An Exploration of Célimène in Molière's
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University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Spring 5-13-2016 More Than a Pretty Face: An Exploration of Célimène in Molière’s The Misanthrope Sarah E. James University of New Orleans, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Part of the Acting Commons Recommended Citation James, Sarah E., "More Than a Pretty Face: An Exploration of Célimène in Molière’s The Misanthrope" (2016). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2163. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2163 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. More Than a Pretty Face: An Exploration of Célimène in Molière’s The Misanthrope A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Film and Theatre Theatre Performance by Sarah Elizabeth James B.A. Mississippi State University, 2013 May 2016 © 2016, Sarah Elizabeth James All Rights Reserved ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Faith We are nothing without faith, hope, and love. The amount of love that I encountered throughout this entire process instilled me with hope and encouragement. With that, it is my faith, ultimately, that I lean on the most. I give full acknowledgment to the Lord for any and all successes, and lean on my faith for those areas that call for improvement. I am thankful for my faith in guiding me through this process, from sleepless nights, to celebrations, to prayers whispered backstage. Family and Friends I am blessed with two parents, Faye and David, who support me with endless energy and enthusiasm. In a run of seven shows, they were each in the audience three nights. I am continuously amazed by their love, their support, and their open-mindedness. I am forever grateful for the drive they have instilled in me to aim high in my ambitions and for the confidence they continue to foster in pushing me to reach those goals. I am also blessed with a loving and supportive sister, Rachel, who is always available for reinforcement, inspiration (whether she knows it or not), or a much needed escape. I am endlessly appreciative to have such a wonderful source of energy in my sister. Moreover, I have incredible friends. Kalin, Chelsee, and Alex have endless amounts of patience when it comes to my availability, and I am grateful for their understanding and support. The knowledge that I can count on them for an ear, an idea, or a glass of wine gave me comfort and peace throughout this journey. From running lines, to listening patiently to endless rants about character development and rehearsals, to leaving dinner for me in the refrigerator, to running more lines, to helping me iii unwind after 14 hour workdays, to feeding Leo, to running more lines, to feeding me, to running more lines, to unpredictable meltdowns, to attending shows, to running lines so many times that he has memorized the script, I am infinitely grateful to Devin Hodo for seeing me through this process by keeping me sane and fed. Devin is my time when I don’t have any, my presence when I’m not available, my chef when I forget to eat, my getaway when I need it, and my mind when I’m losing it. Cast and Crew This production was successful and exciting because of an outstanding cast and crew. I am grateful to the director, David Hoover, for providing an environment of play and exploration and for pushing me to dig into my weaknesses rather than cover them up. I am grateful for the focus and energy he invested into making this production the best it could be in each and every rehearsal. I am also grateful for a lovely cast – working with each member of this cast inspired me to push myself further with each rehearsal. Often times, I was working to hold my own on a stage teeming with talent, courage, and an open willingness to play. It was truly a humbling and invigorating experience. I appreciate the crew, particularly Stage Manager Joni Bankston and Lighting Designer Diane Baas, for the countless hours put into this production. The craftsmanship, enthusiasm, skill, and overtime effort of this crew did not go unnoticed. Graduate Committee I am thankful for the support and guidance of my graduate committee members, David Hoover, Erik Hansen, and Kevin Griffith. Their knowledge, skill, mentorship, and high standards iv motivate me to excel in all facets of the craft, to deny satisfaction, and to look beyond my full potential. Colleagues Finally, I must recognize the hard work and dedication of my fellow graduate brothers and sisters. I am grateful to my shop brothers, Sam Malone and John Neisler, for paving the way and talking me through my first two years in this program over many hours in the scene shop. I am grateful to my fellow graduate assistants and cast members, Meghan Shea and David Brown for their patience, encouragement, and willing presence. In addition, Arielle Brown, Tiffany Anderson, Erick Wolfe, Andy Vaught and Vinnie Matthews have inspired me in a number of ways to explore new avenues and to never stop sharpening my craft. I wish the very best for each of you. v DEDICATION To each of the aforementioned, as this entire experience would not have been as it was without you. Thank you. To Leo, my heart and soul. To the Célimène’s of past, present, and future: May your journey take you somewhere new, and may you find the same personal inspiration along the way. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ix Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: Who the Deuce is Jean Baptiste de Poquelin? ...................................................2 Biography: Jean Baptiste de Poquelin .......................................................................3 Complete Works ........................................................................................................9 Chapter 2: Le Misanthrope ................................................................................................10 Production History ...................................................................................................11 Reception .................................................................................................................12 Chapter 3: The Approach ...................................................................................................13 The Process ..............................................................................................................14 Influences .................................................................................................................20 The Warm Up ..........................................................................................................24 Chapter 4: Character Analysis: Célimène ..........................................................................27 Character Relationships ...........................................................................................28 Bone Structure .........................................................................................................35 The Other Side of the Story .....................................................................................36 Stimuli for Inspiration ..............................................................................................39 Chapter 5: The Misanthrope Script Analysis .....................................................................49 Scene Synopses ........................................................................................................50 Scored Script: Objectives and Actions ....................................................................52 Chapter 6: Production Manuscripts ...................................................................................68 Chapter 7: Artist Evaluation ............................................................................................122 Self Analysis ..........................................................................................................123 Post Mortem ...........................................................................................................136 Appendix I: Production Resources ..................................................................................139 Scene Breakdown...................................................................................................140 The Team ...............................................................................................................146 Rehearsal Schedule ................................................................................................147 Blocking .................................................................................................................151