Name: Anna S.

PROJECT #1

This is a strong essential question- How may a performing art be used to depict the effect of a
significant historical event on an individuals life whose story otherwise would not be told?
In order to develop this into a primary research question, you need to identify the performing
art and significant historical event.
You may also want to add something about the audiences role in this process.
For example:
How can a play be used to depict the experience of the wives, girlfriends and sisters of American
soldiers who left home to fight in Vietnam War and what can an audience come to understand
about this experience after viewing the play?
4. Research questions that you would investigate in relation to your revised essential
question for project #1 (please include as many as you think are relevant to your project).
These are solid secondary research questions:
-How can a person be affected by a historical event physically, emotionally and
psychologically?
-How can the effects of a significant historical event be accurately translated to the stage?
-How were the wives/girlfriends/sisters of American soldiers in the Vietnam war affected
directly and/or indirectly by the events which occurred during that period?
-How was a distant friend of a victim of the events of 9/11 impacted physically,
emotionally, and psychologically?
-How was a daughter of a victim of the tragedy of Rana Plaza affected?
-Who can be affected by a significant historical event? Does it have to be a relative or
close friend? Can a person be as distant as a fellow commuter on the same bus/train and
still be affected by said persons sudden, tragic absence?
-How do humans transfer their feelings into words and actions? In what ways are these
manifestations of feelings universal and in what ways can they be specific and personal to
an individual?
This question comes from your second project, but it is relevant here as well:
Is theater an impactful vehicle to raise awareness? If so, how can this impact be

accurately documented?
More questions will certainly arise during your research effort.
5. Give us a brief, one-paragraph description of your proposed project for project #1.
For this project, I hope to be able to conduct research on a significant historical event through the
lens of discovering how said event impacted an individual.
However, I would also make sure to research the historical event from all angles though my focus
would be on the deeper, more personal effects rather than the wider-sweeping effects. Also, I
hope to research how a person less directly or obviously involved in said historical event is
impacted.
My research will most likely be conducted by interviewing those involved (if possible), finding
second and first-hand accounts, reading fictional novels/stories written surrounding the event,
etc. I would also research ways in which history has been translated to staged theatrical
productions and research former one-person theater performances in order to gain insight into
specific tools and mechanisms required by such a play.
After conducting my research I would work to translate the information I have gathered by
writing a one-person play and work on turning the play into a cohesive, engaging, entertaining,
and thought-provoking performance. The character in this play will be fictional (though based in
truth) from the research I gather. I envision the play being 30 minutes to an hour long though this
may change in the process of writing and/or production. (However, this may be a bit ambitious, I
am not certain yet). After it is written, I will work on ways to most effectively stage and perform
in the one-character production so that I may present to an audience a piece of theater that is
impactful in their lives and will alter the way they perceive events to affect people and in turn
increase understanding amongst people.
Youve put a lot of thought into this and we are very excited to see your vision come to fruition.
One thing you need to think about is how you intend to measure the effectiveness of your play.
Perhaps you survey the audience asking them what they know or feel about your chosen event
and experience of your chosen group of people before the play and then directly after your
performance. You then could compare the data and present the results during your Ted talk. Or
perhaps, if the data you gather is not satisfactory, you make adjustments to your script and put on
a second performance. You would then repeat the survey as well.
Perhaps you enlist other capstone students to survey the crowd before and after the show.
Best,

Mr. M and Ms. F