Seed, written by Scott Bradley and directed by Patrick Du Laney, is a play that was written to explore the legacy of suicide in the Midwest Region and its specific correlation to the disappearance of the family farm. The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts selected Seed to appear as a part of the annual Iowa New Play Festival in May of 2017. This thesis examines the specific challenges faced during the production process as relates to the production as a whole and those faced from the stage management perspective. This was an influential production to the stage manager, Lindsay Warnick, so connections between these challenges are looked at in two ways: how they played a role in Lindsay’s development as a stage manager and her growth as an individual.

Finding African American plays which are intellectually stimulating, yet relatable to the everyday African American is quite a challenge. This is in part because much of what is written and considered by mainstream America to be quality African American theater, is either not written by African Americans, not written in a manner which many of them will easily relate to it, or is not written about the “Black experience” which is the reality for an overwhelming majority of African Americans. Often the plays utilize language which appeals to mainstream America and educated African Americans; however, is somewhat foreign to the overwhelming majority of African Americans, many who are socially and economically deprived. For any writer, considering one’s audience is vitally important. For the African American playwright who gains popularity, there is always the scarlet letter worn of representing the entire race and knowing that whether good, bad, or indifferent, his/her works will be a badge that will be linked to all African Americans. For most educated African Americans, there exists this inner conflict of existing in two worlds, neither of which they truly feel at home. There is always the underlying challenge of whether the work should be simply entertaining or whether it must possess some didactic message which will change the world for the African American race. Having lived and survived the “Black experience,” which for many involved socially and economically disparaging environments, the African American writer feels like he/she is betraying the race if they do not write works with the primary goal of uplifting the race. This dissertation provides three plays addressing the African American experience. With the subtitle “Black Voices,” they address the three primary groups in the African American community – women, men, and children. To ensure that quality African American plays exist which chronicle the “Black experience” without regard to the perception from mainstream America is vitally important. This dissertation addresses some of the reasons why many African American playwrights have challenges with audience and provides plays by the author which bravely address some of the “hidden bruises” within the African American community.

In the wake of Emily Glassberg Sands' well-publicized thesis, Opening the Curtain on Playwright Gender, theater artists across the country are up in arms about the disparity that has long existed between male and female playwrights. Glassberg Sands’ audit study showed that literary managers and artistic directors rate female-authored scripts lower in terms of quality, marketability, and audience response. In addition, recent studies show that only 20% of the plays produced in American regional theaters each year have female playwrights. As a positive step towards equality, I curated and produced a festival of new American plays by women entitled Voices in Contemporary Feminism(s). It was my goal to instigate change first by staging new American plays by women and then by engaging artists and audience members alike in conversation about feminism(s) and feminist themes, female playwrights, the current position of women in American theater, and how we can change the status quo. This thesis describes in detail the impetus behind creating the festival, the planning process, and the events of the festival itself, and then draws conclusions about the role dramaturgs can play in combating gender inequity.

U.S. Theatre is often noted for its commitment to new play development. Since Eugene O’Neill, America has fostered a tradition of celebrating emerging playwrights and their bold, edgy new works through countless development programs such as festivals, new play readings, grant programs, workshops, and world premieres. Although in recent years new-play development has seen a steady decline in funding (Levitow 2), it remains a cornerstone of American identity and an essential medium for pushing boundaries in theatre, both culturally and artistically. New-play development is indispensable for keeping theatre relevant in our everchanging culture. For my thesis, I explore the process of developing a new play from an actor’s perspective. The role of the director, dramaturg and producer of a new play is often discussed; however the importance of the actor throughout the development process is sometimes overlooked. There are many configurations of artistic teams assembled to develop a new play; therefore, I do not suggest there is one type of team that is best or one type of role for the actor to play within the team. My aim was to collaborate with the playwright, director and fellow actors to discover what is required of an actor in all phases of new play development. I applied the principles learned to my own work in the World Premiere of The Exit Interview by William Missouri Downs at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre in Partnership with The University of Central Florida. As I navigated my way through the artistic process of developing a new work, I discovered some ‘best practices’, which I employed throughout the rehearsal and performance iii process to further my own skills. I will discuss the development process I experienced, as objectively as possible, outlining the key best practices for an actor working in a collaborative team to develop a new play.