Abstract

This Independent Study presents findings from a year-long process of historical performance research and iterative theatre practices. I investigated how investigate how stock characters function in the theatre traditions of Japanese Kyōgen, Commedia dell’Arte, and the English Renaissance in order to I proposed methods for modern playwrights to craft modern scripts that reinvent these historic stock characters in a constructive way, both maintaining the integrity of tradition and end cycles of discriminatory representation, and describe how I applied these findings in the drafting, rehearsing, and performance of my original one-act play Jenny and Joey are Getting Married! Through this hybrid approach, I demonstrate that by writing with clear goals and a detailed understanding of reference media, entertainment becomes more accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of audiences. My conclusions emphasize the importance of aligning creative and thematic goals with the selection of research case studies. Additionally, they demonstrate that an audience-first approach to playwriting fosters a positive experience engaging with the performance. One of the most effective ways to do this is through focusing on character.

Advisor

Eager, Claire

Second Advisor

Vaughn, Kerstin

Department

English; Theatre and Dance

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Other English Language and Literature | Playwriting | Theatre History

Keywords

Playwriting, Comedy, Stock Characters, Inclusion, Japanese Kyōgen, Commedia dell’Arte, English Renaissance, Romantic Comedies, Rom-Coms, Performance, Race, Class, Gender, Specialized Training, Theatre, Theatre Performance

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2025 Morgan A. Hunter