Everything You Need to

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MA Thesis/Creative Project

The definitive book of instruction for the processes and procedures governing the publication of the written thesis portion of the MAThesis/Creative Project for Theatre

MA Thesis/Creative Project Guidelines for serving an artistic function in a theatre production

Early in the semester BEFORE you complete your thesis, you should contact your advisor to discuss whether you’re planning on applying for a PhD program after you receive your MA. If so, we advise that you do a research-based thesis in order to utilize it as an artifact when applying for PhD programs. If not, then you will(like the majority of our students) have a research component in your thesis, but your thesis will most probably be tied to a creative project (e.g., directing a play, designing a set, dramaturg for a production, et al.) If you plan on a creative project/thesis, then you need to email the chair of the Theatre Department to request a committee to be assigned prior to the proposal deadline (see deadlines below). Your email should include a brief summary of your thesis plans (not a complete proposal), and your advisor should be cc’d in this correspondence. Once a chair and committee member are assigned, you’ll quickly move forward with your proposal in order to meet the deadline.

Deadlines

Spring Completion

Proposal SubmissionNovember 15

Oral Defense CompletedMarch 20

Summer Completion

Proposal SubmissionMarch 15

Oral Defense CompletedJuly 25

Fall Completion

Proposal Submission AcceptedJuly 15

Oral Defense CompletedNovember 21

Pre-Proposal

The MA Thesis/Creative Project for Theatre will be divided into four (4) sections. Please note that the sections may change for special types of creative projects (e.g., playwriting). These sections are:

Section I: Proposal

Section II: Preparation (e.g., Research)

Section III: Process (e.g., Rehearsal/Performance)

Section IV: Product (Conclusion)

Section I: Proposal

(Due: Thirty days into the semester prior to student’s final semester.)

This section should contain the following:

1. Formal Request of Option

Students may formally request the option of fulfilling the creative project portion of their thesis no later thanone monthbefore their final semester of study. It is recommended that students submit their proposal during the first month of their second-to-last semester. It is permissible for the student to execute the creative project off-campus with some other producing organization other than Regent University. In such a case, the student is responsible for any expenses involved in recording the performance, assembling artifacts, arranging qualified peers to review the work and/or getting their committee members to view a performance.

2. Introductory Statements

This portion of the document should include information such as the title of the production, artistic function the student will serve, the inclusive performance dates if applicable as well asthe location of the performances, the name of the producing organization, the name of the director, and a proposed table of contents detailing major parts, sections and/or chapters of the thesis document. This proposal is to be submitted no later than one month prior to the student’s final semester. Space is provided at the bottom of the proposal form for the chair and the other committee members to sign off on (and date) acceptance of the proposal. The MAThesis Proposal Form may be found on the “Student Forms” page linked to the Department of Theatre Arts home page.

  1. Committee Member Designation

MA Thesis Committees will consist of three (3) members (research based thesis for those heading toward PhD programs), two (2) members for portfolio/creative projects (the majority of MA student thesis work). The student will be afforded the opportunity to have input into the selection of their committee chair and members via a written email request to the chair (cc the advisor), but the student is not guaranteed their first choice. The student’s input will be taken into consideration but, ultimately, the department will assign committee members in accordance with balancing workload considerations with expertise. Non-departmental committee members (Regent University and non-Regent University faculty) must be approved by both the Head of the MA Theatre Program and the Department of Theatre Arts Chair. Committee members from departments other than the Regent University Department of Theatre Arts should be sought only if a specific area of expertise is required for the committee to properly function. Once the student has acquired a committee the department’s Administrative Assistant will fill out the MA Thesis/Creative Project Committee Formulation Form,acquire each member’s signature, make a copy for the student, and place the original in the student’s department file.

4. Formal Acceptance

Once the student’s committee has examined the thesis proposal and approved it, the student should make a copy of the signed proposal for his/her personal files and submit the original to the department’s Administrative Assistant to be filed in the student’s department file. It is strongly recommended that the student review a number of previously published theses (available in the Regent University Library) so as to examine a range of tables of contents. These examples should serve to inform the student as he or she considers how best to structure the thesis proposal.

  1. Registration

The following steps must be met before registration can take place:

  • The student has a duly formulated MA Thesis committee;
  • All committee membershave signed the student’s MFA “Formulation of Committee” form;
  • The student has a copy of the aforementioned form for their personal files and the original has been placed in the student’s departmental file;
  • The student has filled out the “Thesis Proposal” form and submitted it to the chair of his or her MA Thesis committee (Deadlines may be found in the appendix.);
  • When the committee chair and student have arrived at a consensus as to the scope of the document, the proposal will then be disseminated to the other committee members for commentary, requested adjustments, and final approval;
  • Once the committee has unanimously approved the proposal, all members of the committee must sign the Thesis Proposal form;
  • The student is responsible for making a copy for their records and submitting the signed original to the department’s Administrative Assistant to be filed in the student’s departmental file.
  • Once all of the above has occurred, the student must submit an Individual Study Form to the Theatre Administrative Assistant properly completed and signed by the student’s MA Thesis Committee chair. This form clears the department’s Administrative Assistant to register the student for THE 599 Thesis/Creative Project (3 crs.) in the student’s final semester, and the student is free to begin writing their thesis. Depending upon the individual needs, the student may register for THE 599 in the fall, spring or summer semester. If the student is not able to complete their Oral Defense by deadlines set by the department, the student will receive an IP as a grade for THE 599. This grade will remain in effect until the student completes the Oral Defense process during the following semester. In such instances, receiving an IP does NOT impact negatively on the student’s GPA.
  1. Off Campus Proposals: Many distance MA students willrequest performing an artistic function in a production off campus (e.g. an educational theatre project, a community theatre project or some other professional opportunity) in partial fulfillment of the thesis requirement. This option is available no sooner than the semester before the student’s final semester of study. This option requires the student to submit the following information to the student’s MA Thesis Committee chair in the form of a formal written request:
  • A brief history of the theatre and description of the producing organization.
  • Written justification establishing that the project will demonstrate a good understanding of research methods and the ability to apply those methods to a theatre related project.
  • The student will provide a contact in the proposed organization to serve as an official sponsoring agent prepared to write an evaluation of the student’s process and product.
  • If the project is produced at some distance, the student is obligated to assume the financial burden of creating a videotape and/or getting their committee members to the production including (but not limited to) travel, per diem, housing, and tickets. If contractual obligations do not allow the creative work to be taped, artifacts such as published reviews or peer reviews must be included.

Section II: Preparation

(Due: first day of regularly scheduled rehearsals where applicable or a date set by your Committee Chair)

This section should contain the following:

  1. An “Introduction.” The Introduction will present the “problem.” In this instance, the problem is the artistic role you will serve in relation to a theatre project. The student should clearly articulate the perceived specific challenges of the assigned artistic role (the thesis statement), and articulate plans and strategies for overcoming the various obstacles the artistic role presents.

2. Chapter 1: Historical Research

In this chapter the student should present historical research relevant to the creative process. This will be slightly different for every actor. The purpose of this chapter is to encourage examination of the historical, aesthetic, and biographical contexts which inform the play. It is imperative the student carefully focus any research and writing on those topics most applicable to the performing of the role. While preliminary research will undoubtedly dip into multiple areas, only the most relevant portions will be included in the written thesis. Initial topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Historical overview of the play or project. This may include tracing the historical profile of the play, examining published reviews on noteworthy productions and/or renderings of the assigned role. Commentary should focus on key points or insights the student’sresearch has generated and how the student plans to utilize this information in your process.
  • Research on the genre of the play/project. Commentary speaking to genre should focus on how it will impact upon the student’sprocess and the playing of the role. Any lengthy explication on genre in general should be avoided.
  • Interviews with artists whose work is related in some way to the project (i.e., writers, actors, designers, directors, etc.) Commentary should focus on relevance to the student’s specific process and how these interviews ultimately informed the student’s performance of the role.
  • Scholarly analysis and critical commentary. Essays and critical commentary on the play as literature where applicable, and theatrical realizations of it, can be very useful in preparing to undertake a role or artistic function. Be sure any commentary included has direct relevance to the student’s specific task. The student should clearlyarticulate how this commentary/interpretation may informtheir specific choices, they should journal about the effectiveness during the process and they should reflect on the relevance in their conclusion.
  • Viewings of media presentations or adaptations. This type of research can be a double edged sword. Regarding performing a role, it can introduce the student to a variety of interpretations of the play and approaches to the role. It can also apply subtle influences that can subconsciously steer thestudent’s process in a direction that militates against an organic realization of the role. Tread carefully. That said, seeing another interpretation can be useful in determining where not to go when fulfilling your artistic function. Written summaries of productions are to be avoided. The student should speak specifically to observations that influenced his or her approach to their function in the production.

It is neither necessary nor advised that the student write on all five (5) of the aforementioned points. Rather, it is strongly advised that the student consider limiting commentary from 3-4 of the most relevant areas above to their specific production, role, and process. Be selective. Speak to relevance.

Students should guard against “padding” their document with superfluous information tangential to their artistic function. This research should be framed in the context of what the student believes to be relevant to their artistic function.

The page limit for Chapter 1 is 10-12 pages.

3. Chapter 2: Textual Analysis

In this chapter you should examine the play from an objective perspective. This is not character analysis; this is an objective, textual analysis of the full play. Your analysis should address the following elements, and resources should be limited to the texts listed below:

  • Playwright’s controlling idea/counter idea (Story, Ch. 6, 114-128)
  • Concise summary of the play’s structural progression

1.Exposition (Story, Ch. 15)

2.Inciting incident (Story, Ch. 8)

3.Progressive complications (Story, Ch. 9)

4.Significant crisis moments (Story, Ch. 13)

5.Climax (Story, Ch. 13)

6.Subsequent falling action and/or resolution (Story, Ch. 13)

  • Concise statement on the spine phrase of each major character making note of the primary obstacles for that character (Meisner Approach, Tackling the Text)

The page limit for Chapter 2 is 5-6 pages.

4. Chapter 3 - Analyze your task based upon your artistic function. Students should apply tools gained from their classes in conjunction with analysis required by their function.

The page limit for Chapter 3 is 10-12 pages.

Example:

4. Chapter 3 - Actors: Character Analysis

For this chapter it is expected that you will conduct a thorough character analysis of your role, drawing from relevant techniques covered throughout the MFA curriculum. While only portions of that work will be included in the written thesis, it is expected that you do all of the following:

  • Character background. Develop a full biography and back-story for the character.
  • Scene score. Score the entire role utilizing the approach taught in THE 728 Scene Study from The Practical Handbook for the Actor. This means for every scene in which the character(s) appears, break the text into relevant beats and determine the literal action, essential action (objective) and “as if.” Additionally, determine possible tactics for achieving each beat’s objective as well as potential obstacles that might prohibit the objective.
  • Vocal and physical challenges. The student should assess the most significant vocal and physical challenges of the role. Develop a specific, technique-driven plan drawing from the voice and movement curriculum of the MFA program to address these challenges (Lugering, Laban, Linklater, etc.). Be specific in the regimen/methods employed to address each challenge.
  • Additional forms of character analysis. Consider other relevant forms of character analysis/preparation covered in the MFA curriculum that you anticipate will be useful in performing the role. Examples include: Hagen’s exercises, Meisner’s Key Facts and Phrases, Benedetti’s System of Fours, etc. From THE 713 Textual Analysis, you should also consider how the character(s) uses language and what this reveals about the character (consult Analysis for Actors, Directors and Designers, Ch. 8). Language considerations are of particular importance in Shakespeare and other texts with heightened language. Questions to ask regarding the functionality of language include:

1.How do the words the character uses reveal character? (e.g., abstract/concrete; formal/informal; jargon/slang?)

2.How do sentence length, type and rhythm reveal character?

3.Is the dialogue realistic, naturalistic, literary prose, blank verse, and/or rhymed verse and what does that reveal about the character or world of the play?

4.Are rhetorical devices used? (e.g., antithesis, parenthesis, onomatopoeia, alliteration, metaphor; consult the Barton and Van Tassel texts from THE 740 Acting Shakespeare).

5. After completing the full character analysis aboveinclude only the following points in your written thesis:

  • Edited character biography and back-story. Suggested length is 2 pages.
  • Spine phrase for your character (super objective). Suggested length is less than 1 page.
  • Six sample beats. From the full scene score, select six (6) representative beats to include in the thesis. The student should track the progression of the objective work for these six beats throughout his or her journal. As such, it is recommended the student choose beats expected to present the more unique challenges of the role. Be sure to clarify where each beat begins and ends. (Ex. “My first sample beat begins on page 17 with Kate’s line “Well, that’s what I call a busy man.” and concludes on page 18 with Kate’s line “I wouldn’t miss that for all the world.” In Shakespeare you might use line notations such as “Act IV, Scene II, lines 397-453.”). After the “bookends” of the beat have been specified, include all facets of the analysis: literal action, essential action (objective), “as if”, possible tactics and likely obstacles. Suggested length is approximately 3 pages.
  • Summary of the vocal and physical challenges. From the assessment of the vocal and physical challenges of the role, the student should include a summary of the major considerations including your proposed plan to address them. Suggested length is 2 pages.
  • Examples of additional forms of character analysis. After considering a range of supplemental forms of character analysis (Hagen, Meisner, language analysis, etc.), choose three to five (3-5) of the most relevant to be included in the thesis. State the technique principle, your expectation for its usefulness and how it will be applied. For example, if playing the role of Kate in Dancing at Lughnasa, and the intention is to use a specific Hagen exercise, following might suffice:

As an actor I find Hagen’s “Basic Destination Exercise” to be one of the most useful exercises to assist me in preparing for entrances into scenes. As I consider Kate’s return home from the market at the top of Act Two, I intend to conduct a two-minute basic destination/object exercise where I return home to my apartment carrying groceries. Before I complete the exercise, I will answer all of the “six steps” questions found in A Challenge for the Actor on page 134.