Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MFA
College
College of Creative Arts
Department
Acting and Directing
Committee Chair
Jessica Morgan
Committee Member
Brianne Taylor
Committee Member
Aubrey Sirtautas
Abstract
Contemporary dramatic work such as the play Anatomy of a Suicide by Alice Birch demands a significant toll on the actors embodying the characters. Western pedagogies that emphasize a need for the utmost authenticity must be merged with the modern practice of self-care and trauma informed boundaries. This document outlines the merging of traditional acting techniques of characterization with solutions for self preservation such as preparation, mental and physical upkeep, a personalized set of character de-rolement practices, and social rituals. Through an analysis of the text itself, its context, author, and the lens of one actor’s experience portraying the character Anna, I offer processes and methodologies toward a sustainable acting process.
Recommended Citation
Kuhn, Erika, "Finding “A Good Thing”: Embodying the Traumatic Sustainably" (2024). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12403.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12403