Date of Award

Spring 1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

Theatre

First Advisor

Bryan C. Reeder

Second Advisor

Niki Juncker

Third Advisor

Ann Canale

Abstract

This thesis presents a detailed directing journal and production analysis of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, staged at Lindenwood University in 1999 as part of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre. The study explores the creative and practical processes of directing an absurdist play, with particular attention to Stoppard’s blending of existential themes, Shakespearean intertextuality, and metatheatrical devices.

The work follows Francis Hodge’s “Play Directing: Analysis, Communication, and Style” as the primary methodological framework, guiding the director from textual interpretation through rehearsals to performance. Key challenges addressed include balancing Stoppard’s humor with the play’s philosophical weight, maintaining clarity amid nonlinear and fragmented dialogue, and shaping the dynamic between the two protagonists while integrating the Hamlet material seamlessly.

The thesis documents the director’s approach to conceptual development, audition and casting choices, collaboration with designers, rehearsal strategies, and solutions to staging difficulties such as managing long pauses, pacing, and spatial relationships on stage. Particular focus is placed on how design elements—set, lighting, costumes, and sound—supported the production’s thematic goals and conveyed the absurdist atmosphere.

The reflective journal entries capture the evolving insights and adjustments made throughout the rehearsal process, offering a transparent view into both the artistic vision and the pragmatic realities of university theatre production. The conclusion evaluates the effectiveness of the production in illuminating Stoppard’s complex text while also assessing personal growth as a director through the MFA program.

Ultimately, this thesis provides both a case study in directing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and a broader contribution to directing pedagogy by demonstrating how theory and practice intersect in the rehearsal room and on stage.

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