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ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4255-4573
Access Type
Open Access Thesis
Document Type
thesis
Degree Program
Theater
Degree Type
Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
Year Degree Awarded
2021
Month Degree Awarded
September
Abstract
This written portion of my thesis chronicles my experience as director and producer of Visionary Futures: Science Fiction Theatre for Social Justice Movements, in collaboration with playwrights, activists, actors, designers, and a dramaturg.
In this thesis, I explore the process of creating a meaningful thesis project during the Covid-19 pandemic. I discuss the idea of visionary fiction as created by adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha and how to create theatre within that genre. This thesis chronicles the development and production of three new plays of visionary fiction that wrestle with contemporary social issues, all designed for digital performance. I share my process pairing each writer with an activist to create work that envisioned more just worlds while also being responsive to the current moment. I explore the opportunities and challenges of reimagining the generative writing process, making theatre within a digital medium, and being creative during a global pandemic. This thesis also includes the full text of each play and links to the recordings of the digital productions.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/23961026.0
First Advisor
Gilbert McCauley
Second Advisor
Harley Erdman
Third Advisor
Gina Kauffman
Fourth Advisor
Priscilla Page
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Glenn-Kayden, Joshua, "Visionary Futures: Science Fiction Theatre for Social Justice Movements" (2021). Masters Theses. 1146.
https://doi.org/10.7275/23961026.0
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/1146