| This thesis constitutes the written record of the evolution and actualization of the scenic design for the play, Copernicus Rising which had its premiere performance in the McLeod Theater at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Wednesday, November 11, 2006. Chapter One of this work contains a detailed analysis of this play and research material that influenced the creation of the scenic design. The author's interest in existentialist philosophical thought influenced the thematic content of this new play. Chapter Two discusses the artistic collaboration process, the evolution of the scenic design idea and the final crystallization and approval of the set design. Chapter Three recounts the problems, solutions and adjustments associated with implementing the design. The Trouble with Archetypes is the title of Chapter Four which discusses the issue of coping with a group of difficult to define scenic elements. The final chapter is a reflection on the feedback and evaluative responses to the completed work provided by my MFA committee members, other faculty and my student colleagues. Taken as a whole, this paper is a detailed narrative revealing the birth, nurturance and maturation of an artistically singular work the scenic design for Copernicus Rising. |
