AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OFJennifer Caudell, for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre, presented on April 10, 2020, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.TITLE: A WHITE WOMAN’S VIEW INTO AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE OPPRESSION: DIRECTING DysFuNkTiOnAl? BY TERESA MCKINLEYMAJOR PROFESSOR: Olusegun Ojewuyi “A White Woman’s View into African Amerian Female Oppression: Directing DysFuNkTiOnAl? by Teresa Mckinley” delineates the process by which the script was proposed, produced and performed as part of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Big Muddy Play Festival for the Spring semester of 2020. It was presented in the Christian H. Moe Theatre in the Communications Building on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus on March 26 and 28, 2020. Chapter one details the research and analysis work completed by the director, Jennifer Caudell, before the pre-production phase of the project. Chapter two describes and analyzes the pre-production process from deciding to direct DysFuNkTiOnAl? to the beginning of the rehearsal process. In chapter three, the discussion will segue into the rehearsal and production process; this chapter will discuss challenges faced, problems solved, tactics and agendas used to create a fully realized and unified production. The final chapter, chapter four, will lay out the post-production process, including the performances of the show and the director’s evaluation of the final project and process.