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.

Included in

Acting Commons

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