Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2016
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.F.A.
Department
Theatre Arts
Degree Program
Theatre Arts, MFA
Committee Chair
Burton, Nefertiti
Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)
Kelly, Hubert Baron
Committee Member
Kelly, Hubert Baron
Committee Member
Schroeder, Ryan
Author's Keywords
acting; mindfulness; performance; representational; presentational; role
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to establish that Presence is essential to an actor’s craft. This thesis makes considerable mention of my own work on Naomi Iizuka’s Polaroid Stories, playing the part of SKINHEADboy, as well as making mention of the theoreticians and practitioners of Acting who have dealt with the subject of Presence. The parallels I draw between actor training and the sources from outside of the field of Acting feed not only into an understanding of how consequential Presence is for the actor, but also how Presence can affect the lives human beings. This thesis also contains my own observations of performances and practices that have affected my understanding of Presence as it relates between the actor and the audience. Most importantly, I am able to reveal my missteps as an actor for a better understanding of what prevents Presence when building a role for performance.
Recommended Citation
Moulton, Casey Richard, "Presence and the actor's craft." (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2414.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2414
