This study of Primus Theatre is evidence of many things. First and foremost it is a long overdue print recognition of Primus Theatre's substantial artistic accomplishments and its important contribution to the development of theatre-making in English-speaking Canada. In examining the various factors contributing to the founding of the theatre company and the extremely challenging conditions in which company members functioned over the years, it remains truly remarkable that Primus Theatre existed at all. Three central determinations emerge from the examination of Primus Theatre's practice. The theatre company truly was a pioneering venture in English Canada. Company members established an "as-if-permanent" ensemble that engaged in the creation of original performance work drawn from research that emerged from their regular training practice. The company adopted a theatre-making practice generated by the Odin Theatre in Denmark and then adapted it to vastly different cultural and fiscal contexts. It can also be determined that the origins of the company are inextricably bound to Artistic Director Richard Fowler's personal artistic journey. His strong sense of the creative and communal potential for theatre not only fuelled his own creative journey but also inspired National Theatre School students to launch their own acts of courage. The third determination arising from this study is that, while all aspects of Primus Theatre's creative practice can be linked to that of the Odin Theatre, this relationship can most accurately be described as an imprinting, rather than as an extension, of Odin Theatre practices. The conscious and unconscious permutation and advancement of the practice, driven by the technical and creative needs and interests of the young Canadian company and deeply affected by substantial financial hardships and creative set-backs, forced Primus to emerge as a unique theatrical entity developing from a particular and identifiable geneology. This study of the establishment of Primus Theatre also provides evidence that the substantial hardships faced by company members did not dissuade them from advancing their practice of continued exploration of form and expression. The study provides evidence not only of Primus Theatre's substantial body of creative work but also of its substantial pedagogical efforts. Subsequently, a new generation of theatre artists has been inspired by and trained in this alternative theatre-making model, and are making their own contributions to the continued redefinition of theatre in English Canada.

This study of Primus Theatre is evidence of many things. First and foremost it is a long overdue print recognition of Primus Theatre's substantial artistic accomplishments and its important contribution to the development of theatre-making in English-speaking Canada. In examining the various factors contributing to the founding of the theatre company and the extremely challenging conditions in which company members functioned over the years, it remains truly remarkable that Primus Theatre existed at all. Three central determinations emerge from the examination of Primus Theatre's practice. The theatre company truly was a pioneering venture in English Canada. Company members established an "as-if-permanent" ensemble that engaged in the creation of original performance work drawn from research that emerged from their regular training practice. The company adopted a theatre-making practice generated by the Odin Theatre in Denmark and then adapted it to vastly different cultural and fiscal contexts. It can also be determined that the origins of the company are inextricably bound to Artistic Director Richard Fowler's personal artistic journey. His strong sense of the creative and communal potential for theatre not only fuelled his own creative journey but also inspired National Theatre School students to launch their own acts of courage. The third determination arising from this study is that, while all aspects of Primus Theatre's creative practice can be linked to that of the Odin Theatre, this relationship can most accurately be described as an imprinting, rather than as an extension, of Odin Theatre practices. The conscious and unconscious permutation and advancement of the practice, driven by the technical and creative needs and interests of the young Canadian company and deeply affected by substantial financial hardships and creative set-backs, forced Primus to emerge as a unique theatrical entity developing from a particular and identifiable geneology. This study of the establishment of Primus Theatre also provides evidence that the substantial hardships faced by company members did not dissuade them from advancing their practice of continued exploration of form and expression. The study provides evidence not only of Primus Theatre's substantial body of creative work but also of its substantial pedagogical efforts. Subsequently, a new generation of theatre artists has been inspired by and trained in this alternative theatre-making model, and are making their own contributions to the continued redefinition of theatre in English Canada.

THE DOUBTFUL HERO: AN ARTIST’S JOURNEY By Heather N. Falks, MFA A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015 Director: Noreen Barnes Graduate Studies Director, Department of Theatre This thesis documents my role as director of Time Tells, an ensemble based, multi-media, devised theatre piece. I address my specific responsibilities when leading an ensemble to create new work and produce it for the public. I identify the problems the ensemble faced and account how I mediated when dealing with conflict. Additionally, I include important professional influences such as, director and author, Anne Bogart and her nine Viewpoints; and the work of director and activist, Augusto Boal and the Theatre of the Oppressed. I explain how exercises from Viewpoints and Theatre of the Oppressed aided my approach to team building and helped the ensemble establish a common language for communication. A shared vocabulary and sense of community allowed the ensemble to freely explore character and relationships, which led to formation of the Time Tells story.

This dissertation seeks to address the pivotal ecological and technological realities of the twenty-first century, currently giving rise to new patterns of existence and new paradigms of human inquiry. This study will ask how technological innovation and environmental urgency have altered the ways in which human beings think, and thus perceive the world around them, changing human behavior, or non-behavior, and calling forth new imperatives for the arts, and namely for the Theatre. Most significantly, the dissertation attempts to traverse the shadow-lands, between our ecologies and our technologies, exploring those essential points of convergence in the borderlands where Eco-Theatre and New Media must find a precious balance. As digital media and new technologies continue to transcend previously conceived barriers, so do new opportunities present themselves. New forms emerge, bridging cultures, facilitating connections of thought beyond national geographic boundaries. Rising to the challenge, seeking a global, even playing ground in a liminal age of shifting, invisible borders, this dissertation addresses the current need for re-envisioning of our positionality as artists, and as citizens of the world. In conclusion, the dissertation points toward a methodology of interdisciplinary creative collaboration, of global community-based social practice art, of theatre ecology, and of active new media strategies to address the needs of this decisive age.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:51:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 pris.pdf: 4311980 bytes, checksum: bafee12551265a1d4a5a87d194fe83cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Considerando a lacuna de textos teatrais escritos por mulheres e/ ou que contemplem assuntos relacionados ao universo feminino, o grupo de pesquisa (Em) Companhia de Mulheres, da UDESC/ Florianópolis, formado para a execução desta pesquisa, propôs-se a criar seu próprio texto e espetáculo dentro do método devised theatre. A partir das sete demandas estabelecidas pelo women¿s liberation movement, nos anos 1970, o grupo desenvolveu uma temática voltada às causas feministas, optando pela questão da legitimação da relação homo afetiva perante a lei e sua aceitação pela família e sociedade. Esta dissertação descreve como o grupo atingiu seus objetivos, desde a sua formação, passando pelas formas de organização até as estratégias de criação, que culminaram na criação do texto e espetáculo Jardim de Joana. Para refletir sobre este processo, a prática do grupo é colocada em diálogo com os procedimentos utilizados pela prática teatral feminista bem como com os conceitos que permeiam a teoria teatral feminista

This project investigates the previously unrecognised significance of the ways in which the Embodied Theatre practices of Suzanne Bing (1885-1967) and Michael Chekhov (1891-1955) utilised forms of what I term Embodied Play as a constituent part of their actor training processes. A methodology is developed in the introduction which draws on Foucault's notion of genealogy and Feminist approaches to historiography in order to trace and review accounts of these often marginalised play practices in order to re-configure the contributions of Bing and Chekhov in historical terms. It also challenges notions of authenticity and singular 'ownership' of technique by considering the importance of collaborative cross-fertilisation with other practitioners. This research includes a broader exploration of the literature, histories and discourses about the variety of practices that are often problematically classified as Physical Theatre in relation to the identification of the key components of Bing and Chekhov's pedagogy. The first chapter presents this mapping in tandem with the argument that McDermott's term of Embodied Theatre is more appropriate for Bing and Chekhov's practice. The second chapter further refines the frame of analysis to Embodied Play. Chapters three and four consider how Chekhov and Bing respectively used forms of Embodied Play. Chapter five considers how Bing and Chekhov extended their methods of Embodied Play in training which led to radical approaches to working collaboratively with text and writers. It concludes that this movement from the use of play solely for the acquisition of discrete skill or character creation to extended forms of Embodied Play enabled them to train actors to work as empowered creators of small-scale performance in their Schools/Studios, and ultimately to engage in devising processes for professional productions. Consequently, this helps to fill the gap in scholarship on the early experiments in devised Embodied Theatre. In conclusion the focus on Bing addresses the either inadequate, or absent, analyses of her practice in many of the existing historical studies which are dominated by the patrilineal narratives of Jacques Copeau and Michel Saint-Denis. The consideration of Chekhov's practice also challenges the current discourse on play centring on Le Jeu and presents the argument for an expanded term able to consider different artists not just those from the French male lineage. Concurrently, this focus on Chekhov's use of Embodied Play has added to the scholarship on his pedagogic and theatre-making practices.

This thesis is a written documentation of the original, devised performance piece, ANTI-BELLUM: A RECLAMATION OF THE SOUTHERN BELLE, written in the fall of 2006 by Chandra O. Hopkins. The document tracks the creative process through the stages of: initial inspiration, written development and script formation, creative collaboration in the rehearsal hall, and finally the staging presentation of the piece through production. In addition to this written document, the original, devised script of the production is also included.

During this course, upper-level VCUArts students are invited to join forces to become a part of a cross-disciplinary, ensemble-based exploration. Powered by Tectonic Theatre Project’s Moment Work, students will create new works and gain insight into the philosophies, purposes, and processes of Moment Work and other devised theatre techniques. The class will culminate in short, devised pieces, created and performed by the students. The focus of the class is on the creation of a harmonious ensemble amongst a varied group of young artists. I believe that in order to create a generation of innovative and forward-thinking artists, the segregation of the arts disciplines within academia must halt. Cross-disciplinary collaboration will invite varying perspectives to exist in a single setting, and hopefully lead to new forms of art.

This paper considers two purposes for actor training—textual interpretation and devising original works—through the teaching of a class based on contemporary theatrical clown and physical theatre exercises which are then applied to Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Devised work can be used to interpret a script, and a script can be used as a jumping-off point to devise new works. Beginning with an explanation of the teaching methods for the class, the paper then gives a background of clowns who performed in Beckett’s plays, and analyzes various productions' use of games to enliven text. Exercises from the class are used as examples of exploring the uncovering of clown personas and the application of games to both Beckett scene-work and invented theatre pieces. The students’ final performances are examined to demonstrate the effectiveness of the classwork, confirming that textual interpretation and devising are complementary instead of opposing practices.

Abstract DEVISING, REFINING, AND REHEARSAL IN A 30 YEAR WAR By Bradley Harris Willcuts, M.F.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015 Thesis Chair: David Leong Devising, Refining and Rehearsing in a 30 Year War is an account of the process of developing movement and choreography for the production of Mother Courage and her Children at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. It was my largest project during the two years I spent at Virginia Commonwealth University studying an MFA. The title reflects the chronological process that my mentor, director, and colleague David Leong and I went through to produce the work that earned a Helen Hayes Nomination for Outstanding Choreography in a Play. The show starred Kathleen Turner and was directed by acclaimed artistic director of the Arena Stage, Molly Smith. The demands of the work not only had serious responsibilities, but they also asked for a higher caliber of iv work than I had ever been a part of before. It proved to be the single most influential theatrical experience of my career. The movement work needed to be approached with great research and merit due to the highly stylized nature of the project and the national acclaim for it’s opening. This thesis documents that process and the successful outcome of the work which David Leong and I spent over 8 months on.