K. C. Casey

Date of Award

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Villada, Diego

Area of Concentration

Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies

Abstract

I have produced and written this thesis as a culmination of my directing-focused educational path at New College of Florida. Within the generalist program of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, I sought out various opportunities over the past three and a half years to expand my knowledge of stage direction both practically, theoretically, and artistically. My goal since my third semester here, determined through conversations with my advisor Dr. Villada, was to direct a main-stage show at New College. This goal eventually became my thesis project: to direct Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird and present it to an audience as the Fall show for the 2022-2023 season of [performance @ new college]. This thesis examines my educational journey from student to studentdirector, the pre-production process of putting on a show, and the production period of Stupid Fucking Bird. It also explores the trials and tribulations of becoming the first student to direct a main-stage production at New College of Florida; as well as, the lessons I have learned along the way, the significance of collaborative creation in theatre, and the construction of my own personal aesthetic as a theatre director. Lastly, this thesis details the main finding of my thesis project: a successful student-directed main-stage production at the collegiate academic level is achieve through building community, developing empathy, and practicing honest, open communication.

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