Shakespearean Gender Performance on the Page and on the Stage

Student Author Information

Elizabeth Martin, University of LynchburgFollow

Location

Virtual | Room 2

Access Type

Campus Access Only

Entry Number

18a

Start Date

4-7-2021 9:15 AM

End Date

4-7-2021 9:30 AM

Department

Theatre Arts

Abstract

Shakespeare is known for some of his twists on generic gender roles. He explores femininity and masculinity in ways that shed light on gender as a spectrum. He explores androgyny and its implications on a character as well as on an actor. Many scholars have studied the role of androgyny in his plays, but not many have ventured off the page and explored what that concept means for the actor playing the role. Characters experience gender in their world, but actors are faced with the task of bringing those features to life. This thesis presentation will address the importance of gender performance, specifically androgyny and femininity, in an actor’s journey through a Shakespearean role. Gender performance on the stage is a complex phenomenon that requires an actor to think both introspectively and externally about their portrayal of a character’s internal being

Faculty Mentor(s)

Professor Otwell
Dr Kicklighter
Dr Bates

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