Eliminating any consideration of setting, the story of the evolution of lighting is an absorbing commentary upon the history of the theatre and necessary to the full integration of its use as an instrument in the modern theatre. An understanding of the history of the development of stage lighting is as necessary a foundation to the creative and imaginative use of light in the theatre as the foundation of a building is necessary to the support of a tower. History probides the signpost showing the directions to be taken in experimentation and a standard for evaluation of such experimentation. The responsibility of the director and designer to understand and appreciate the uses to which the lighting instrument may be but has increased in rationte the progress made in the efficiency and flexibility of stage lighting from mid-sixteenth century up to the present. A director who regards lighting as mere illusination antedates De Somi in his philosophy. The stage manager who lacts an understanding of his basic units ofmodern lighting and their antecedents is seriously handicapped. With an understanding of the development of the lightng instrument and its effect upon the physical theatre, the imagination is liberated and the basis for new techniques is laid.

Considered from the viewpoint of drama and stagecraft instructors, many of our school theater buildings are inadequate. Visits to numerous high school and college auditoriums in northern California and contact with faculty members using them have convinced the writer of the need for improvement to campus theater planning. The auditorium and little theater in the recently constructed Franklin school in Stockton, California, are good examples of poor planning. In the writer's opinion the auditorium is too large and the little theater too small for either of them to give practical service, especially in relation to their construction costs. That successful projects have been accomplished in some of these poorly planned auditoriums cannot be denied. In such cases ingenuity has succeeded in spite of the poor facilities. The writer contents that better planning will improve the quality of school theater productions as well as give to the school a more functional building.

This thesis is an account of my directorial process for the Spring 2023 production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods. I begin by illustrating how this show speaks to the contemporary political and social moment in the United States through a libretto and score that insists the only way to battle the giants brought on by the pursuit of individual goals is for a community to take responsibility for its errors and work together. I put Into the Woods in conversation with the cartoon series Over the Garden Wall to ground the show in an American context, discussing how our designers drew inspiration for the cartoon’s use of 19th Century American folk aesthetics and distorted images of monstrous figures to develop a unique approach to the world of the play. I then chronicle the audition and rehearsal process, including the incorporation of Michael Chekhov technique into character creation as well as the paths individual actors took to know and embody their characters. I offer an account of some of the unique problems we faced during tech week and how we, like the very characters in the story we were telling, came together to overcome the difficulties we faced. I conclude with an account of the performances and how I have taken the lessons from this process into the professional work I have undertaken since.

After the end of the Cold War had signalled for many the demise of political theatre, a re-emergence of British political plays since the turn of the century has become an acknowledged phenomenon. Customary definitions of this cultural practice, however, have become historically and theoretically obsolete. An alternative philosophical framework is needed which breaks with both the unrealistic expectations of the traditional Left and the defeatist limitations of postmodernist positions. This thesis aims to provide a revised definition of political theatre based on the ideas of Jürgen Habermas. The development of his philosophical project is described together with its refinement as the result of interjections by other thinkers from within the neo-Marxist tradition of Critical Theory, in particular feminist contributors. In addition to exploring key concepts such as the reconstruction of historical materialism, the paradigm of discourse ethics and the model of post avant-garde political art, greater focus is placed on the notion of the public sphere, which has special relevance when examining the contemporary dynamics of political theatre.

This thesis explores the process of building community over time, through collaboration, to rehearse and produce a portable production of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, looking at the elements of time, trust and age with an ensemble of ten men, all actors over the age of 55. The building of trust over time was vital to the production process and the actors had the time to embody their roles and the language of the play. We look at the questions “why this play,” “why all men?” and “why theatre?” and investigate the physical nature of the play and its violence a la Three Stooges or Punch and Judy. We will look at the themes of aging, discrimination and the search for family and identity, all of which have resonance today, through the lens of play.

A study designed as a guideline for the integration of drama into church ministry.

This thesis is a narrative of a project called the James River Anthology. The project was an experiment in "process theater" for the all-boy student population of Seven Hills School in Richmond, Virginia. Students were asked to write their own monologues and create masks inspired by the James River in the 2004-2005 school year. The performance was held on April 28th, 2005 at the Lewis Ginter Recreation Center. A grant from Partners in the Arts was awarded for this project to fund visiting artist, Heather Hogg, author of this thesis.

In this thesis, the author explores a vocal phenomenon called “vocal fry” and why this dysphonia has emerged as one of the primary means of communication for the population referred to as “Generation Y.” The first chapter defines what vocal fry is and why it is of modest value to the stage actor. The second chapter defines the physiological means by which the human body creates sound, what good sound is and how vocal fry is created. The third and fourth chapters define several generations as well as what defines Gen Y, and the communication physiologies associated with those generations. The last chapter discusses the rise of narcissism within Gen Y and how this may relate to the arrival of vocal fry as a default register for theatre students. The conclusion outlines several solutions that may alleviate the problems associated with this dysphonia.

An overwhelming number of contemporary adolescents struggle with difficult issues. Many of these problems are socially related whereas others can be directly related to the degradation of the family unit. Among the most damaging of issues is distorted body image, which infect youth, often causing them to communicate aggressively, and even landing them in compromising situations. I have sought to challenge my students to redefine themselves through expressive movement and the creation of abstract rhythmic sounds. In teaching these techniques, I have given my former students the means to combat negative thoughts and actions, as well as an excellent tool for self-discovery. In leading a number of workshops targeted to specific populations, I have taught an innovative technique of movement expression that replaces the spoken word, thereby allowing an individual to unlock the previously undiscovered power of his/her body.

Physically, vocally, and physiologically something happens to the actor in rehearsal and performance that can impact the actor’s everyday life. Practitioners have described this as boundary blurring, emotional hangover, and post-dramatic stress. Even acting as a profession can breed stressful situations for the actor. Actors can combat the blurring, the hangover, and the stress through awareness and process. As a part of process, actors warm-up to prepare their bodies and voices and to transition from real life to stage life. An often ignored aspect of process, but no less significant than the warm-up, is the cool down. After researching the acting experience and the cool down, I introduced several student actors to the cool down during two productions and a workshop. Through these practical experiences, this research, and numerous interviews, I have compiled exercises to facilitate the transition between the acting experience and everyday life.