Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2016, Theatre

For my final production design at The Ohio State University, I was assigned the position of lighting designer for Henrik Ibsen's classic drama, An Enemy of the People, directed by Lesley Ferris. The play was produced in the Thurber Theatre at the Drake Events Center during Fall semester of 2015. An Enemy of the People was originally written by Ibsen as a contemporary criticism of an engrained belief in society that the community and it's leaders were both honorable without moral fault and could be trusted. Ibsen goes on to portray the social spectrum as full of self-serving, dare I say corrupt, individuals concerned with personal gain rather than attending to the needs of the community. Even though written in 1882, the story resonates through time and easily relates to current events in which the smaller voice is covered up or deemed a nuisance by the powers at large. All script references refer to the 2008 version written by British playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz. All referenced production photographs were taken by Matt Hazard. With the idea of modern ties in mind, it was the goal of the production team to take the story and draw parallels to modern society. As stated in the director's concept, the idea was to produce a show that blended a suggestion of styles from 1882 (when the play was written) and 2015. The challenge was to develop a visual style that transcended a set period in order for the audience to find similarities to the story of Dr. Stockmann ii against the town officials. As quoted by the director, “An Enemy of the People is an attack, not merely on those who lead people by the nose, but on those who allow themselves to be thus led.” During early design meetings, the concept of creating a fragmented world using scenic elements and defined lighting areas became the foundation of the production. I reinforced the story by showing a slow decay throughout the show. Images of water damage to walls, light passing through broken windows, and a color palett (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mary Tarantino (Advisor); Leslie Ferris (Committee Member); Brad Steinmetz (Committee Member) Subjects: Theater History; Theater Studies; Toxicology; Water Resource Management

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2016, Theatre

Theatre is a liminal environment between performers and a live audience, and between the past, present and future. Theatre practitioners often bring to life old scripts that have graced the stage many times while highlighting the relevance of key themes and motifs in relation to a modern audience. The work of playwright Henrik Ibsen is produced worldwide because of its modern subjects, despite having been written in the late nineteenth century.Under the direction of Lesley Ferris, I designed the scenic environment for Rebecca Lenkiewicz's version of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People at The Ohio State University. I used a combination of sketches, digital modelling, and a physical white model to communicate my scenic design. By way of reducing, reusing, and recycling, I executed a sustainable scenic environment that complimented the themes of environmental awareness within the play without compromising the aesthetic of the design.

Committee: Brad Steinmetz M.F.A. (Advisor); Mary Tarantino M.F.A (Committee Member); Lesley Ferris PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Architectural; Architecture; Art History; Design; Environmental Education; Environmental Health; Environmental Management; Environmental Studies; Fine Arts; Gender; Gender Studies; Performing Arts; Scandinavian Studies; Theater; Theater History; Theater Studies; Womens Studies