Title page for ETD etd-02252011-151717

Myth, Method and Masturbation: The Hysteria of Woman's Sexuality, a One-Person Play

Degree

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

Department

Theatre

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name

Title

Judy, George E.

Committee Chair

Battles, Joanna Kathleen

Committee Member

Erickson, Nicholas W.

Committee Member

Keywords

actors

creators

Plato

Hippocrates

Nietzsche

Galen

Freud

Tissot

Date of Defense

2011-02-22

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

The assigned task was to create a one-person play of approximately 20 – 45 minutes in length. There were no other guidelines to follow. Having never performed a solo play, I found the assignment somewhat daunting. My first challenge was to overcome my basic dislike of solo performances. However, during the process I found new appreciation for such works. I was rather overwhelmed when trying to find a suitable topic for my piece until I came across an on-line article entitled “Vaginas with teeth – and other sexual myths”. This spurred me to create the one-person play Myth, Method and Masturbation: The Hysteria of Woman’s Sexuality. My research led me through the history of women’s sexuality, and I was astounded by some of the things I read. I amassed a plethora of material and had to find a way to tie it all together. Our initial presentation of this material was a 10-minute performance. This time limit helped me to contain the information presented into a specific time period, taking the form of a Victorian woman telling her story to the audience. The initial performance was well received, so I pursued this subject matter to create my thesis performance. I had to find a way to make it less narrative and turn it into a more active play. I needed to discover why this woman was talking to the audience and what she needed from them. I also had to figure out what I wanted to achieve as an actor. The final script presented an amusing, moving, and thought provoking story of one woman’s sexual journey. Using only physical and vocal choices to distinguish different characters, I incorporated several people of her acquaintance and presented them on stage to emphasize certain moments in her life. The audience was responsive to the material, and many people expressed a desire for me to expand the project further, which I plan to do in the future.