Keywords

Theatre, halloween, horror, theme parks

Abstract

Visceral [vis-er-uh l] -adj 1. of, relating to, or affecting the viscera 2. characterized by intuition or instinct rather than intellect ("visceral," def. 1-2) The above words speak to define far more than merely the word "visceral." They speak to also embody and classify a previously untitled form of theatre. Visceral Theatre: A form of theatre that uses the instinctual awareness of the audience- the audiences' perception of popular culture, societal contexts both historical and geographical, as well as their instinctual-physical aversion to danger- to cause physiological and emotional responses through the overstimulation of the senses in a non-tactile attack. For the past eight years I have been intimately involved with the creation of Halloween Horror Nights, an annual event held each September/October at the Universal Orlando Resort. The basis of the event is the celebration of the holiday of Halloween by creating Shows, Street Experiences, and Thematic Mazes in which to fully immerse hundreds of thousands of guests in various environments. This thesis will use the example of Halloween Horror nights to frame the discussion of Visceral Theatre. It will be presented through the lens of creator, designer, director, and collaborator of the entertainment offerings within the experience. It is my hope to answer the question: What is Visceral Theatre, and how HHN, as it is commonly referred to, earns the right to be defined as such. What makes this experience Theatre?

Notes

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Graduation Date

2014

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Niess, Christopher

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Degree Program

Theatre

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0005138

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0005138

Language

English

Release Date

5-15-2019

Length of Campus-only Access

5 years

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Arts and Humanities -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Humanities

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