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Title: REFLECTIONS: A THEATRICAL JOURNEY INTO THE LIVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS.
Creator: Page, Leah, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Adolescence is a difficult time for young women. Their bodies are changing and they are being asked to conform to a new set of feminine standards if they are to be accepted (Pipher 39). Studies have found that girls experience a decrease in self-esteem during this time. They are less likely to speak their minds openly and honestly, which can lead to depression and a feeling of falseness. As young women attempt to comprehend this turbulent time in their lives, they often find strength through...
Show moreAdolescence is a difficult time for young women. Their bodies are changing and they are being asked to conform to a new set of feminine standards if they are to be accepted (Pipher 39). Studies have found that girls experience a decrease in self-esteem during this time. They are less likely to speak their minds openly and honestly, which can lead to depression and a feeling of falseness. As young women attempt to comprehend this turbulent time in their lives, they often find strength through positive relationships with others as well as from their own knowledge and self-awareness. Reflections is a one-woman show that investigates the current challenges associated with adolescence. The play uses short monologues as well as songs from musical theatre repertoire to tell the story of three separate and unique women. The protagonist of Reflections is an eleven-year-old girl whose personality and sense of self changes drastically during the course of the show. At the beginning of the show, she speaks her mind freely and openly and is unafraid to express her true feelings. When she discovers there are consequences to acting this way, she immediately alters her behavior to ensure her peers accept her. When she witnesses her sister's strength and becomes aware of her mother's intelligence, she realizes she no longer wants to act in ways that do not reflect her true feelings. Her sixteen-year-old sister wants so badly to be accepted that she has begun altering her appearance in dangerous ways in order to fit in. Their mother is struggling to comprehend how to raise two daughters in a culture that does little to support and nurture adolescent girls. Reflections: A Theatrical Look at the Lives of Adolescent Girls outlines each characters distinct journey, using research and analysis to support their stories. In the end it offers advice on how to prevent young women from losing their sense of self during adolescence. This part of the document will present a companion piece to the production in the form of a theatre workshop. This workshop will give young women the opportunity to explore important issues in a safe space. Participants will be able to express their thoughts and feelings without fear of retribution and can begin to investigate ways to challenge social forces that oppress them.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001746, ucf:47295
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001746

Title: THE CHALLENGE OF PLAYING MULTIPLE ARTHURIAN CHARACTERS.
Creator: Lowa, Cynthia, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis examines the portrayal of multiple roles in a production of Camelot, written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Performance and content analysis identifies and explores the difficulties and challenges in portraying multiple roles in this production, including the understudying of the leading role of Guenevere. A detailed historical analysis provides background into origin of the Arthurian legend and an examination of its historical development. A social analysis provides...
Show moreThis thesis examines the portrayal of multiple roles in a production of Camelot, written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Performance and content analysis identifies and explores the difficulties and challenges in portraying multiple roles in this production, including the understudying of the leading role of Guenevere. A detailed historical analysis provides background into origin of the Arthurian legend and an examination of its historical development. A social analysis provides information on the role of women in medieval society with a discussion of the customs and laws that applied to them. Furthermore, a structural analysis of the script examines the plot and play structure. In addition, in individual sections is formal scene-by-scene analysis of the role of Nimue, Lady Anne, and Guenevere. A comprehensive rehearsal and performance journal also addresses the rehearsal and script development process and challenges faced as well as discoveries, adjustments, and choices made in performance from April 14 to May 30, 2004 at the Orlando Broadway Dinner Theatre. Specific entries include discussion of the challenges of playing minor roles while understudying the role of Guenevere, eventually played in one performance. Belinda Boyd and Christopher Niess, my thesis committee, have each provided a performance analysis of my portrayal of Nimue and Lady Anne. J.J. Ruscella, another committee member, has provided a performance analysis of my performance as Guenevere.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000225, ucf:46265
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000225

Title: STILL LIFE: A DRAMATURGICAL STUDY OF A VIETNAM WAR PLAY.
Creator: Fajerski, Lauren, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Emily Mann's play Still Life is a story of a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to a less than enthusiastic welcome. Like most veterans from this war, he struggles to come to terms with the atrocities he witnessed and even carried out himself. The play consists of three characters: Mark, a Vietnam veteran, Cheryl, his wife, and Nadine, his lover. Both women believe they intrinsically understand Mark, but neither truly can. Mark has returned from the war violent, irrevocably broken, and...
Show moreEmily Mann's play Still Life is a story of a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to a less than enthusiastic welcome. Like most veterans from this war, he struggles to come to terms with the atrocities he witnessed and even carried out himself. The play consists of three characters: Mark, a Vietnam veteran, Cheryl, his wife, and Nadine, his lover. Both women believe they intrinsically understand Mark, but neither truly can. Mark has returned from the war violent, irrevocably broken, and feeling that he has been abandoned by society. Emily Mann interviewed real people and transcribed their words into theatre of fact to provide a fresh outlook into a tumultuous period of American history. This thesis will explore the historical and artistic significance of Emily Mann's Still Life and its depiction of the political and cultural atmosphere of post-war America. Specifically, I will discuss the reception of the Vietnam soldiers and how they were affected by the war socially, psychologically and economically. I will explore interviews detailing what these young men experienced while at war, how it affected them then and now, and discuss how these issues are reflected in Emily Mann's Still Life. In addition to interviews, my methodology will consist of scriptural analysis and quantitative research.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002004, ucf:47622
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002004

Title: SHARING THE TRUE COLORS:AN EXPLORATION OF THEATRE CREATED BY GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
Creator: Bazo, Nicholas, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: True Colors: Out Youth Theater at The Theater Offensive is a Boston based program that focuses its theatrical and social mission on engaging Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) at-risk, youth and the community that surrounds them. Through the process of generating an original touring production, True Colors employs theatre as a tool for personal, social, and artistic expression, empowerment, and activism. The programÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚Ã&...
Show moreTrue Colors: Out Youth Theater at The Theater Offensive is a Boston based program that focuses its theatrical and social mission on engaging Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) at-risk, youth and the community that surrounds them. Through the process of generating an original touring production, True Colors employs theatre as a tool for personal, social, and artistic expression, empowerment, and activism. The programÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â's balance of both process and product focused goals creates an environment of multifaceted engagement and provides an example of how art can thrive in a structure of youth outreach. Though directors and facilitators guide the process and final product, a fundamental mission of True Colors is to provide a student or youth-centered experience where inspiration, decisions, discussions, and leadership generates directly from participants. By observing and participating in the creation of one of these productions, I explore the impact of this student-centered structure on the personal perspectives and artistic growth of the GLBT participants and the artistic process of creating the production. My goal is to discover True ColorsÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â‚ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â' effectiveness of achieving its mission to both create an impactful and positive process for the youth and also develop a final product that is artful and evokes social change. Additionally, by studying similar programs, I establish a basis of comparison against True Colors in order to develop a broader view of the field and evaluate the variances in methodology and the impact on youth and communities.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003167, ucf:48605
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003167

Title: THE ANATOMY OF A FIGHT SCENE: CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH STAGE COMBAT AND MOVEMENT.
Creator: Davis, Nona, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The study of stage combat is designed to fabricate the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. Most research in this field does not take into account the characterization of the actor during the training of a fight scene. An actor primarily learns the stunt choreography of the scene and often times the subtleties of the character is often forgotten. Scenes that involve physical contact are an essential aspect of the dramatic action. My aim is to eventually devise a...
Show moreThe study of stage combat is designed to fabricate the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. Most research in this field does not take into account the characterization of the actor during the training of a fight scene. An actor primarily learns the stunt choreography of the scene and often times the subtleties of the character is often forgotten. Scenes that involve physical contact are an essential aspect of the dramatic action. My aim is to eventually devise a process that will consistently create fight scenes that maintain the integrity of the fight director's work as well as the mastery of the actor's character composition. I am aware this is an ambitious project therefore will I approach this endeavor in two stages. This document will cover the first stage of this project: the investigation of the current process of several professionals who have varying experiences with fight choreography. I will propose and explore the significance of a series of questions a director, actor and fight choreographer should answer before embarking upon a fight sequence successfully. Questions such as: How important is the stunt physiologically and psychologically on the character? Does gender play a role in a fight sequence? Do size, age, and race play a role on character choice in a sequence? Why did the character choose that weapon? Where did that character learn to fight and why in that style?
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003627, ucf:48862
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003627

Title: YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT: BRINGING MUSICAL THEATRE TO UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH.
Creator: Tsurumaki, Megan, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In an age of standardized testing and quality-controlled classrooms, teachers have lost the freedom to integrate imagination and creativity in their lessons, ultimately cheating todayÃ‚Â's youth. In the classroom, students no longer have the outlets that transport them from the harsh realities of life. This thesis is an attempt to provide a venue for the Orange County Public School System that will engage the imaginations of under-represented or underprivileged students....
Show moreIn an age of standardized testing and quality-controlled classrooms, teachers have lost the freedom to integrate imagination and creativity in their lessons, ultimately cheating todayÃ‚Â's youth. In the classroom, students no longer have the outlets that transport them from the harsh realities of life. This thesis is an attempt to provide a venue for the Orange County Public School System that will engage the imaginations of under-represented or underprivileged students. The thesis will chronicle the development of a script with the intent of producing it in Title I elementary schools located in lower socio-economic areas of Orlando, Florida. The script will be based on Hans Christian AndersonÃ‚Â's fairy tale Ã‚Â"The Ugly Duckling.Ã‚Â" The final product will be a musical theatre piece to take into the school system to be performed by the students. The body of the thesis will contain my prior experiences of bringing musical theatre to underprivileged youth. The document will also include chapters detailing the process of creating the script and composing the music. Research will determine the socio-economic challenges prevalent in the under-represented cultures in the urban schools of Orlando. Finally, the thesis will contain a section of the actual script and will conclude with a chapter summarizing the reactions to the first reading of the play
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003408, ucf:48397
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003408

Title: UPDATING THE CLASSICS: AN ACTOR'S APPROACH TO PORTRAYING DICKENSIAN CHARACTERS IN A MODERN SCRIPT.
Creator: Bacala, Desiree, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The focus of this thesis is my performance in the play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge by Mark Brown. I will research and perform the role of The Ghost of Christmas Past, a role which also plays the parts of Fan and Belle from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I shall perform in The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, in Partnership with UCF in December 2008 as a part of their 2008-2009 Signature Series season. The main focus of this thesis is the exploration of...
Show moreThe focus of this thesis is my performance in the play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge by Mark Brown. I will research and perform the role of The Ghost of Christmas Past, a role which also plays the parts of Fan and Belle from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I shall perform in The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, in Partnership with UCF in December 2008 as a part of their 2008-2009 Signature Series season. The main focus of this thesis is the exploration of how to create a performance of a classical character for a modern audience. I hope to maintain the integrity of Dickens's characters written in 1843, while performing in a contemporary script written by Mark Brown in 2004. My performance and research question is how to successfully communicate Brown's version of the story and still keep the spirit of the Dickensian characters as they were first written. I aim to discover and address the problems that may arise in combining the two versions of the characters. I will begin with my belief that contemporary humor and storytelling balanced with the essence of the classic characters that audiences may remember from the novel or other versions of this story will give the most effective, rich performance. Playwright Mark Brown strives for this balance in his script and my research for the role will focus on finding elements in my performance that satisfy both elements. My research will include deep examination of Fan, Belle, and the Ghost of Christmas Past, as they appear in both Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol and in The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. I will look at different interpretations of the characters in the many stage and film versions of this story that have been created since the original to investigate how others have attempted to update or recreate the roles for their audiences. My research will also include an interview with the playwright for insight about his process of integrating old with new. My written thesis will include the findings of my research and preparation, a detailed rehearsal and performance journal, and extensive analysis of my discoveries, all of which will hopefully lead to a conclusive and useful approach for portraying contemporary characters derived from classical literature.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002638, ucf:48228
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002638

Title: When Coquis Sing: Introducing Young Audiences to Death and Bereavement Through An Original Play.
Creator: LoRicco, Michelle, Thomas, Aaron, Boyd, Belinda, Freeman, Emily, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis documents the play development process of When Coquis Sing, an original play for young people that introduces the death of a parent on stage. Through the analysis of research from leading child psychologists and practical instruction from the Dougy Center, the National Center for grieving children and their families, this research defines important terms and demystifies language surrounding death to aid caregivers in having clear and concise conversations with children about death...
Show moreThis thesis documents the play development process of When Coquis Sing, an original play for young people that introduces the death of a parent on stage. Through the analysis of research from leading child psychologists and practical instruction from the Dougy Center, the National Center for grieving children and their families, this research defines important terms and demystifies language surrounding death to aid caregivers in having clear and concise conversations with children about death.The purpose of this document is to counter the American cultural perception of death as a taboo topic for children. Hosting open conversations about death leads to healthier child development, which can help children cope with the loss that everyone will inevitably face in life. Theatre has been proven to work as a catalyst for conversations and create empathy for young audiences. Themes of death can be seen in all forms of storytelling for children , but this study implores the use of theatre to not only reflect experiences of grieving children on stage, but also create preemptive dialogue on the topic, so when tragedy strikes, children can have a tangible example to point back to.The arguments in this document thwart misconceptions of using Piaget's stages of cognitive development and K(&)#252;bler-Ross's five stages of grief as measurements of how all human beings should grieve. Instead of placing grieving children in stages and age groups that exclude important variables, this study focuses on the individual stories that are shared through reflective journals on the investigator's experiences and conversations as a grief facilitator, tutor, and artist in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences. The original play, When Coquis Sing, has been designed to induce conversations on death through the telling of a young protagonist's story of loss, grief, and victory.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007041, ucf:52008
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007041

Title: Audience Engagement in Theatre for Young Audiences: Teaching Artistry to Cultivate Tomorrow's Theatre-Goers.
Creator: Woods-Robinson, Julie, Horn, Elizabeth, Wood, Vandy, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As a teaching artist and theatre educator, I believe an important part of the theatre-going experience is when an audience engages with the play before and after the performance: learning about context, analyzing the production, and identifying themes relevant to the play. Theatre is a powerful teaching tool with regards to empathy and political and social awareness, but also, for young audiences, theatre can help students understand content in other subject areas like language arts, history,...
Show moreAs a teaching artist and theatre educator, I believe an important part of the theatre-going experience is when an audience engages with the play before and after the performance: learning about context, analyzing the production, and identifying themes relevant to the play. Theatre is a powerful teaching tool with regards to empathy and political and social awareness, but also, for young audiences, theatre can help students understand content in other subject areas like language arts, history, and even health. This thesis develops best practices for creating effective audience engagement with young people in theatre(&)nbsp;in the form of Field Trip Plus at Orlando Repertory Theatre, an enrichment program linking professional season productions to pre- and post-show workshops. It explores(&)nbsp;the following questions: What is audience engagement, and what are the benefits of audience engagement practices on retention and meaning-making? What is the history of audience engagement in Theatre for Young Audiences, and what are some examples of TYA companies intentionally engaging young people before and after performances? It(&)nbsp;focuses specifically on the development of Theatre-In-Education in the United Kingdom as an example of integrated drama and education practice which is supported by the pedagogy of Lev Vygotsky, Dorothy Heathcote, and Augusto Boal. It considers how the work of these theorists can also be applied to Field Trip Plus. This thesis is the personal exploration of a teaching artist(&)nbsp;practicing engagement strategies within Orlando Repertory Theatre, an established Theatre for Young Audiences,(&)nbsp;that will help young people make connections between state education standards and the play, cultivate their curiosity for learning through the arts, and become life-long active audience members.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007115, ucf:51949
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007115

Title: The Living Hashtag Play: A Modernized Living Newspaper with Theatre of the Oppressed Approaches to Play Development.
Creator: Corsi, Elizabeth, Boyd, Belinda, McDonald, Holly, Brown, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In a time where the majority of our news sources and justice movements are received, hashtagged, mobilized, and scrutinized through technology and social media, this thesis embarks to resurrect a once short lived concept of introducing theatre as an informative and educational news source. ?The Hashtag Play ?will be an experiment to create a modern living newspaper play that will utilize techniques and approaches found in Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed Pedagogy to devise meaningful...
Show moreIn a time where the majority of our news sources and justice movements are received, hashtagged, mobilized, and scrutinized through technology and social media, this thesis embarks to resurrect a once short lived concept of introducing theatre as an informative and educational news source. ?The Hashtag Play ?will be an experiment to create a modern living newspaper play that will utilize techniques and approaches found in Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed Pedagogy to devise meaningful and impactful art determined to educate, inform, and challenge artists and audiences while fostering a sense of community. For the purpose of this thesis, I will be focusing on the issues of sexual violence in America, investigating such cases as People of the State of California v. Brock Allen Turner, ?and the prosecutions of Harvey Weinstein and David Daniels. These cases, among many, have ignited the movements of #MeToo, #TimesUp, and #Let's Be Clear, which have affected men and women within local communities across the U.S.The goal of the project is to create a piece that improves upon the original Federal Theatre Project's Living Newspaper while creating an impactful tool to be utilized in the field of theatre for social change. The play will explore both sides of each trial to expand audience perspective, while attempting to define the blurred lines that surround the complexities and narratives of sexual assault, harassment, and consent. The project implores the questioning of rape culture, how it is defined and if it truly exists in our social climate. The process ventures to identify systematic flaws and social contributors while seeking solutions for social and justice change. It will scrutinize over the presence and purpose of sexual violence within art, while questioning if it is viable to separate art from the artist, or forgive the art and condemn its creator. It will grapple with the challenge of remaining neutral for the sake of education and news delivery. Most importantly, it will be inclusive to all voices, challenging us to use passion and discussion, instead of argument and aggression. To effect a change, the work must first set to identify, clarify, and challenge our former notions to create improved ones that encourage thoughtful and proactive actions.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007795, ucf:52337
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007795

Title: Vivacity:Discovering Zora Through Her Words.
Creator: Alexander, Kerri, Weaver, Earl, Boyd, Belinda, StClaire, Sybil, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In its simplest form, storytelling is the passing of information from one person to the next. When storytelling illuminates time, place and purpose, it is then able to entertain, comfort and transport any listener. As the keeper of the imagination, the storyteller has inspired me as a performer. After reading Zora Neale Hurston's Every Tongue Got to Confess, I found my single-defining connection to the art of storytelling.Halimuhfack ultimately became my thesis performance piece inspired by...
Show moreIn its simplest form, storytelling is the passing of information from one person to the next. When storytelling illuminates time, place and purpose, it is then able to entertain, comfort and transport any listener. As the keeper of the imagination, the storyteller has inspired me as a performer. After reading Zora Neale Hurston's Every Tongue Got to Confess, I found my single-defining connection to the art of storytelling.Halimuhfack ultimately became my thesis performance piece inspired by the folk tales from Every Tongue Got To Confess. The new theatre piece shares Hurston's folk tale the way it may have once been told; in its natural dialect, with the same active physical involvement as if sharing stories with friends. Together, the research of the folk tale, Hurston's anthropological studies, folk songs and narrative from her autobiography aided in the development of the performance piece. In developing this work, I discovered that Hurston's tales were extremely action-oriented and were ideally suited to use in my making of Halimuhfack.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004213, ucf:49003
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004213

Title: Women in White: my journey into color.
Creator: Tarbox, Madison, Ingram, Kate, Boyd, Belinda, Brown, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In many religious circles white is a symbol for purity, cleanliness, and perfection. However, white is also synonymous with empty, blank, and colorless. Women in White: My journey into color is a project centralized around a personal study of the cultural pressures of (")perfection(") presented both in religious cultures and in the every-day life of a performer. Utilizing the catalyst of a cabaret-style performance, Women in White explores the struggles of nine different female characters in...
Show moreIn many religious circles white is a symbol for purity, cleanliness, and perfection. However, white is also synonymous with empty, blank, and colorless. Women in White: My journey into color is a project centralized around a personal study of the cultural pressures of (")perfection(") presented both in religious cultures and in the every-day life of a performer. Utilizing the catalyst of a cabaret-style performance, Women in White explores the struggles of nine different female characters in the musical theatre cannon and aims to draw a personal connection from their journey. Inspired by the wise words of my own mother, this thesis celebrates the color present in our lives.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006959, ucf:51656
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006959

Title: When Oppressed Women Attack: Female-Enacted Violence Through Minority American Female Playwrights' Works.
Creator: Busselle, Kate, Boyd, Belinda, Shafer, John, StClaire, Sybil, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, theatrical violence is something that has always captivated me. When a female combat instructor once told me that even though I throw a great punch I will never be able to use it because women are always on the receiving end of violence in theatre, I wondered if this was truly the case. After a thorough exploration of several works with theatrical violence, I am glad to say that it is not the case. When most scholars examine...
Show moreAs an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, theatrical violence is something that has always captivated me. When a female combat instructor once told me that even though I throw a great punch I will never be able to use it because women are always on the receiving end of violence in theatre, I wondered if this was truly the case. After a thorough exploration of several works with theatrical violence, I am glad to say that it is not the case. When most scholars examine violence in theatre, the focus is either male-centric or specifically on domestic violence situations involving a male abusing a female. I will examine theatrical violence through a new lens that has yet to be thoroughly critically explored: violence where the female is the aggressor. Through selected works of three American minority female playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks' In the Blood, Maria Irene Fornes' Conduct of Life, and Young Jean Lee's Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven, I will analyze the female-enacted violence that occurs within these plays using feminist theories and psychology to examine how it happens, why it happens, who the victims are, and what these acts of violence say about minority American women in society today. I will explore the stage directions and dialogue surrounding the violence and analyzing the use or absence of weaponry, the breakdown or build-up of language prior to and after the violent action, and whether or not the violent action occurs before or after a violent action is committed against the female. For comparison, I will also analyze work by an American male playwright with violence in the same way: Tracy Letts' August: Osage County.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0006028, ucf:51018
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006028

Title: The Actor Process: Playing Multiple Characters.
Creator: Brown, Danielle, Boyd, Belinda, Shafer, John, McDonald, Holly, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines the process used while preparing for the role of Daughter in Jim Helsinger's adaptation of A Christmas Carol: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, performed at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (OST). Within the framework of the play, Daughter is a character who is transformed into multiple roles. Her characters include Charity Collector, Belle, Martha Cratchit, Miner, Fred's Wife and Quarreler #1.Presented with the challenge of playing multiple roles in the same production, I...
Show moreThis study examines the process used while preparing for the role of Daughter in Jim Helsinger's adaptation of A Christmas Carol: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, performed at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (OST). Within the framework of the play, Daughter is a character who is transformed into multiple roles. Her characters include Charity Collector, Belle, Martha Cratchit, Miner, Fred's Wife and Quarreler #1.Presented with the challenge of playing multiple roles in the same production, I sought efficient and straightforward character development and analysis methods to strengthen my performance. Using Uta Hagen's nine questions as a scaffold, I composed a distinguishing analysis for each of my characters while utilizing skills cultivated in my MFA program at the University of Central Florida. I created an actor process motivated by the examination of my identity and circumstances at this point in my life. It is supported by a rehearsal and performance journal detailing my journey, followed by analysis.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006270, ucf:51034
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006270

Title: Giving Theatrical Life.
Creator: Darrington, Quentin, Boyd, Belinda, Shafer, John, McDonald, Holly, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: An experience, early in my life, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opened my eyes to the transformative power of Theatre - it would shape my ambitions for performance, inform the choices I made about my acting career, and impel my passions. That single moment had a profound and lasting effect on my soul, one that would ultimately point me to the purpose of (")me;(") but what exactly was it? What transaction occurred between the performers on stage, and myself, and others in attendance...
Show moreAn experience, early in my life, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center opened my eyes to the transformative power of Theatre - it would shape my ambitions for performance, inform the choices I made about my acting career, and impel my passions. That single moment had a profound and lasting effect on my soul, one that would ultimately point me to the purpose of (")me;(") but what exactly was it? What transaction occurred between the performers on stage, and myself, and others in attendance that evening?My life as an actor has been an incredible journey of growth. Over forty-six U.S. states, and abroad, I have performed in Broadway musicals, stage plays, concerts, recordings, cabarets, as part of political campaigns and sporting events, and in universities, schools, and churches. Acting has fundamentally changed the way I see people, and challenges the way I learn, express and see myself. As my imagination, creativity, and craft has grown, I remain profoundly impacted by my experience in Tampa, and I have often wondered exactly what happened that evening? Did it have anything to do with the synesthetic elements of the performance (-) the lights, sounds, or scenery? Was it specifically the music, the voices, the amazing singers? Perhaps it was the daring acting and story. Did it depend on particular foreknowledge or familiarity of skill, or craft? Was it something that happened by chance, or by design? Was it because of me? Or did it, somehow, override everything I was at the time? Was it something intangible that is present at some, or all, theatrical events that enlivened the experience? This paper seeks to provide answers to some of these questions. My process in seeking answers will be to chronicle my own life experience as a person/artist. Having begun a script a couple of years ago, I decided to return to solo performance as a means to help me determine what made the experience I related so memorable. The attempt is to write and perform a solo performance piece that chronicles the foundation of this incredible journey of growth, while shedding light on the initial Tampa experience. My intention is to gain an understanding about something I believe contributes to (")theatrical spirituality.(") I believe that the unique blending of the script and the interpretation of these words through acting can impart life. The combined force of the power of story and the spoken word can cause something tangible, something good, meaningful and of intrinsic worth to happen in an individual or audience as a result of a performance. It is my belief that the formation, articulation and expression of that understanding represents, in part, my acting philosophy (-) what I do and why I do it. In a broader and more important sense, however, it also represents my understanding of who I am and why I am.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006094, ucf:51194
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006094

Title: Almost Mirror Image: Exploring The Similarities And Dissimilarities Of Identical Twins In Theatrical Solo Performance.
Creator: Mignacca, Elizabeth, Boyd, Belinda, Ingram, Kate, McDonald, Holly, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Almost Mirror Image: Exploring the Similarities and Dissimilarities of Identical Twins in Theatrical Solo Performance Is an exploration of the psyche of identical twins within the context of devised solo performance. The author, an identical twin herself, has long been interested in twins' ability to cultivate both highly independent personalities as well as intensely co-dependent tendencies during development. What can twins tell us about the way we create close relationships and how is...
Show moreAlmost Mirror Image: Exploring the Similarities and Dissimilarities of Identical Twins in Theatrical Solo Performance Is an exploration of the psyche of identical twins within the context of devised solo performance. The author, an identical twin herself, has long been interested in twins' ability to cultivate both highly independent personalities as well as intensely co-dependent tendencies during development. What can twins tell us about the way we create close relationships and how is their upbringing radically different from the majority of the world that is born alone? Equally intrigued by society's growing technological dependence, the author would like to delve into how the science and development of twins appears counterintuitive to the intra-personal technological world they grow up in by using personal, autobiographic solo performance as her research platform. The data collected from research sources such as Jo Bonney's Extreme Exposure and Michael Kearns' The Solo Performer's Journey, will provide fodder for the thesis document and the author's devised solo piece, entitled Teach me how to be Lonely. While devising her own solo performance, the author will compare and contrast her process with that of a few select solo performers such as Anna Deavere Smith and Rachel Rosenthal. The author will delve into various styles of solo work creation, including the testimony plays of Smith and the autobiographical style of Rosenthal, in order to view her own work with a self-reflective and identity-driven lens. Overall, the author hopes to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of her own experience as an identical twin through the facilitation of her solo work as well as explore how the creation of solo performance can offer artists in the 21st century more freedom of expression and identity than the performance of a standard play.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005668, ucf:50184
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005668

Title: Developing New Works for the Stage: An Actor's Perspective.
Creator: Butler, Lauren, Boyd, Belinda, Listengarten, Julia, Ingram, Katherine, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: 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...
Show moreU.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 ever-changing 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 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.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004660, ucf:49905
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004660

Title: Digesting Modern Acting Theory for Young Performers.
Creator: Yagel, Brandon, Wood, Mary, Boyd, Belinda, Routhier, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: An actor seeking to improve his craft can find numerous sources containing countless tips and techniques on the art of acting. However, the majority of these books target the adult actor often leaving young performers struggling to understand complex acting theory. With the goals of creating a nurturing learning environment and quality performance work within a compact rehearsal schedule, this thesis project created and evaluated a new synthesis of modern acting theory for directors to use...
Show moreAn actor seeking to improve his craft can find numerous sources containing countless tips and techniques on the art of acting. However, the majority of these books target the adult actor often leaving young performers struggling to understand complex acting theory. With the goals of creating a nurturing learning environment and quality performance work within a compact rehearsal schedule, this thesis project created and evaluated a new synthesis of modern acting theory for directors to use when working with young performers. This technique adapted and coalesced several perspectives on foundational acting theory(-)specifically looking at the use of a character's wants and actions as described by Bruder et al., Caldarone (&) Lloyd-Williams, Cohen, Jory, Mamet, and Stanislavski. I tested the developed technique using an independent production of The Cat Who Ran by Naoko Kudo performed by a group of seventh through tenth grade actors.This thesis shares the process of creating this rehearsal tool with its readers. This process included researching and synthesizing the technique, documenting my process as director and acting coach for The Cat Who Ran, testing the technique throughout the production of The Cat Who Ran, evaluating the effectiveness of the technique through qualitative observation from production team and audience members, and theorizing the potential effectiveness for other scripts. The documentation of the project includes surveys, worksheets, text analysis, and production photos.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005278, ucf:50562
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005278

Title: "This Stuff Is Finished": Amiri Baraka's Renunciation of the Ghosts of White Women and Homosexuals Past.
Creator: Stone-Lawrence, Susan, Rusnock, Joseph, Harris, Lani, Listengarten, Julia, Boyd, Belinda, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines auto/biographical, theoretical, critical, literary, and dramatic works by and about LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, primarily focusing on the eruption of (")Hate Whitey(") sentiment and rhetoric that characterized a decadelong cultural nationalist phase of the henceforth self-declaredly Black poet-playwright's career. As a black militant, LeRoi Jones left his white wife and other white associates in Greenwich Village, moved to Harlem, changed his name to Amiri Baraka, converted...
Show moreThis study examines auto/biographical, theoretical, critical, literary, and dramatic works by and about LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, primarily focusing on the eruption of (")Hate Whitey(") sentiment and rhetoric that characterized a decadelong cultural nationalist phase of the henceforth self-declaredly Black poet-playwright's career. As a black militant, LeRoi Jones left his white wife and other white associates in Greenwich Village, moved to Harlem, changed his name to Amiri Baraka, converted to Islam, and started the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School. This thesis contends that Baraka's Black Arts Movement era plays emphasize negation of the value of white women and gay men, who had formed his most intimate prior cohorts, and use extreme imagery to malign, belittle, and abjure representatives of both groups as evil, ridiculous, and disgusting archetypes in an attempt to affirm the political stance of the author and preempt doubt about his level of commitment to his chosen cause during that period. Through these plays written from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, Baraka denies his own personal history and appears to protest too much the virtues of corrective Afrocentric relationships which his works fail to affirm as much as he condemns their alternatives. However, after the purgative effect of these revolutionary works, Baraka's evolution arrived at a place where he could once again acknowledge and promote a diverse equality that included respect for the partners and peers he had abnegated. Conclusions of this research suggest connections between the personal implications of Baraka's individual journey and prominent themes stressed in the broader field of identity politics. ?
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0005062, ucf:49948
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005062

Acting (4)	+ -
Musical Theatre (3)	+ -
Theatre (3)	+ -
TYA (2)	+ -
Theatre for Young Audiences (2)	+ -

storytelling (2)	+ -
theatre (2)	+ -
Acting A Christmas Carol The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge Mark Brown Orlando Shakespeare Theater (1)	+ -
Acting Theory (1)	+ -
Acting technique (1)	+ -
African American Theatre (1)	+ -
Asian American Theatre (1)	+ -
Black Arts Movement (1)	+ -
Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School (1)	+ -
Boal (1)	+ -
Camelot (1)	+ -
Children's Theatre (1)	+ -
Cultural Nationalism (1)	+ -
Devising (1)	+ -
Emily Mann (1)	+ -
Feminism (1)	+ -
Halimuhfack (1)	+ -
Heathcote (1)	+ -
Identical Twins (1)	+ -
Identity Politics (1)	+ -
Kubler-Ross's stages of grief (1)	+ -
LGBTQ (1)	+ -
Latina theatre (1)	+ -
LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka (1)	+ -
Mantle of the Expert (1)	+ -

Boyd, Belinda (19)	+ -
University of Central Florida (19)	+ -
McDonald, Holly (4)	+ -
Shafer, John (3)	+ -
Brown, James (2)	+ -

Ingram, Kate (2)	+ -
Listengarten, Julia (2)	+ -
StClaire, Sybil (2)	+ -
Alexander, Kerri (1)	+ -
Bacala, Desiree (1)	+ -
Bazo, Nicholas (1)	+ -
Brown, Danielle (1)	+ -
Busselle, Kate (1)	+ -
Butler, Lauren (1)	+ -
Corsi, Elizabeth (1)	+ -
Darrington, Quentin (1)	+ -
Davis, Nona (1)	+ -
Fajerski, Lauren (1)	+ -
Freeman, Emily (1)	+ -
Harris, Lani (1)	+ -
Horn, Elizabeth (1)	+ -
Ingram, Katherine (1)	+ -
LoRicco, Michelle (1)	+ -
Lowa, Cynthia (1)	+ -
Mignacca, Elizabeth (1)	+ -
Page, Leah (1)	+ -
Routhier, Mark (1)	+ -
Rusnock, Joseph (1)	+ -
Stone-Lawrence, Susan (1)	+ -
Tarbox, Madison (1)	+ -

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