Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2018

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.F.A.

Department

Theatre Arts

Degree Program

Theatre Arts, MFA

Committee Chair

Calvano, J. Ariadne

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Carter, Rachel

Committee Member

Carter, Rachel

Committee Member

Pecknold, Diane

Author's Keywords

acting; gender-expression; identity; self-ownership; physical-storytelling; girlhood

Abstract

This thesis is an examination of my process within the creation of my thesis role, Eurydice in Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice. I begin with the technical skills, such as analysis and dissection of, the text and all of its components (punctuation, alliteration, rhyming, the organization of the lines, etc.), character action and reaction, and historical research into the primary source material for the play, (the Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice). These discoveries are framed around a discussion of situating Eurydice within contemporary standards of girlhood. From there, I dive into an examination of the steps I had to take in order to bring myself to this character’s personality and given circumstances. My main argument throughout the document is that willpower exists within a strong connection to the body. I walk the reader through my journey of finding physical, internal connection and releasing it outwards, connecting it to external stimuli in order to fuse internal strength with external interaction and visa versa. Physical connection leads to looking at the work I did in regards to physicality and transformation within personalizing my experiences to those of the character. Ultimately, I reflexively consider how willpower and connection allowed the historical and theoretical aspects of my character creation process to be revealed within my performance

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