Faculty Mentor(s)
Professor Richard Perez
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-10-2015
Abstract
Research can be used to inform art in unique ways. In Incomplete, an original play by Hope College senior, Austen Boer, the central character of Alice suffers from dissociative identity disorder (DID). To explore the best ways to bring DID to life onstage, I served as the dramaturg for this student-produced show. My work focused first on researching DID, and then on collaborating with the cast and crew to incorporate my findings into the production. My research gave me the knowledge I needed to assist the actress playing Alice, helping her understand what it means to live with DID. Together, we discovered ways to portray DID that were both realistic and recognizable to the audience. My research contributed to the playwright’s creative process as well. As both the playwright and the director, Austen was able to make changes to the script based on my findings. The research also informed certain directorial choices that were made. Through our collaboration, he gained a deeper understanding of DID, which was beneficial for both the premiere of the play and the script’s future development. By adding this research component to the play’s production, the cast, crew, and audience all came away with an enriched understanding of DID, Alice, and the play as a whole.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Hall, Lindsey, "Theatre and
Psychology: Bringing
Dissociative Identity
Disorder to Life Onstage" (2015). 14th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance (2015). Paper 16.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curcp_14/16
April 10, 2015. Copyright © 2015 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
