Wisteria
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Date of Defense
12-10-2018
Date of Graduation
4-2019
Department
Dance
First Advisor
Jeremy Blair
Second Advisor
Whitney Moncrief
Abstract
Wisteria was a collaborative, multi-disciplinary evening-length dance/theater production that performed at 7 pm and 9 pm on November 30th in the Multi Media Room of the Dalton Center on WMU’s main campus. The show, which was about 45-minutes in length, was inspired by and molded from the vivid ideas of Surrealist greats such as Salvador Dali and Sigmund Freud. Research into the work and creations of these Surrealist pioneers fueled the conceptualization of a larger-than-life experience, immersing audiences in a simulation of an unconscious dream. Through choreography and theatrical design, choreographer/director duo Alyssa Boone and Alyssa Brutlag created a surreal world of light and dark, humor and heartbreak, fleeting moments and lasting statements. Each song within the production represented a new scene, and a new dimension of the mind. The choreography lived within a world created by the theatrical designers, allowing audiences to get a new glimpse into the unconscious mind; exploring themes of trauma, infatuation, and curiosity within a contemporary socio-political context. The piece questioned gender normativity, religious rituals, nationalism, and our place within the world. This project collaborated with Set Designer Rachel Yanna, Costume Designer Zandra Siple, Projection Designer Skyler Dickensen, and Lighting Designer Cat Blomberg as well as Composer Keegan Nordby, Sound Engineer Costa Daros, and Actor Sam Chapman, culminating in the first evening-length, collaborative Graduating Presentation in WMU College of Fine Arts history. Boone and Brutlag also oversaw the project’s marketing, publicity, scheduling, audio/visuals, budgeting, and ticketing for the project. The project’s faculty mentor was Jeremy Blair, Management Advisor was Megan Slayter, and Production Advisor was Laura Cornish. The project was made financially possible through the generous support of the Lulu Rara Avis Fund for Modern Choreography.
Recommended Citation
Boone, Alyssa, "Wisteria" (2018). Honors Theses. 3156.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/3156
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Restricted
Restricted to Campus until
6-17-2021