Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2018, Musicology

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Cleveland, Ohio became an increasingly important destination for European immigrants and African American migrants from the rural South. The blossoming industrial metropolis promised newcomers job opportunities, upward social and economic mobility, and a thriving arts culture. By 1920, the city was checkered with ethnic neighborhoods that tempered local and national assimilation efforts with vibrant cultural institutions, including parochial schools, churches, ethnic newspapers, and sites of entertainment. For new arrivals, the music and drama of neighborhood theaters aided in their negotiation of individual, communal, and national identities at a time when assimilatory pressures were increasingly prevalent. In this dissertation, I examine Cleveland's diasporic music theater traditions— namely German, Yiddish, African American, and Slovenian—and their connection to issues of ethnicity and immigration. As a diverse, multi-ethnic city, Cleveland hosted a variety of theatrical traditions, but these four stand out due to their ties to prominent communities in the city and their rise in popularity in the early twentieth century. Surveying the commercial culture of these groups, their texts and practices, I offer evidence of how the theater constructed, represented, and reflected the identities of its audience. As I argue, the theater afforded immigrants and migrants the opportunity to witness and even participate in the construction of an ethnic-American identity. While the ethnic groups I study used the theater as a way to celebrate, preserve, and instruct—and, of course, entertain—they each navigated issues of identity in unique ways. For Slovenians facing the disappearance of their homeland after the 1918 formation of Yugoslavia, they sought to maintain cultural distinctiveness; peasant Jews from Eastern Europe worked to adopt American customs and adapt to their new urban environment; African Americans in the (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Ohio University, 2010, Theater

I took advantage of the opportunities afforded to me by my senior thesis and returned to children's theater for the first time since starting college. I hoped that by creating a children's theater piece I could start my lofty life goal of changing the world. My college theater experience prior to my production was exclusively in the costume shop. Though I understood that costume pieces I made became crucial elements of shows and therefore could help to create moving theatrical experiences for a person, I rarely saw this direct effect. By producing and directing a children's show, Thumbelina: The Story of a Brave Little Girl, I involved myself in all aspects of the production, allowing me to comprehend the effect that each element of a production exerted upon another. To better inform the production Thumbelina, I researched the history of children's theater from its formation in 1903 to current children's theater productions. I also researched theories on the production and benefits of children's theater. Though I had worked in children's theater for many years, I had never studied the form from an academic standpoint. By combining academic research with a theatrical performance I united scholarly and creative approaches to theater in a cohesive form. Furthermore, as I worked on these elements in unison, I discovered overarching themes between the academic approach to theater and the production aspect. I found that my goal of changing the world and influencing young people consistently was one shared by both theater artists producing shows and also the scholars examining children's theater. By combining both the scholarly and the creative in my thesis on children's theater, I made connections that were otherwise unattainable. Not only did I confirm my theory on children's theater's goal of changing the world, I also found the goal of first and foremost entertaining children encompassed both approaches as well. By producing, directing, designing, and costuming a touri (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2025, Leadership and Change

Arena Stage was founded in 1950 in Washington, DC, by Zelda Fichandler, Tom Fichandler, and Edward Mangum. Today, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000 people. It is the largest theater company dedicated to American plays and playwrights in the country. This study presents a single intrinsic historical case study of Arena Stage to examine the internal organizational structure and leadership dynamics that guided the theater through seven decades of turbulent American history. Arena Stage has provided world-class programming while the nation was grappling with the Vietnam War (1950–1975), Brown v. Board of Education (1954), political assassinations (e.g., John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy, 1963–1968), the World Trade Center terrorist attack (2001), the election of the first Black president (2008), subsequent elections bombarded with election deniers and acts of insurrection (2021), the impeachment trials of sitting presidents Bill Clinton (1998) and Donald Trump (2019 and 2021), and the global COVID-19 pandemic that closed all theaters from 2020 to 2023. That Arena Stage survived is not in question; this dissertation aims to determine how it survived while many theaters were forced to close. Assumptions about Arena Stage's success include strong leadership, artistic vision, community involvement, physical expansion, and awards received. Perhaps a combination of these factors creates success. This study sought evidence of success factors, termed as touchpoints. Are some factors necessary, while others are not? The results can provide an argument for what works, depending on similar demographics. This is important when understanding theaters' impact on social, political, cultural, and economic concerns. When nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate $151 billion annually in economic activity, it is worth noting how this happens. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Leadership and Change

Anne Frank is linked to her contemporaries in about 80% of 18 English-language published and produced plays. The remaining plays pair Frank and African American icons Harriet Tubman, Emmett Till, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Research on dramatic literature with Frank as a character, the writing of plays linking her with African American personages, or history, analysis, or comparison of the process of multiple plays about Frank does not exist. A few articles extant compare the Goodrich and Hackett play with the Kesselman rewrite, a dissertation on five plays about Frank (those five plays are in the 80% mentioned earlier). The central question of this dissertation is why the playwrights of Harriet and Anne: An Original Narrative, Janet Langhart Cohen's Anne & Emmett: A One-Act Play, and Letters from Anne and Martin unite Anne Frank and African American historical figures. What were the playwrights' intentions with this linkage, and how were they fulfilled? This dissertation intends to fill this research gap in theatre history. The playwrights were interviewed using a prepared questionnaire completed by mail, email, telephone, or Zoom to discover the reason(s) for writing the three works. The writers answered using their preferred methods, and results were compiled within the work's question/answer format. Articles and the playwrights' websites were mined for additional historical data about the works and writers. The research found the plays to be works of remembrance/cultural trauma written by playwrights who shared seminal experiences regarding Anne Frank and the African American icons. The writers were driven by intense feelings of social justice, inspiring their creative works. These playwrights used Anne Frank, Harriet Tubman, Emmett Till, and Martin Luther King Jr. to communicate their thematic messages of social justice. They urged their audiences to keep these icons' history from repeating itself and honor those entities. This dissertation is available in open (open full item for complete abstract)

BA, Oberlin College, 2016, Individual Major

This honors thesis examines the purpose, process and intellectual framework of an original theater project devised with incarcerated men. Through analysis of the ethnographic and theatrical approaches used in the creation process, the author and lead artist of the project examines the artistic, political, and ethical dimensions storytelling as social practice in the context of the American prison system.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1954, Graduate School

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2011, Theatre

Aida, with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, was a theatrical production presented during the fall quarter of 2010 at The Ohio State University, produced by the Department of Theatre in collaboration with the Columbus Association of the Performing Arts at the Southern Theatre in downtown Columbus. This thesis is a documentation of the lighting design process for Aida. The first chapter is an examination of the Southern Theatre and the producing situation. The second and third chapters address the design ideas for the production, including the director's concept, script analysis, and collaborative efforts. The final two chapters explore the lighting design process from beginning to end, including a self-evaluation of the final design. The concept for the production was to blend the aesthetics of the ancient Egyptian world with modern-day styling, creating a world that feels both current and timeless. The production was conceived and designed to be as grand in scope as possible within the limitations of the space, so that it could effectively convey the epic nature of the story to the audience and draw them into the lush world of the characters. Also, in response to the music, which is largely rock-and-roll-inspired, the lighting for certain scenes reflected a rock aesthetic. A wide variety of modern technology was used in order to achieve this aesthetic and keep the lighting vibrant and interesting throughout the production.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Germanic Languages and Literatures

This dissertation seeks to contribute to current studies of minority cultures in Germany by examining dramatic works and staged performances by Turkish-German artists. As the first comprehensive study of its kind, it offers an overview of the forty-year-history of Turkish-German theater and cabaret with reference to the socio-cultural and economic conditions of its development and examines plays and performances with regard to influences, motives, and narrative strategies. In particular, I explore the following issues: the process of creating a space within the German culture scene; the tension between traditions and experimental innovation; the staging of identities and the performance of ethnicities in drama and theater; the strategies of expressing oneself in a foreign idiom, thereby creating a 'new' language; and the reaction of the mainstream German audience to Turkish-German cultural expressions. The work consists of four parts: Chapter 1 examines contexts relevant to the reception of Turkish minority art in Germany, such as the German reaction to Ottoman and Turkish societies and the images produced over the centuries, and draws comparisons with Jewish minority culture and migrant theaters outside of Germany. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the history of Turkish theater, presenting both traditional and modern forms as points of reference for Turkish-German artists. Chapter 3 describes the emergence and development of a Turkish theater scene in Germany, paying special attention to the socio-historical context of the labor migration and the distinct national theater traditions. Chapter 4 outlines the history of Turkish-German Kabarett focusing on the 'self'-representation of the artists and the strategies employed to articulate and discuss questions related to (cultural) identity. As the hyphenated title of my dissertation suggests, all projects described are multicultural productions resulting in what could be called 'variegated' forms of art or 'art with a (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Ohio University, 2002, Theater - General (Fine Arts)

This thesis is a study of two government-sponsored theaters: the Federal Theatre Project in the United States (1935-1939), and the national theater in Nazi Germany (1933-1945). It analyzes the policies that regulated the theaters and the performances and the degree to which these regulations were followed by each of the theaters. The study includes opinions from respected theater historians, quotes from individuals who worked for the Federal Theatre Project and the national theater in Nazi Germany, and conclusions of my own. The thesis asserts that, despite the differing philosophies of the United States and Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, the two government-sponsored theaters had more similarities than differences.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1970, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1925, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1963, Graduate School

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Theatre

This dissertation examines growing trends in the practice and theory of performing fragments from Greek Comedies and Satyr Plays for contemporary audiences. The surviving fragments are adapted according to their size after “careful research and artistic mastery” (Timothy Wutrich, 1995). Fragmentary plays with 75% of their text intact, such as Menander's New Comedy 'Samia,' are restored by filling up the play's lacunae. Fragmentary plays with 50% of their text intact, such as Sophocles' Satyr Play 'The Trackers,' are restored by using metatheatrical techniques. Fragmentary plays with less than 25% of their text intact, like Nikokhares' Old Comedy 'Herakles the Producer,' are reseeded and made into new creative works. This dissertation outlines different methodologies for effectively reviving fragmentary comedies and satyr plays.

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2023, Theatre

Performance is used as a means of storytelling, to escape, to reflect, to learn, to celebrate, or to understand other perspectives. The Country Wife by William Wycherley is all of the above. It is a multi-faceted script that Wycherley curated to appeal to the masses. Written in 1675, this Restoration play uses wit and comedy to comment on societal structures such as gender norms, class, rank, and relationships. The narrative is funny, raunchy, clever, pointed, self-reflective, and opens itself up to be consumed at a variety of levels. I designed the scenery for the 2022 production at The Ohio State University. This is the detailed analysis of that process.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

While not yet an official diagnosis, Complex trauma is considered to be multifaceted and nuanced diagnosis that can include emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, witness domestic violence, ethnic cleansing, and wartime (Herman, 2015; Cook et al., 2005). Perhaps the most distinct consequences of complex trauma lie in its effect on an individual's ability to regulate emotional and affective states (Schore, 2012, Van der Kolk, 2015) as well as one's ability to develop secure attachments (Bosmans et al., 2020; Bowlby, 1988) and ultimately, interpersonal intimacy in adulthood (Schroder et al., 2019). Research has shown that individuals are able to develop secure attachments through mechanisms such as therapy, group support, and therapeutic play (Schwartz, 2013; Syropoulos, 2020; Cossa, 2020). Improvisational Theater has long been revered as an instrument toward psychological healing (Felsman, 2019; Valke, 2018; Bermant, 2013) but little is known about the specific impacts on participants who report a history of complex trauma. This research will serve to bridge a knowledge gap between the serious world of psychology and the playful world of Improvisational Theater by looking at the lived experience of those who participate and report a history of complex trauma. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, https://aura.antioch.edu/, and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 1966, Theatre

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 1965, Theatre

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 1962, Theatre

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 1952, Theatre

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

The driving force that governs our lives, and therefore our stories, is time. The linearity of time provides structure to our lives, as does its perpetual motion. One of the few forces that can seemingly counteract the passage of time is space. Space exists outside of time and allows us to inhabit the same spaces as those who lived hundreds of years before us, as well as those who will follow us. Space creates shared experiences between disparate lifetimes. One of the ways that we connect space and time is through storytelling. This dissonance across space and time creates a state of liminality at their intersection. Starting with the myth of the crossroads, this paper explores liminality in the city squares of Savannah, Georgia. As with many old American cities, ghost stories are exceedingly popular, furthering the connection of time through space. After a discussion of a few of the particular stories of Savannah, this paper investigates ways to occupy and activate the space of the crossroads through the lens of theater design. Theaters curate a narrative experience for those that move through them. The stage itself sits at the convergence of two major pathways, that of the actors and that of the patrons. The productions that happen on the stage inhabit the false reality of suspended disbelief. Like the crossroads, the stage is a place where dissonance is allowed and the rules of the natural world bend. A theater, therefore, provides the space necessary to break from our linear timelines through storytelling. The culmination of this document (and subsequent project) is the design of a new community based theater for Savannah, Georgia. The design of this theater aims to provide a platform at the crossroads where the people of Savannah can come together to tell their own stories.