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Access Type

Open Access

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Theater

Degree Type

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Year Degree Awarded

2009

Month Degree Awarded

September

Keywords

LaCount, Pericles, Shakespeare, Tyre, William, Theater

Abstract

Within this thesis I aim to prove that working outside my personal artistic comfort zone has ultimately been beneficial to all my work as a theatre artist. Specifically, I explore the greater merit of choosing to wrestle with a project that, from the beginning, felt far beyond my capabilities and scope as a director.

This thesis explores the many challenges I faced and skills I developed during the process of directing my first Shakespearean play. Throughout my analysis of the production process I explore many of the areas where my theatrical view was clearly expanded. I spend less time, discussing the strengths that I believe I do have as a theater director and how those tools helped to keep me grounded in those moments when I felt like I was the wrong director for the project.

I have been told that one of my greatest strengths as a director is my ability and desire to collaborate. I hold my collaborators’ ideas and insights in the highest regard. I sincerely believe that for each project, the right people are in the right room at the right time and that it takes a good listener and a sense of clarity and direction to achieve something beautiful and meaningful, together. I am able to rally a group of artists around one common cause. Part of this skill is that I am committed to working in great detail with each individual within a group. Regardless of the size of the cast, one of my strengths as a director is that I am able to help actors find a level of integrity and depth in their work that often translates to actors who deliver proud and confident performances.

In the end, even though Pericles is not contemporary edgy fare, it is quite a compelling and twisted tale. Although, I have certainly been attracted to the odd and macabre, Pericles is more than that. It is also spiritual and aims to heal the human soul. I found this cause a worthy one and one worth the time and efforts of our talented and dedicated artistic team.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/901257

First Advisor

Gilbert McCauley

COinS