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Oral Session 2 - 2:00-3:00PM PST
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
_____________________________________________________________________
Room A
Moderator: Dr. Julye Bidmead
Art
2:00-2:15 pm
Desert X: Branding a New Kind of Art Viewership
Presenter(s): Kennedy Cardenas
Advisor(s): Micol Hebron
When prompted to consider where fine art is primarily housed and where people can go to view it, the first thing to come to mind will most likely be a museum or gallery. Though this is often true for much of the fine art in the world, in recent years Desert X has pushed the boundaries of where art can be located. Desert X is a project which began in 2017 by the Desert Biennial Foundation in order to uplift site-specific work by international artists, with that site specifically being the desert. A great deal of the work included in Desert X exists to prompt discussion surrounding the conditions of desert locations. Over a dozen artists are invited from various sectors of the globe to present works on site throughout the Palm Springs/ Coachella Valley area. With much of the artwork presented surrounding indigenous land rights, the environment, and other social and political issues, the structure of this project becomes much more complicated. Though this work repeatedly draws attention to important societal issues, the branding, marketing, education, and public programming used to expand Desert X may or may not be on par with those messages. The goal of this research is to explore that intersection between the message of Desert X and its branding and marketing efforts. Every year this exhibition grows significantly, therefore the branding and marketing efforts must grow and evolve with it. Is it possible for this project to grow exponentially while staying true to its vision?
Peace Studies
2:15-2:30 pm
Women’s Integration into the Military
Presenter(s): Audrey Mays
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
I’m researching women’s integration into the military and the adjustment process over time. I chose to make this my area of research because I looked into it in high school, but didn’t get to uncover as much as I wanted to. I thought this would be a good topic to research when it comes to relevance within our class because of the gender in war aspect that we talk about. My research relates to the subject matter because we’ve been looking at stereotypes, equality, violence, peace and much more that one can find in both class and women’s integration into the military. I’ve been looking at online surveys, articles found in the library, and google searches from reliable sources like The New York Times and CNN for research. I expected to find examples of lack of respect, differences between men and women within the military, and scandalous behavior. I have found many cases of woman saying how hard it is for them to get respect in their line of work, different treatment between men and woman in the military and several cases involving sexual harassment. Over all, my research provides the necessary information I need to compose my essay and I’m happy with the information I have and will continue to collect.
2:30-2:45 pm
Women in Fascist Regimes: Roles and Treatment in WWII
Presenter(s): Halia Reingold
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
When considering fascist regimes, scholars agree that they are often based on the principle that one group of people is considered fundamentally superior to all others, usually on the basis of racial superiority and ‘blood purity'. Nazi Germany idolized the idea of an “Aryan race”, where those deserving of power were those with desirable German characteristics. It’s usually assumed that in these regimes women are still considered inferior to men even if categorized as the superior racial group. Hitler and Mousselini both made many statements regarding the position of women, all filled with sexist ideology. However, some scholars have argued that women’s roles in these regimes were actually empowering and that their role in society was actually lifted during these times. Even though women’s main responsibility was that of reproducing, each of the Axis powers in World War II can be seen to have shown increased respect and care for women through their pronatalist mentalities. Many feminists and scholars have argued, however, that this is still an extension of sexist oppression, and can be proven due to the fact there were still few to no women in positions of power. However, in Germany, Italy, and Japan, there is evidence of Women’s fascists organizations that greatly supported their country’s regimes and elevated some women’s social standings, and in Japan, there are examples of women receiving positions of power within the fascist male-dominated organizations due to their importance in these women’s organizations. There’s also the example of Leni Riefenstahl, who held considerable respect and authority in the Nazi party as a leading filmmaker of Nazi propaganda. Analyzing these various examples of women in empowering vs disempowering positions in fascist regimes ultimately results in a conclusion based on one’s definition of feminism and female empowerment, and an analysis of basic fascist principle.
Moderator: Dr. Julye Bidmead
Art
2:00-2:15 pm
Desert X: Branding a New Kind of Art Viewership
Presenter(s): Kennedy Cardenas
Advisor(s): Micol Hebron
When prompted to consider where fine art is primarily housed and where people can go to view it, the first thing to come to mind will most likely be a museum or gallery. Though this is often true for much of the fine art in the world, in recent years Desert X has pushed the boundaries of where art can be located. Desert X is a project which began in 2017 by the Desert Biennial Foundation in order to uplift site-specific work by international artists, with that site specifically being the desert. A great deal of the work included in Desert X exists to prompt discussion surrounding the conditions of desert locations. Over a dozen artists are invited from various sectors of the globe to present works on site throughout the Palm Springs/ Coachella Valley area. With much of the artwork presented surrounding indigenous land rights, the environment, and other social and political issues, the structure of this project becomes much more complicated. Though this work repeatedly draws attention to important societal issues, the branding, marketing, education, and public programming used to expand Desert X may or may not be on par with those messages. The goal of this research is to explore that intersection between the message of Desert X and its branding and marketing efforts. Every year this exhibition grows significantly, therefore the branding and marketing efforts must grow and evolve with it. Is it possible for this project to grow exponentially while staying true to its vision?
Peace Studies
2:15-2:30 pm
Women’s Integration into the Military
Presenter(s): Audrey Mays
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
I’m researching women’s integration into the military and the adjustment process over time. I chose to make this my area of research because I looked into it in high school, but didn’t get to uncover as much as I wanted to. I thought this would be a good topic to research when it comes to relevance within our class because of the gender in war aspect that we talk about. My research relates to the subject matter because we’ve been looking at stereotypes, equality, violence, peace and much more that one can find in both class and women’s integration into the military. I’ve been looking at online surveys, articles found in the library, and google searches from reliable sources like The New York Times and CNN for research. I expected to find examples of lack of respect, differences between men and women within the military, and scandalous behavior. I have found many cases of woman saying how hard it is for them to get respect in their line of work, different treatment between men and woman in the military and several cases involving sexual harassment. Over all, my research provides the necessary information I need to compose my essay and I’m happy with the information I have and will continue to collect.
2:30-2:45 pm
Women in Fascist Regimes: Roles and Treatment in WWII
Presenter(s): Halia Reingold
Advisor(s): Dr. Lisa Leitz
When considering fascist regimes, scholars agree that they are often based on the principle that one group of people is considered fundamentally superior to all others, usually on the basis of racial superiority and ‘blood purity'. Nazi Germany idolized the idea of an “Aryan race”, where those deserving of power were those with desirable German characteristics. It’s usually assumed that in these regimes women are still considered inferior to men even if categorized as the superior racial group. Hitler and Mousselini both made many statements regarding the position of women, all filled with sexist ideology. However, some scholars have argued that women’s roles in these regimes were actually empowering and that their role in society was actually lifted during these times. Even though women’s main responsibility was that of reproducing, each of the Axis powers in World War II can be seen to have shown increased respect and care for women through their pronatalist mentalities. Many feminists and scholars have argued, however, that this is still an extension of sexist oppression, and can be proven due to the fact there were still few to no women in positions of power. However, in Germany, Italy, and Japan, there is evidence of Women’s fascists organizations that greatly supported their country’s regimes and elevated some women’s social standings, and in Japan, there are examples of women receiving positions of power within the fascist male-dominated organizations due to their importance in these women’s organizations. There’s also the example of Leni Riefenstahl, who held considerable respect and authority in the Nazi party as a leading filmmaker of Nazi propaganda. Analyzing these various examples of women in empowering vs disempowering positions in fascist regimes ultimately results in a conclusion based on one’s definition of feminism and female empowerment, and an analysis of basic fascist principle.
Room B
Moderator: Kathy Thibault
Theatre
2:00-2:15 pm
Under New Direction: Using Theatre to Combat the Climate Crisis
Presenter(s): Brian Kirsch
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
The Earth is growing unsuitable for human society as we know it at an unprecedented rate. Among the latest in a set of increasingly grim statistics, the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide concentration is now a staggering 150% of its value for most of human history (Stein). This has triggered global warming on track to meet or exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, which comes with extreme and irreversible changes to the planet (Jackson). However, this information fails to both command its merited attention and spark the urgent action needed to preserve our way of life. Less than half of American voters consider climate change to be a “very important” voting issue and less than a tenth consider it to be the most important one (YouGov America). The incongruence between climate change’s danger and society’s concern is stark and concerning. In this paper, I analyze the content and techniques that political, scientific, and news sources employ to deliver information about climate change. I explore how these elements contribute to the failure of these media to mobilize society against the severe threat posed by climate change. Theatre, as an institution and as a set of storytelling tools, has the potential to resolve this failure to present environmental information effectively. Theatre is, fundamentally, an art form that compels its audiences and causes action. By breaking down the audiences’ walls against being affected; creating an emotional connection, intimacy, and complicity; and encouraging audience participation; theatre can call its audiences to action. I argue that the emotive force that theatre builds from these techniques can be employed--and present methods for their use--to truly convince society to care enough about the Earth
to keep it from burning.
2:15-2:30 pm
If It Merely Lasts a Second: A Concert Cabaret of Broadway’s Musical Flops
Presenter(s): Michael Miller
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
In 2021, I undertook a project where I listened to every single musical produced on Broadway since 1950. That was two musicals a day, for a total of roughly 750 shows (the actual number of musicals that fit these constraints is slightly higher, but unfortunately some of those were completely lost to time, and were unable to be consumed in any form). With such a huge library of musicals, it's no wonder some of them get lost to time, but it is curious thinking about why certain shows stay in the public consciousness and are seen as important pieces in the Broadway canon, while others - no matter the brilliance - get overlooked and forgotten. I want to shine a light on some of these lesser known shows. Some have something to say about current society, or provide a fantastic audition song, or just have funny anecdotes attached to them. Listening to so many shows in succession - and in chronological order, no less - clued me in to wider trends, the topics and messages that seemed to be resonating with people - or, at least, the shows that producers thought were worth producing, and the shows that composers and playwrights thought were worth creating. It’s interesting to speculate on why they failed, or became obscured - perhaps it was because the producers ran out of money, or the show was ahead of its time, too behind in the times, patently offensive, marketed incorrectly, simply too long and dull. By the creation of a concert cabaret, I’d like to illuminate all of the various aspects of why a show flops, the behind-the-curtain secrets,
and discuss some of Broadway’s best, worst, and weirdest hidden treasures.
2:30-2:45 pm
The Mystery Forest Project: Bringing Immersive Entertainment to Chapman
Presenter(s): Blake Huntley, Kaelin Tester
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner, Kristin Campbell
I joined Chapman University's technical theatre program with the promise of an experience that taught beyond the theatrical box: immersing lessons and projects into the site-specific and broader entertainment industry. After the passing of Technical Theatre Professor Don Guy, I began a mission to carry his affinity for live and immersive entertainment. I wanted to preserve his impact within the Chapman community by bringing particular magic and mystery to the common pathways of the Chapman campus. Combining a passion for the storytelling of theme parks, escape rooms, immersive art installations, and the proving ground of a Chapman University theatre community, my creative collaborator, Kaelin Tester, and I began formulating an immersive and interactive theatre project. The Mystery Forest Project aimed to leverage creative opportunities within the Chapman University community for creating a theatrical narrative outside the box. Sparked by an affinity for immersive and engaging storytelling, the project seeks to blend a fresh narrative of an unseen fairy world with modes of both physical and technological elements. By pairing a student-written text and design team with a found space that serves conducive to site-specific development, the project intended to provide an outlet to the themed and immersive entertainment population on campus. As a student-developed, designed, and performed production, the project is a testament to the potential for further explorations into immersive entertainment expressions on the Chapman campus. With proximity to so many live entertainment avenues within the Orange County, CA area alone, we hope to see a recurring development of work that tests the boundaries of combining original narrative with immersive practices as the Chapman student community redefines artistic expression in its surroundings.
2:45-3:00 pm
A Maiden Voyage: From iPhone Note To Pirate Musical
Presenter(s): Feras Halabi
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner, Jenny Jacobs
After surviving a pandemic that stunted my creativity, I challenged myself to create a project that could reflect the growth of my personal artistry, settling on writing a musical. After fifty ideas, I settled on creating a show about pirates with the premise: “What if a woman snuck on board a pirate ship hiding as a man, but at the same time the Captain was also a woman in disguise?” My imagination set sail as I found myself discovering new ideas and thematic elements that elevated my show from a fun side project to a culmination of my collegiate artistry titled The Crooked Star. By committing to this project, I wanted to learn about both my own creative process and the collaborative process. Beginning with idea generation and supplemental research on pirate lore and language, I discovered unique aspects of pirate culture that proved useful. Additionally, I went on a music deep dive, finding sea shanties to be the perfect medium to tell my story for their musical qualities and emphasis on storytelling. Moving to script writing, I utilized a book on American musical structures and input from my independent study professor, Dr. Jenny Jacobs, to create an outline for my composition. I defined key anchor points and found a narrative path between them. Once writing was completed, I engaged in collaboration by editing with my professor, collecting students for a first reading, working with composers on arrangements, and getting a team together to produce it. With a final result well on its way, I am excited to watch the process from beginning to end, from iPhone note to pirate musical.
Moderator: Kathy Thibault
Theatre
2:00-2:15 pm
Under New Direction: Using Theatre to Combat the Climate Crisis
Presenter(s): Brian Kirsch
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
The Earth is growing unsuitable for human society as we know it at an unprecedented rate. Among the latest in a set of increasingly grim statistics, the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide concentration is now a staggering 150% of its value for most of human history (Stein). This has triggered global warming on track to meet or exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, which comes with extreme and irreversible changes to the planet (Jackson). However, this information fails to both command its merited attention and spark the urgent action needed to preserve our way of life. Less than half of American voters consider climate change to be a “very important” voting issue and less than a tenth consider it to be the most important one (YouGov America). The incongruence between climate change’s danger and society’s concern is stark and concerning. In this paper, I analyze the content and techniques that political, scientific, and news sources employ to deliver information about climate change. I explore how these elements contribute to the failure of these media to mobilize society against the severe threat posed by climate change. Theatre, as an institution and as a set of storytelling tools, has the potential to resolve this failure to present environmental information effectively. Theatre is, fundamentally, an art form that compels its audiences and causes action. By breaking down the audiences’ walls against being affected; creating an emotional connection, intimacy, and complicity; and encouraging audience participation; theatre can call its audiences to action. I argue that the emotive force that theatre builds from these techniques can be employed--and present methods for their use--to truly convince society to care enough about the Earth
to keep it from burning.
2:15-2:30 pm
If It Merely Lasts a Second: A Concert Cabaret of Broadway’s Musical Flops
Presenter(s): Michael Miller
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
In 2021, I undertook a project where I listened to every single musical produced on Broadway since 1950. That was two musicals a day, for a total of roughly 750 shows (the actual number of musicals that fit these constraints is slightly higher, but unfortunately some of those were completely lost to time, and were unable to be consumed in any form). With such a huge library of musicals, it's no wonder some of them get lost to time, but it is curious thinking about why certain shows stay in the public consciousness and are seen as important pieces in the Broadway canon, while others - no matter the brilliance - get overlooked and forgotten. I want to shine a light on some of these lesser known shows. Some have something to say about current society, or provide a fantastic audition song, or just have funny anecdotes attached to them. Listening to so many shows in succession - and in chronological order, no less - clued me in to wider trends, the topics and messages that seemed to be resonating with people - or, at least, the shows that producers thought were worth producing, and the shows that composers and playwrights thought were worth creating. It’s interesting to speculate on why they failed, or became obscured - perhaps it was because the producers ran out of money, or the show was ahead of its time, too behind in the times, patently offensive, marketed incorrectly, simply too long and dull. By the creation of a concert cabaret, I’d like to illuminate all of the various aspects of why a show flops, the behind-the-curtain secrets,
and discuss some of Broadway’s best, worst, and weirdest hidden treasures.
2:30-2:45 pm
The Mystery Forest Project: Bringing Immersive Entertainment to Chapman
Presenter(s): Blake Huntley, Kaelin Tester
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner, Kristin Campbell
I joined Chapman University's technical theatre program with the promise of an experience that taught beyond the theatrical box: immersing lessons and projects into the site-specific and broader entertainment industry. After the passing of Technical Theatre Professor Don Guy, I began a mission to carry his affinity for live and immersive entertainment. I wanted to preserve his impact within the Chapman community by bringing particular magic and mystery to the common pathways of the Chapman campus. Combining a passion for the storytelling of theme parks, escape rooms, immersive art installations, and the proving ground of a Chapman University theatre community, my creative collaborator, Kaelin Tester, and I began formulating an immersive and interactive theatre project. The Mystery Forest Project aimed to leverage creative opportunities within the Chapman University community for creating a theatrical narrative outside the box. Sparked by an affinity for immersive and engaging storytelling, the project seeks to blend a fresh narrative of an unseen fairy world with modes of both physical and technological elements. By pairing a student-written text and design team with a found space that serves conducive to site-specific development, the project intended to provide an outlet to the themed and immersive entertainment population on campus. As a student-developed, designed, and performed production, the project is a testament to the potential for further explorations into immersive entertainment expressions on the Chapman campus. With proximity to so many live entertainment avenues within the Orange County, CA area alone, we hope to see a recurring development of work that tests the boundaries of combining original narrative with immersive practices as the Chapman student community redefines artistic expression in its surroundings.
2:45-3:00 pm
A Maiden Voyage: From iPhone Note To Pirate Musical
Presenter(s): Feras Halabi
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner, Jenny Jacobs
After surviving a pandemic that stunted my creativity, I challenged myself to create a project that could reflect the growth of my personal artistry, settling on writing a musical. After fifty ideas, I settled on creating a show about pirates with the premise: “What if a woman snuck on board a pirate ship hiding as a man, but at the same time the Captain was also a woman in disguise?” My imagination set sail as I found myself discovering new ideas and thematic elements that elevated my show from a fun side project to a culmination of my collegiate artistry titled The Crooked Star. By committing to this project, I wanted to learn about both my own creative process and the collaborative process. Beginning with idea generation and supplemental research on pirate lore and language, I discovered unique aspects of pirate culture that proved useful. Additionally, I went on a music deep dive, finding sea shanties to be the perfect medium to tell my story for their musical qualities and emphasis on storytelling. Moving to script writing, I utilized a book on American musical structures and input from my independent study professor, Dr. Jenny Jacobs, to create an outline for my composition. I defined key anchor points and found a narrative path between them. Once writing was completed, I engaged in collaboration by editing with my professor, collecting students for a first reading, working with composers on arrangements, and getting a team together to produce it. With a final result well on its way, I am excited to watch the process from beginning to end, from iPhone note to pirate musical.
Room C
Moderator: Dr. Jan Osborn
2:00-2:15 pm
Degree or Not Degree: Reframing Modern BA Theatre Education
Presenter(s): Theo Wood
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
While theatre is a subjective art form that has existed and evolved since before history’s common era, today academia has evolved alongside it with the hope of teaching this subjective art. This requires a specific balance between subjectivity and curriculum used across many modern American universities commonly split between Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees which determines the form students’ curricula take. But at non-conservatory universities, the differences between these degrees are minimal, so it’s essential to evaluate how these curricula affect their students. BFA degrees are more specific, so the curriculum-required content should be enough to enter a life in that field, but BA degrees are more broad, meaning they accommodate more choices for later refinement. But, with competitive programs and smaller BA class sizes, these students are met with the challenge of choosing their own path without a single curricular track. Because of these circumstances, I will focus on how BA degree paths in liberal arts schools across the US may help or hinder the process of learning the craft of theatre while balancing being a full-time student. By interviewing BA and BFA enrolled students and alumni from and outside of Chapman, I hope to explore the reasons why students seek out these specific degrees, how those reasons compare to the existing curricula in place, and what room exists to improve these programs. Using curricula and interviews, I will propose advancements to Chapman’s BA curriculum that accounts for multi-hyphenate paths that support students’ chosen emphases while encouraging exploration into other aspects of the field.
2:15-2:30 pm
“The Unique Theatre of TTRPGs: Examining the Valuable Connection Between Pen-and-Paper Role-Playing Games and Performance Art Practices.”
Presenter(s): Joe Mojonnier
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
Exploring, surviving in, creating, and personally growing from a make-believe world with its own set of rules is a profoundly unique experience, one which I also found working on theatrical endeavors. Dramatics aside, while reflecting on both my high school and college theatre career and my four years of avid participation in pen-and-paper role-playing games, games where players act, make choices, and improvise within a set of rules/guidelines and their own character’s personification; I discovered an important connection, one which had a special distinction. In this paper, I examine the significance of system-based long/short-form table-top role-playing games[TTRPGs] as a medium that encourages self-exploration, mimesis, and learning and applying various performance and social skills, akin to theatre/performance art, specifically in the case of (traditionally) non-performers. I argue for the validity of playing TTRPGs, using systems like “Dungeons and Dragons”[D&D] and “Call of Cthulhu”[COC], as it provides a platform that can emulate theatre, but with “lower stakes”(in the case of home-games), in the way that they are accessible to those who would not define themselves as “actors”/have no desire to act/do not have any experience in theatre as a performance, and as a narrative-writing and directing medium. When examining how TTRPGs’ rules and mechanics influence gameplay can be related to the pedagogy and lessons of theatre performance and the technical roles associated with creating and directing a play, by collecting perspectives on the creative processes and meanings game masters[GMs] empart in their games as well as how non-performer players respond to the medium as performance art, a distinct connection will be found between the two mediums. The value and validity of TTRPGs as a creative and performative medium will be defined far beyond the idea that “it’s just a game”.
2:30-2:45 pm
The Theatrical Clown: A Bountiful History Overlooked in the 21st Century
Presenter(s): Katie Palino
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
Jingling bells, painted faces, and colorful costumes—a multicultural practice spanning from its first recorded occurrence in 2270 B.C. Egypt, to a 21st-century slew of films, frights, and phobias; the lost art of traditional clowning has taken on a new evolutionary resurgence. As a theatrical form with its roots in the Court Jesters and Fools of the Middle Ages, clowning became popularized through an Italian method of street theater called “Commedia dell’Arte,” translated to “comedy of professional actors.” As the advancement of clowning expanded, a resurgence of the Commedia dell’Arte clowns, as a more modern and evolved form, began to emerge, extending to the Big Top, Opera, festivals, and the classic children’s birthday party. However, although clowning is a rich art form theatrically, as societies have changed, the meaning and work of clowns changed with it, evolving the once silly and outspoken character to one of popularity and real-life horror, accumulating into the depiction we have today. Whether it be Steven Kings Pennywise from It, John Wayne Gacy’s Pogo the Clown, Killer Klowns from Outerspace, Poltrigiest, or the 2016 clown sighting phenomenon, the modern evolution of clowns has become widespread, terrifying, and shows no signs of stopping.
In my work, I will be detailing the chronological timeline of the darker history, recognizing the hidden roots of the clowning profession and the modern hysteria, fascination, and repulsion of this occupation. I will utilize various resources to argue that this art form, while once holding a significant faction of the theatrical space, has turned into a new horror pop culture phenomenon.
2:45-3:00 pm
The Art of Developing a Personalized Communication Styles as a Stage Manager
Presenter(s): McKenna Bartoli
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
In the stage manager’s repertoire of skills and tools, their understanding and ability to effectively communicate with all members of the production is key to creating a successful piece of theatre. As the apex role in a production, SMs are tasked with the job of establishing the environment and expectations of every production team member to promote a positive, efficacious workplace. It is up to each individual stage manager to compile specific tools of language throughout their experiences to customize their oral and written communications for each individual with whom they interact based on the personality types and roles of team members.
In this project, I claim that a stage manager’s greatest asset lies in their ability to find the intricacies of language and to develop a personalized style of communication within the theatrical workplace. The significance in the wording of every conversation, email, piece of paperwork, or personal conversation must be developed based upon a prior professional encounter. It is the SM’s professional responsibility to analyze the experiences and reactions of individuals in the workplace based on the tone, words, and phrases used. This factor is dependent on the positions and personalities of all involved, which a stage manager is also responsible for understanding in order to deliberate between everyone effectively. I will outline the artform of defining a stage manager’s communication style through personal accounts of experienced SMs, documents emphasizing the types of language, and the personality type’s responsiveness to these styles.
Moderator: Dr. Jan Osborn
2:00-2:15 pm
Degree or Not Degree: Reframing Modern BA Theatre Education
Presenter(s): Theo Wood
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
While theatre is a subjective art form that has existed and evolved since before history’s common era, today academia has evolved alongside it with the hope of teaching this subjective art. This requires a specific balance between subjectivity and curriculum used across many modern American universities commonly split between Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees which determines the form students’ curricula take. But at non-conservatory universities, the differences between these degrees are minimal, so it’s essential to evaluate how these curricula affect their students. BFA degrees are more specific, so the curriculum-required content should be enough to enter a life in that field, but BA degrees are more broad, meaning they accommodate more choices for later refinement. But, with competitive programs and smaller BA class sizes, these students are met with the challenge of choosing their own path without a single curricular track. Because of these circumstances, I will focus on how BA degree paths in liberal arts schools across the US may help or hinder the process of learning the craft of theatre while balancing being a full-time student. By interviewing BA and BFA enrolled students and alumni from and outside of Chapman, I hope to explore the reasons why students seek out these specific degrees, how those reasons compare to the existing curricula in place, and what room exists to improve these programs. Using curricula and interviews, I will propose advancements to Chapman’s BA curriculum that accounts for multi-hyphenate paths that support students’ chosen emphases while encouraging exploration into other aspects of the field.
2:15-2:30 pm
“The Unique Theatre of TTRPGs: Examining the Valuable Connection Between Pen-and-Paper Role-Playing Games and Performance Art Practices.”
Presenter(s): Joe Mojonnier
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
Exploring, surviving in, creating, and personally growing from a make-believe world with its own set of rules is a profoundly unique experience, one which I also found working on theatrical endeavors. Dramatics aside, while reflecting on both my high school and college theatre career and my four years of avid participation in pen-and-paper role-playing games, games where players act, make choices, and improvise within a set of rules/guidelines and their own character’s personification; I discovered an important connection, one which had a special distinction. In this paper, I examine the significance of system-based long/short-form table-top role-playing games[TTRPGs] as a medium that encourages self-exploration, mimesis, and learning and applying various performance and social skills, akin to theatre/performance art, specifically in the case of (traditionally) non-performers. I argue for the validity of playing TTRPGs, using systems like “Dungeons and Dragons”[D&D] and “Call of Cthulhu”[COC], as it provides a platform that can emulate theatre, but with “lower stakes”(in the case of home-games), in the way that they are accessible to those who would not define themselves as “actors”/have no desire to act/do not have any experience in theatre as a performance, and as a narrative-writing and directing medium. When examining how TTRPGs’ rules and mechanics influence gameplay can be related to the pedagogy and lessons of theatre performance and the technical roles associated with creating and directing a play, by collecting perspectives on the creative processes and meanings game masters[GMs] empart in their games as well as how non-performer players respond to the medium as performance art, a distinct connection will be found between the two mediums. The value and validity of TTRPGs as a creative and performative medium will be defined far beyond the idea that “it’s just a game”.
2:30-2:45 pm
The Theatrical Clown: A Bountiful History Overlooked in the 21st Century
Presenter(s): Katie Palino
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
Jingling bells, painted faces, and colorful costumes—a multicultural practice spanning from its first recorded occurrence in 2270 B.C. Egypt, to a 21st-century slew of films, frights, and phobias; the lost art of traditional clowning has taken on a new evolutionary resurgence. As a theatrical form with its roots in the Court Jesters and Fools of the Middle Ages, clowning became popularized through an Italian method of street theater called “Commedia dell’Arte,” translated to “comedy of professional actors.” As the advancement of clowning expanded, a resurgence of the Commedia dell’Arte clowns, as a more modern and evolved form, began to emerge, extending to the Big Top, Opera, festivals, and the classic children’s birthday party. However, although clowning is a rich art form theatrically, as societies have changed, the meaning and work of clowns changed with it, evolving the once silly and outspoken character to one of popularity and real-life horror, accumulating into the depiction we have today. Whether it be Steven Kings Pennywise from It, John Wayne Gacy’s Pogo the Clown, Killer Klowns from Outerspace, Poltrigiest, or the 2016 clown sighting phenomenon, the modern evolution of clowns has become widespread, terrifying, and shows no signs of stopping.
In my work, I will be detailing the chronological timeline of the darker history, recognizing the hidden roots of the clowning profession and the modern hysteria, fascination, and repulsion of this occupation. I will utilize various resources to argue that this art form, while once holding a significant faction of the theatrical space, has turned into a new horror pop culture phenomenon.
2:45-3:00 pm
The Art of Developing a Personalized Communication Styles as a Stage Manager
Presenter(s): McKenna Bartoli
Advisor(s): Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
In the stage manager’s repertoire of skills and tools, their understanding and ability to effectively communicate with all members of the production is key to creating a successful piece of theatre. As the apex role in a production, SMs are tasked with the job of establishing the environment and expectations of every production team member to promote a positive, efficacious workplace. It is up to each individual stage manager to compile specific tools of language throughout their experiences to customize their oral and written communications for each individual with whom they interact based on the personality types and roles of team members.
In this project, I claim that a stage manager’s greatest asset lies in their ability to find the intricacies of language and to develop a personalized style of communication within the theatrical workplace. The significance in the wording of every conversation, email, piece of paperwork, or personal conversation must be developed based upon a prior professional encounter. It is the SM’s professional responsibility to analyze the experiences and reactions of individuals in the workplace based on the tone, words, and phrases used. This factor is dependent on the positions and personalities of all involved, which a stage manager is also responsible for understanding in order to deliberate between everyone effectively. I will outline the artform of defining a stage manager’s communication style through personal accounts of experienced SMs, documents emphasizing the types of language, and the personality type’s responsiveness to these styles.