Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2012

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.F.A.

Department

Theatre Arts

Committee Chair

Steiger, Amy Lynn

Subject

Acting; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Characters--Queen Margaret; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. King Richard III

Abstract

This thesis is a brief examination of what is required to create a successful performance onstage, where a successful performance is defined by the audiences understanding of the text through the actor's performance. With that understanding comes a chance for the audience to reach a catharsis that can only be created in live theatre. The theory of "The Actor's Equation" is defined and applied to the performance of Queen Margaret in Shakespeare's Richard III, a production presented at the University of Louisville in October 2011. The thesis is broken into four chapters including actor training, the challenges and fears of playing Queen Margaret, the Linklater performance technique and its application, and finally the results of the performance. The first half of the thesis is focused on the personal performance history of the actor and how this effected the performance of Queen Margaret as well as training specific to the University of Louisville's theatre arts program. The latter half of the thesis delves into the Linklater technique and the relationships developed between the director and fellow actors. It ends with result gleaned in use of the Actor's Equation and how this theory can be applied in future performances.

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