through narrative construction, the authors envision utopian moments of resistant play, in which youth question old scenarios and imagine more equitable and examined possibilities for play. Counter-narrative writing strategies include recombining events from the historical record, contemporary news accounts, or popular culture; playing with …

Zoe Wanamaker, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Zoe Wanamaker.

Soon-Tek Oh, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Soon-Tek Oh.

Présentation Du Numéro Sur Theatre Education, Joëlle Aden, Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau

Presidential Fellows Articles and Research

"Quelle est notre responsabilité en tant qu’éducateurs, chercheurs, artistes, intellectuels dans le développement de valeurs telles que l’empathie, la créativité, la solidarité, le respect de l’autre ? Cette question est aujourd’hui plus que jamais d’actualité."

Du Chaos À La Création : Une Expérience De Pédagogie Énactive Pour Expérimenter Le Processus Créatif En Performance, Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau

Presidential Fellows Articles and Research

Dans cet article, je décris une expérience pédagogique originale que j’ai menée avec des étudiants de l’université d’Évry au cours de l’année universitaire 2009-2010. J’ai proposé à des étudiants en « administration du spectacle » de créer de toutes pièces une performance pour la fin de l’année. L’objectif de cette proposition pédagogique était de les mettre au contact par l’expérience avec ce qu’est un processus créatif. Je voulais en particulier qu’ils fassent l’expérience des différentes étapes d’un processus de création, y compris les phases où il y a un degré important d’incertitude et d’apparente inefficacité. C’est seulement au prix de …

Negro Ensemble Company, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the work and impact of the Negro Ensemble Company.

Anna Deavere Smith, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Anna Deveare Smith.

Charles Sidney Gilpin, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Charles Sidney Gilpin.

Earle Hyman, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Earle Hyman.

Henrietta Vinton Davis, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Henrietta Vinton Davis.

James Earl Jones, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of James Earl Jones.

Lane Nishikawa, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Lane Nishikawa.

Mako Iwamatsu, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Mako Iwamatsu.

Ruby Dee, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Ruby Dee.

Sidney Poitier, Jocelyn L. Buckner

Theatre Faculty Books and Book Chapters

An overview of the life, work, and impact of Sidney Poitier.

Inside The Boudoir: Designing The World Of Lynn Nottage’Sintimate Apparel, Megan Parish

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Scenic artistry and set decorating help build the world of a production and reinforce the themes woven into the plot of a script. For my project, I will be exploring the world of Lynn Nottage’s “Intimate Apparel.” This will include researching the historical context of the piece, which in this case is New York City at the turn of the century, alongside the role of the seamstress in society, in order to accurately convey the environment of this piece. Lynn Nottage’s piece is based in socioeconomic statuses, attitudes on race and femininity as well as women’s rights movements. Therefore, I …

Devising: Improving A Perceived Glistening Community!, Katie Laner

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Theatre for social change has long relied on devising methods to create pieces reflecting current cultural and societal issues. Through exercises, games and workshops, theatre for social change devising practices are as distinct and numerous as the many different communities they work with. The leading pioneer, Augusto Boal, created Theatre of the Oppressed, which utilizes many kinds of practices meant to address local issues effecting a group of people who have suffered from repression or whose needs have been invisible from greater society.Since his initial groundbreaking theories and practices, many modern artists and groups have adapted and changed his methods …

Dreams Of A Motley Graduation Cap: A Proposal For Stand-Up Comedy In Higher Education, David Patterson

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

It is said that the most valuable tool an education at a liberal arts university is how it produces well rounded people with a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. To produce people not only aware of current issues, but with the toolbelt needed to assess them and shed new light. If this is true, then I propose that the goals of liberal arts university are synonymous with the goals of a comedian.

In this thesis, I mean to draw ties to the world of stand up comedy and within the world of liberal arts academia. I …

Mind+Body: An Ethnodrama About Adolescent And Young Adult Oncology, Jake Russell Thompson

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The first thing many people think of as a “cancer patient” tends to be an elderly person, or perhaps a child too young to understand what’s happening — pink ribbons and fundraising walks, weak and feeble bodies too sick and delicate to function. These notions of a “quintessential cancer patient” are both limiting in their scope of what the disease actually is, and isolating to younger people going through it. For people who don’t fit this predetermined idea of the psychological, physical, and emotional development of a cancer patient (specifically, the seventeen to thirty-five age range), isolation becomes another side …

Birth By Sleep: An Immersive Adventure Through Wonderland, Edd Bass

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

When Lewis Carroll wrote down Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland he never expected it to become a worldwide sensation. His work has gained a following as psychoanalysis has allowed people to dive deeper into Alice’s dream world. Many books and movies based on the Alice books have been released, such as Sucker Punch. On a seemingly unrelated topic, a company called Punchdrunk has created an immersive theatre piece known as Sleep No More in which the audience runs around a “hotel” following different actors and trying to unveil the story unfolding. Immersive Theatre allows for the audience to be swallowed up …