Department or Program
Theater and Dance
Abstract
Rapture, Blister, Burn is a play best described as if an episode of ABC’s Wife Swap (in which two families with different lifestyles swap wives/mothers for two weeks) featured debates on feminist theory in the middle of an episode. Gina Gionfriddo’s Pulitzer Prize nominee follows two old friends who took wildly different paths—one a successful academic, the other a stay-at-home mom—but find themselves equally unfulfilled. Armed with the thoughts of Betty Friedan, Phyllis Schlafly, and Dr. Phil, the two switch lives in a game-changing experiment with high stakes for both their families. This thesis discusses and critically evaluates my process of directing this play, including my background research and preparation, my journals of the rehearsal process, and finally an analysis of the performances. I will examine how techniques of experienced directors such as Katie Mitchell, Anne Bogart, and Michael Bloom, as well as field-wide conversations on antiracist theater and intimacy choreography, influenced my directing approach, and how that approach changed in response to working with actors. I will then use my understanding of the play and its performance as a jumping off point for theater in education. I will use these as guides to create curricular materials inspired by the play for use in high school classrooms.
Level of Access
Open Access
First Advisor
Odle, Clifford
Date of Graduation
5-2022
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Recommended Citation
Dimond, Olivia Davidson, "Learning to Fly on the Way Down: Directing and Teaching Gina Gionfriddo’s Rapture, Blister, Burn" (2022). Honors Theses. 398.
https://scarab.bates.edu/honorstheses/398
Number of Pages
159
Components of Thesis
1 pdf file
Open Access
Available to all.