Theatre and Film, Johnny Carson School of
Date of this Version
Spring 4-22-2010
Abstract
The Duke of Cornwall, created by the world’s most popular and influential playwright in history, William Shakespeare, is a complex, compelling, and controversial character brought forth to life in the pages of King Lear. In accordance to guidelines established by the University of Nebraska, the following graduate thesis will provide a basic outline of my journey through the challenges of understanding, developing, and ultimately performing the role of Cornwall in Shakespeare’s King Lear. The Duke of Cornwall was a challenging and often difficult role to embody and understand due to several factors, such as interpreting his motivations, understanding his part in context to the entire play, and finding a successful way to combine my essence as a person and a performer with a character who embodies pure malice, mayhem, and madness. I will also provide personal insight into the process that I discovered and used, mainly through trial and error, to bring the Duke of Cornwall to life on King Lear’s opening night.
Adviser: Harris Smith
Comments
A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Fine Arts, Major: Theatre Arts, Under the Supervision of Professor Harris Smith. Lincoln, Nebraska: May, 2010
Copyright 2010 Kyle Broussard