Justification of Neil Simon's credibility as a comedic playwright by examining established principles of comedy and humor from Aristotle to Bergson to Bier, and their prevalence in The Star Spangled Girl, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Promises, Promises, and Chapter Two.

On December 5, 1969, an experimental production of Neil Simon's A Star-Spangled Girl was presented at the Callier Hearing and Speech Center in Denton, Texas. On December 6, 1969, the production was repeated in the Studio Theatre on the North Texas State University campus in Denton, Texas. The production was experimental in that it was directed for a deaf audience.

This thesis is an exploratory look at the process for designing the costumes for Neil Simon’s The Good Doctor. This production was produced at the University of New Orleans as part of its 2012-2013 season. Within this thesis we explore the multifaceted journey of the costume design process. As a designer, it is one’s job to use both historical and textual analysis in order to create a design that supports the thematic structure of the play. The following journey begins with initial research on the complex relationship between Neil Simon and his subject Anton Chekhov. It continues to include individual character concepts, as well as a re-telling of the production process. Finally, it concludes with an analysis of the validity of the design as a whole. Costume Design, Neil Simon, Anton Chekhov, The Good Doctor

The area of investigation in the Jake's Women's thesis resides with the actor's preparation in the portrayal of a character who struggles with the pain of loss and betrayal. The acting technique explored centers around the psychology behind the emotional and physical aspects of acting. The results rely on the thoughts and feelings of sensitivity in the actor's body. Development of an actor's inner technique and outer instrument is explored and implemented. An actor's belief in the body to produce effective imaginary people or place within a scene rests in the actor's ability to allow his or her instrument to create real-life emotion. This process of belief is accomplished through the trained technique of relaxation exercises, thus, giving the actor the discipline to concentrate on the process of creating a believable character. The human condition becomes the central focus in the honest representation of a man suffering to forgive and forget his troubles.