Abstract

Casting might be the most exciting thing in theatre to happen off-stage. Actors, agents, directors, producers, and outside observers are keenly interested in who plays a given part. In a professional space, casting seeks to ask, "Which performer is the best fit for this part?" But what happens when an educational theatre director instead asks, "Which role will best enable the learning of this performer?" This thesis explores the process of casting in an educational theatre space as being distinctly different from casting in a professional theatre space. By examining theoretical underpinnings of casting through literature and reflexive practice, I question what factors should be considered when casting youth performers in educational theatre productions. This thesis considers concepts such as thin-slicing, cultural capital, and student-centered pedagogy as means of transforming casting from a production focused practiced to a performer focused one. This thesis examines existing literature about casting as a practice as a means of understanding the theoretical ideas behind casting. I then survey current theatre practitioners in educational theatre spaces to define current trends and practices when evaluating young people's auditions in educational theatre. Finally, I develop and test a tool for measuring young actors in auditions, which I apply and analyze through the casting in a youth production of 101 Dalmatians KIDS. The thesis reflects the practitioner's practice as research and considers both challenges to casting as a pedagogical practice and casting issues unique to educational theatre. The reflection also considers practices to help make casting a more student-centered process in educational theatre spaces.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2020

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Horn, Elizabeth

Degree

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

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Degree Program

Theatre; Theatre for Young Audiences Track

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0008036; DP0023176

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0023176

Language

English

Release Date

May 2020

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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