Other Theatre and Performance Studies Commons^™

Impacts Of Theatre On The Mental Health Of High School Students, Madeline Ludwig

Honors Program Theses

This thesis explores the effects of participation in theatre on mental health in high school students. Though there has been more research since 2008 on mental health and its relation to the arts, there have been very few focused on mental health and theatre. However, the majority of these studies are centered around adults or young children. There is a lack of research centered around the impacts that theatre and drama have on the mental health of high school students. This study specifically focused on college students at the University of Northern Iowa and their reflection on their time in …

Informed Hearing Loss Prevention For Theatre Uni, Mallory Park

Honors Program Theses

This study explores the opinions and behaviors related to hearing loss and hearing loss prevention in the demographic of theatre workers at Theatre UNI. Data was collected through a survey dispersed in a department-wide email and by measuring sound level in the scene shop and the costume studio. Survey responses from 11 participants indicated that theatre workers at Theatre UNI may be at risk for noise-induced hearing loss and that further education may aid in prevention of hearing damage.

Teen Theatre: Exploring The Role Of The Young Adult In Art And Life, Jessica J. Vaught

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to summarize my exploration with a group of teenagers of two scripts and our experiences throughout the process. The scripts chosen fit two qualifications: I considered them to be examples of true quality in playwriting and they addressed adolescent self-identification. In rehearsals the teens and I discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each script we read and chose to perform a staged reading of the one we considered better suited for our ensemble. A discussion of my decision to direct a staged reading rather than a full-fledged production can be found in the Creative …

"From Research To Realized Garments": A Costume Design Process For Dying City, Tori Rezek

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of my thesis project is to develop and document an approach to costume design that would support this method by creating realistic visual images of the characters the actors developed. This portfolio displays my complete costume design process for Dying City. It includes notes, sketches, research images, and charts that helped inform the final costume design for the production. The collaborative processes I participated in with the production team (involving the director; scenic, lighting, and sound designers; and stage management) and the build team (the costume technical director, cutter/drapers, and stichers) also aided in the development of my …

Lighting Design And Development Process For The Strayer-Wood Theatre's Production Of On The Verge, Michael Franklin Brown

Honors Program Theses

I chose to do this project because it was the logical final step in my theatre education at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). I began my education at UNI with the goal of working as a mainstage lighting designer at the Strayer-Wood Theatre, and I worked my way through the ranks to reach this position. I have aspirations to design lights for professional theatre, and I believe this fully realized project will be a great example of my work to show potential employers.

This portfolio will showcase the steps I took to complete the project and written and visual …

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 …

Competition And Success In Secondary School Drama Programs: A Comparative Study, Lisa Lenstra-Norman

Graduate Research Papers

Among the participants in secondary school drama programs, indirect competition, with its emphasis on mastery and personal achievement, may promote the development of successful behaviors such as having the ability to perform tasks skillfully, revealing a commitment to setting and reaching high expectations, showing responsibility, possessing self-esteem and caring for others. Therefore the purpose of this study is to determine an answer to the following question: does indirect competition enhance the success of participants in a secondary school drama program? Because one of the two schools studied does not take part in large group or individual speech contests, this study …

Costume Design For Roosters By Milcha Sanchez-Scot, Theatre Uni, Spring Semester, 2003, Carmelita Tyson Guse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to document the process of designing costumes for Theatre UNI's production of Roosters by Milcha Sanchez-Scott. It serves to document the collaboration between director and designers that is necessary to produce a quality theatrical work. This work is a compilation of the research and creative process. Charts, lists, renderings, photographs, and a journal are included to show the progression of the process, in addition to pre-production research.

Roosters was performed in the Bertha Martin Theatre February 27-March 2 and March 6-9, 2003. The play chronicles a special day in the life of the Morales …

Theatre As A Change Agent: An Analysis Of High School Theatre Education And Its Benefits In Communication And Problem Solving, Cory Losenicky

Graduate Research Papers

Theatre education in the high school has an interesting past. Theatre has a long presence in schools as entertainment, but its benefits to educational outcomes has been largely overlooked. In the United States around the turn of the last century, this schema began to be questioned. In 1936, Columbia University published a book discussing the use of theatre in the United States and its possible uses in education: "The Production of Later 19th Century American Drama" by Garrett Leverton. This book was the first to discuss the beginning of the changing role of theatre in education. Columbia University was not …

Dino Hayz At The Putnam Museum Of History And Natural Science: Introducing Creative Drama, Theatre For Youth And Participation Theatre As Educational Tools In The Museum Setting, Tess Marlene Lassen

Graduate Research Papers

The intent of this study is to show how the principle of teaching in role through Theatre for Youth, Participation Theatre and Creative Drama were used by Dino Hayz to teach young people about exhibits at the Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science in Davenport, Iowa from 1990 to 2001. When it began, the Heritage Theatre at the Putnum Museum offered short plays or monologues performed in and relating to the museum exhibits. These pieces were performed for the general public, adults and youth. The Theatre Coordinator was Margo Stites. Under the direction of Dino Hayz the role of …

The Putdown: Intergenerational Communicative Dynamics Of Male Characteristics In The Plays Of August Wilson, Bryan C. Moore

Graduate Research Papers

Most African-American playwrights use realistic dialogue and monologues in their plays to share messages and stories about African-American culture, history, and society with others. One of the most popular and successful African-American playwrights today is August Wilson. His plays are a plethora of storytelling, and makes use of strong dialogue. Wilson displays elements of African-American culture and history in each of his plays, mostly through interaction and conversations between the characters. Wilson's plays are part of a larger project known as the twentieth-century cycle, in which each play represents a decade of African-American history and culture.

Performances At An Aids Memorial Quilt Display: An Ethnographic Study Of Rehearsal, Joyce Anne Flodin

Graduate Research Papers

Several tentative research questions posed early in the study focused on the audience. The study of audience was later abandoned because it would not have been feasible for one researcher to conduct analyses of audiences while also observing performers. A study of these audiences would have been interesting because these were not a typical audience coming to a theatre for entertainment. These audiences were emotionally tied to the topic of the texts. Most of the audience members were highly knowledgeable about AIDS and related issues. The only audience analyses in this study were the directors' and performers' impressions of audience …