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 Co-Chair
Brianne Taylor
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