Abstract

In 2016, I was cast as Officer Krupke in a production of West Side Story at Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF. Even though Krupke can be thought of as a minor character in the play, bringing him to life required a great deal of research and imagination. In order to ground myself in the reality of the role, I researched the effects of implicit bias in modern policing, applied that research to Uta Hagen's Nine Questions, and brought that knowledge into the rehearsal hall and onto the stage. I examined how my character's interactions with Lieutenant Schrank influenced his actions and attitudes toward both street gangs in the play and reflected on how my research and these performances changed my point of view and helped me recognize my own biases. This thesis reflects that process and will serve as a tool available to any actor seeking to create his or her own interpretation of Officer Krupke.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2018

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Brotherton, Mark

Degree

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

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Degree Program

Theatre; Acting

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0007327

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0007327

Language

English

Release Date

December 2018

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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