Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2022
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.F.A.
Department
Theatre Arts
Degree Program
Theatre Arts, MFA
Committee Chair
Segal, Janna
Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)
Carter, Rachel
Committee Member
Carter, Rachel
Committee Member
Campbell, Bradley
Author's Keywords
blackface; theatre; minstrelsy; EDI; acting methods; F.M. Alexander
Abstract
This MFA thesis defines Contemporary Blackface Theatre as exemplified in Dennis McIntyre’s Split Second, which was produced in Fall 2021 by the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville. Cast as Val Johnson, I aimed to find the truth within a Black character created from the white playwright’s limited perspective. In addition to an analysis of Split Second, my study of Contemporary Blackface Theatre examines the racist ideologies from F.M. Alexander’s point of view on black people and how I create truthfulness in my own black body. I detail how I used the Black Acting Methods: Critical Approaches to create my own technique for approaching a white man's black character. This study empowers black actors to identify problems in contemporary theatre, how they may contribute to modern-day minstrelsy, and expresses the truth of their blackness.
Recommended Citation
Hardy, Lamar Alonzo, "Contemporary blackface theatre: exploring split second from an authentic black lens to combat white stereotypes." (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3875.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/3875
