This is an exploration of the director's role in autobiographical theatre. The director is in a unique position when storytelling on a personal level is being executed theatrically. I explored this topic over the course of directing three plays, each of which contained a strong personal storytelling element, which broadened my perspective of the director's role. The three plays were Slashtipher Coleman’s The Neon Man and Me, Birth by Karen Brody, and Will Power to Youth Richmond presents: William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Traditionally, the director’s role includes a myriad of tasks. These tasks can include and are not limited to creating pictures on stage that reflect the story being told, coaching actors in their craft specific to the production, vocal and movement coaching, viii creating a concept, interpreting and translating the action, and being the intermediary amongst the creative team in reaching the overall artistic vision. However, when the director is presented with personal stories to shape and mold, this role changes; no longer can the director wear a traditional hat and assume that the story will tell itself through a series of pictures, but now the director dons different hats and accesses other skills that more closely reflect those of mentor, spiritual leader, psychologist, teacher, and friend. This thesis is a narrative of the explorative process that one director experienced when staging these three prototypes of autobiographical theatre.

Actor training, like the theatre in Brazil, has historically been a middle and upper class pursuit that followed European models, namely Stanislavski's system. Yet within Brazil there is a wealth of diverse cultures that are inherently theatrical and well suited for application in actor training. In this study I explore one such culture, the Afro Brazilian religion Umbanda. First, I examine its formation to illuminate how the religion itself performed (or served as a site for cultural interaction) throughout history. Then, I explore the practice of the religion both apart from and in relation to the theatre and Stanislavski's system. Using the archetypes of Umbanda as a base, I formulate a system of actor training that both allows access to a larger demographic of Brazilians, and also encourages cultural dialogue as an explicit part of acting process. I frame this study with two metaphors: anthropophagy, the notion of cannibalizing or consuming one culture by another; and, more specifically, the digestive tract. The anthropophagy movement in Brazil framed the country's thought throughout much of the 20th century; the digestive tract is a closer examination of the consuming process that epitomizes this system of actor training.

Scenic improvisation is dramatic performance without a script. Performers develop scenes in real time in front of an audience. They do this by submitting to a set of rules of relating on-stage which allow them, by mutual assent, to develop scenes and stories based on their relationships with one another. This methodology by which improvisers develop their scenes can give us a tangible vocabulary and model by which we can fulfill the requirements of love. The Harold, an improvisational form created by Del Close and Charna Halpern and taught and performed at IO (formerly ImprovOlympic), emphasizes this relational ethic as the means to create consistent and sustainable theatrical performances. This paper will examine the performance methodology and pedagogy of long-form improvisation and particularly the Harold as a guide for ethical decision-making and behavior in our personal relationships.

Title of the thesis: The chanson as a complex speech act and its translatability Keywords: chanson, translation, song lyrics, chansonnier, interpretation, acting, nonverbal communication, Aznavour, Bécaud, Piaf, Hegerová, Gott, Čeřovská, cabaret Abstract: The aim of the thesis is to describe the possibilities and the limits of translatability of chanson with regard to song lyrics and dramatic performance. The main contribution consists in determination of a relation between borrowed chansons and their French originals. The realization of the thesis is based on a research on the field of literary translation and acting on the one hand and on the analysis of song lyrics and dramatic performances on the other hand. The analyses in both cases concern three selected French chansons and Czech versions corresponding to them. The first part of the thesis defines the chanson and explains its historical development in the Czech territory. The theory of literary translation and lyrics translation is presented and applied to the translation of chanson in the second part. The third part deals with possibilities of a dramatic interpretation of chanson on the basis of the theory of acting. The last part brings a double analysis which concerns song lyrics and dramatic interpretation of chosen pairs of chanson.

The poems in Carved take the reader on a journey of self-discovery and explore the inequalities of human relationships: between being silent and the discovery of one's voice. The collection also addresses humanity's destructive imprint and the resiliency of nature in reclaiming what humanity sought to exploit and conquer. The poems expose the ironies in how we imagine things to be, compared to their reality. Some of the poems also draw parallels between the process of going underground and that of being reborn, as well as the spiritual experience of caving.

A técnica Meisner e as sementes do Sistema stanislavskiano plantadas em solo americano. 2019. 183f. Tese (Doutorado em Artes Cênicas) - Escola de Comunicações e Artes, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2019. Esta tese propôs o estudo teórico da técnica Meisner, observando suas origens e as relações com o Sistema de Stanislavski. O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi analisar passo-apasso a técnica meisneriana para esclarecer quais são os procedimentos criados por ela e qual a sua filiação com o Sistema. O estudo questionou as possíveis origens dos seguintes procedimentos meisnerianos: o exercício da repetição, a atividade, o bater na porta, a preparação emocional, as imitações, impedimentos e o trabalho com cenas. Após esse panorama foi feita uma análise que estabelece paralelismos e distinções da técnica Meisner com alguns procedimentos do Sistema, apontando pontos de contato e inflexão entre eles, tais como: comunhão, círculo de atenção, memória afetiva, as circunstâncias propostas, o \"se mágico\" e o étude, mas constatou também diferenças significativas. Concluimos que dois elementos da técnica, apesar de inspirados em Stanislavski, foram criados por Meisner: o exercício da repetição e a preparação emocional. / The Meisner Technique and the Seeds on American Soil Planted by the Stanislavskian Sistem. 2019. 183p. Thesis (Doctorate in Theater) - School of Comunications and Arts, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 2019. This thesis proposes the theorical study of the Meisner technique, observing its origins and relations with the Stanislavski\'s Sistem. The goal of this research was to analyse step by step the meisnerian technique and clarify which are the procedures created by it, and how is it related to the Sistem. The study questioned the possible origins of the following meisnerian procedures: the repetition exercise, the activity, the knocking on the door, the emotional preparation, imitation, impediments and the work with scenes. After this panorama, was made an analysis that stablished distinctions and paralelisms between the Meisner technique and some procedures of the Sistem, pointing spots of contact and inflexion between them, such as: communion, circle of attention, affective memory, given circunstances, the \"magic if\" and the étude, but found also significative differences. This theses concludes that two elements of the Meisner technique, besides being inspired by Stanislavski, were created by Meisner: the repetition exercise and the emotional preparation.

À l’aube du XXe siècle, le metteur en scène russe Vsevolod Meyerhold nourrit une réflexion féconde sur le théâtre et plus particulièrement sur le jeu de l’acteur. La traduction en Europe occidentale des écrits de ce réformateur donne la possibilité au metteur en scène contemporain Eugenio Barba d’en revisiter la pensée et d’en reconsidérer l’héritage. Ainsi, notre étude se propose de montrer dans quelle mesure l’approche du jeu meyerholdien peut servir de référence pour les pratiques actuelles d’Eugenio Barba. Malgré les années qui les séparent, une mise en confrontation nous permettra de relever les points communs et les différences de leur démarche. Hommes érudits en culture théâtrale, ils n’ont de cesse de réinterroger le jeu, notamment par l’intérêt qu’ils accordent à diverses traditions, telle la commedia dell’arte, les masques ou encore les sources asiatiques. Nous analyserons comment chacun en puise les principes nécessaires en vue d’un enrichissement du jeu (voix, diction, mouvement, gestuel, corps). Il sera intéressant de saisir la portée d’un tel renouveau du jeu de l’acteur, et de voir dans quelle perspective celui-ci contribue à donner une identité à leur théâtre. / At the dawn of the 20th century, Russian stage director Vsevolod Meyerhold fruitfully reflected on theatre and particularly on acting. The translation of this reformer’s writings in Western Europe enabled contemporany stage director Eugenio Barba to revisit its depths and reconsider its heritage. Thus this thesis aims to show how the Meyerholdian approach to acting can be used as a reference for Eugenio Barba’s current practices. Despite the years that separate the two individuals, comparing them will allow us to identify the similarities and differences in their processes. These two theatre scholars have kept on questioning acting, especially through their interests in various traditions, such as commedia dell’arte, masks or other Asian sources. We will analyze how each of them used those sources to draw necessary principles to enrich acting (through movement, gesture, body, voice, diction). It will be interesting to understand the impact of such an acting revival and to see in which perspective it helps give an identity to their theatre.

Au cours d’une longue carrière, Michel Saint-Denis a développé un système de pratiques pédagogiques pour le training de l’acteur qui contribue à la formation des nouvelles générations d’acteurs anglophones et francophones. La recherche menée pour cette thèse a donc coïncidé avec une enquête sur la genèse et les transformations de cette pédagogie de l’acteur, organisée en un ensemble d’enseignements, au sein des écoles d’art dramatique fondées par Saint-Denis, à partir du London Theatre Studio. Sa formation auprès de Jacques Copeau méritait sans doute un examen approfondi et détaillé, car les techniques pour acteurs assimilées à l’École du Vieux-Colombier et avec les Copiaus en Bourgogne ont contribué à la composition des principes pédagogiques et conceptuels au sein desquels son training a été construit. L’œuvre de Saint-Denis apparaît exemplaire, justement parce qu’à son arrivée en Angleterre dans les années 1930, tout d’abord en tant que directeur de la Compagnie des Quinze puis en tant que pédagogue d’acteurs, il se propose comme porteur de nouvelles pratiques au sein d’une culture théâtrale dans laquelle la formation de l’acteur - telle que considérée par Copeau et ses héritiers élèves - n’était pas envisagée. Cette thèse vise donc à retracer le training de l’acteur par Saint-Denis en tant que méthode pédagogique, et donc la normalisation des pratiques développées par Copeau au sein de l’École du Vieux-Colombier et avec les Copiaus, et leur inclusion dans le contexte théâtral anglophone. Saint- Denis a été le premier à traduire les chemins de recherche pédagogique de Copeau en une méthode figée et définie. / The transmission of acting training is a complex and often controversial topic within theatre studies. Within this scholarly discourse, Michel Saint-Denis’s actor pedagogy, often neglected by theatre historians, is an exemplary case study for two main reasons: Saint-Denis (Jacques Copeau’s nephew, student and one of his major heirs) was the first who translated the acting practices rediscovered in the École du Vieux-Colombier and by the Copiaus group into a fixed and defined method; he led and adapted Copeau’s teachings in the anglophone theatrical world. This dissertation explores the first institutional context created by Saint-Denis, that also constitutes the prototype of his pedagogy: the London Theatre Studio, founded in 1935 and active until the outbreak of World War II. What I wish to investigate is the transition from an entirely experimental practice – that is, the research undertaken by Copeau with his pupils at the École du Vieux Colombier and in Burgundy – to a proper method. This system was conceived for being transmitted, and therefore systematized, in a fixed and strictly normative structure – In other words, standardised. Saint-Denis appears to be the custodian of Copeau’s legacy, responsible for translating a combination of experimental workshops into a structured method and for their further development in acting schools programs. Furthermore, upon his relocation from France to England, Saint-Denis becomes the link between two different theatre cultures. / La principale finalità di questo lavoro di ricerca è quella di apportare un contributo allo studio dell’allenamento attoriale, secondo una prospettiva storica. La pedagogia dell’attore di Michel Saint-Denis, che ha dedicato gran parte della sua vita all’acting training, è spesso ignorata dagli storici del teatro, nonostante rappresenti, invece, un caso di studio esemplare. Nipote, allievo e tra i principali eredi di Jacques Copeau, è stato il primo a tradurre le pratiche riscoperte e sviluppate all’École du Vieux-Colombier e dai Copiaus, di cui aveva fatto esperienza diretta, in un metodo fisso e definito, e ha traghettato e adattato gli insegnamenti di Copeau nel mondo teatrale anglofono. Ripercorrendo e approfondendo il suo percorso di apprendistato, lo studio effettua un lavoro di ricostruzione e analisi del primo contesto istituzionale creato da Saint-Denis, che costituisce il prototipo della sua pedagogia: il London Theatre Studio, fondato nel 1935 e attivo fino all’inizio della Seconda guerra mondiale. Ciò che ci interessa indagare è il passaggio da un insieme di pratiche sperimentali – ovvero le ricerche effettuate dal Patron con gli allievi dell’École du Vieux Colombier e con i Copiaus in Borgogna – a un metodo pensato per essere trasmesso e dunque sistematizzato in una struttura normativa fissa, rigida. Della cultura attoriale che discende da Copeau, Saint-Denis sembra essere il custode: il primo a tradurre un insieme di pratiche sperimentali in un metodo fisso, inserito in un’istituzione formativa convenzionale. Ma non solo: con il trasferimento in Inghilterra, Saint-Denis diviene anello di congiunzione tra due culture teatrali tra loro diversissime.

This scientific essay starts with a description of a dilemma that I as a childminder find hard to handle. The story is reproducing an incident where this day care child -John- is getting an outburst that is affecting many persons in the group activity local for childminders. The problems that are created by the repeated defiant and unwieldy outbursts by this boy are challenging to handle. I have got certain experiences of children with special needs, but that competence is not sufficient in this case. The text also describes the doubt if a single childminder really is capable to handle a child that is demanding a lot more assistance than what is normal among day care children. Is it possible to offer all the children secure attention and interesting learning when one of them is demanding extra attention and support? Would an single-handed educator be able to help the boy to function better in social contexts? When I reflect over my dilemma, I am framing my questions. Through the writing I seek a deeper insight about what solutions eventually turns out to work for the challenging child. As a result of this examining writing process, I have found that the including of the child in the day care group was successful beyond expectation. The relation between me and the child is developing in a positive way when I choose to handle his tantrums in a less emotional way. An empathic approach and dialogues opens up for a cooperation which give the child possibilities to become a participant and able to affect his everyday situation at the family day care. The smaller group is a postulate for the positive development taking place within the boy. According to me, professional childminders should have a natural place as carers to children who for various reasons do not work or thrive in larger groups. The essay also includes explorations of other educators experiences in the form of participating observations on a preschool. The initial report, the observations, the empirical analysis and the result are all linked together with the theories of practical knowledge, my reflections, new insights, theoretical knowledge, research and literature that strengthen these. The practical knowledge is running like a red thread through the text. / Den här vetenskapliga essän börjar med en beskrivning av ett dilemma, som jag som dagbarnvårdare, upplever svårhanterligt. Berättelsen återger en incident där dagbarnet, John får ett utbrott, som påverkar många personer på dagbarnvårdarnas gruppverksamhet. Problemen som pojkens återkommande trotsiga och svårhanterliga anfall orsakar är utmanande att handskas med. Viss erfarenhet av barn med speciella behov har jag men den kompetensen räcker inte till i det här fallet. Jag funderar över vilken inverkan pojkens raserianfall har på de andra barnen och vuxna i gruppverksamheten -både i den större och mindre gruppen som barnet vistas i. I texten beskrivs också tvivlet över huruvida en ensam arbetande dagbarnvårdare är kapabel att hantera ett barn, som kräver betydande assistans utöver det som dagbarn vanligtvis gör. Kan en pedagog på egen hand hjälpa pojken att fungera bättre i socialt kontext? När jag reflekterar över mitt dilemma så väcks mina frågeställningar. Genom skrivandet söker jag en djupare insikt om det som med tiden visar sig fungera för det utmanande barnet. Till följd av den här granskande skrivprocessen har jag kommit fram till att inkludering av barnet i dagbarnsgruppen lyckades över förväntan. Relationen mellan barnet och mig utvecklas positivt när jag väljer att hantera de problematiska utbrotten mindre emotionellt. Empatiskt förhållningssätt och samtal öppnar till ett samarbete, som ger barnet möjlighet att vara delaktig och påverka sin vardag på familjedaghemmet. Den mindre gruppen är en förutsättning för den gynnsamma utvecklingen som sker hos pojken. Enligt mig bör yrkesgruppen dagbarnvårdare ha sin givna plats som omsorgsgivare för barn som inte av olika anledningar trivs eller mår bra i större grupper. Uppsatsen innehåller även ett utforskande av andra pedagogers erfarenheteri form av deltagande observationer på en förskola. Den inledande berättelsen, observationerna, analysenav empirin samt resultatet knyts samman med den praktiska kunskapens teori, mina reflektioner, nya insikter, teoretiska kunskaper, forskning och litteratur som stärker dessa. Den praktiska kunskapen går som en röd tråd genom texten.

A presente pesquisa visa disponibilizar a organização de um processo criativo teóricoprático situado na interação da experimentação dos princípios atorais desenvolvidos pelo ator russo Michael Chekhov e na apropriação das teorias e estética simbolistas propostas por Maurice Maeterlinck, adotando como base principal o conceito de \"trágico cotidiano\". Propõe-se uma análise-associação, enquanto proposição criativa, para a elaboração de cena teatral configurada a partir da individualidade criativa do ator e da procura de uma teoria como provocação dramatúrgica por meio de um processo com fins artístico-pedagógicos. Essa possibilidade busca ser, na arte da atuação, uma ferramenta de aprofundamento na qual o ator é quem descobre e desenvolve sua própria linguagem cênica, resultando, finalmente, numa experiência prática de criação cênica autoral do ator, que abre um possível caminho de reflexão em torno da formação e do trabalho do ator como artista criador. / This research aims to provide the organization of a theorical-practical creative process, based on the interaction of the experiment of the actor\'s principles developed by the Russian actor Michael Chekhov, and on the appropriation of the symbolist theories and esthetic proposed by Maurice Maeterlinck, adopting as main base the concept of \"tragic daily life\". It is proposed an association analysis, as a creative approach to making theater scene set from of the actor\'s creative individuality and finding a theory as dramaturgical provocation through a process with artistic-pedagogical goals. This possibility intends to be a tool for deepening the art of acting in which the actor is who discovers and develops his/her own scenic language, resulting, in the end, in a practical experience of authorial scenic creation of the actor, which opens a possible way of thinking on the training and work of the actor as creative artist.