DEVISED THEATRE

 

1.Brown, Rich. "Moises Kaufman: The Copulation of Form and Content." Theatre Topics 15, no. 1 (2005): 51-67. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/tt.2005.0004.

 

SUMMARY: This article is a detailed study on the life and work of Moises Kauffman and explores his technique and process in the area of devised theatre. It focuses heavily on the form and content emphasis Kauffman relies on to construct his material and explains in greater detail the methodology behind it. This article is useful in identifying the structure of the 33 Variations and how each individual scene is built. It explains the significance of each scene being its own “theme” and how they are strung together to form the whole text.

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2.Horn, Elizabeth Brendel. "New Thoughts for New Ages and Stages: Teaching Artistic and Educational Responsibility in the Devising Process." Theatre Topics, vol. 26 no. 2, 2016, p. 195-205. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/tt.2016.0041.

 

SUMMARY: This article is a case study by Elizabeth Brendel Horn and her experience in the devising process. She compares and contrasts two different case studies to explore the director/actor relationship and role distribution in the process.This article will be helpful to the production should the creation of the staging follow the plays devising nature to create blocking. It gives a deeper understanding to the devising  process and it educational value.

 

3. Brenner, Lisa S. "Moment Work: An Interview with Tectonic Theater Project." Theatre Topics 26, no. 2 (2016): 239-248.

 

SUMMARY: This article is from the Theatre Topics journal and is a verbatim interview with Moises Kauffman. It is focused primarily on the Tectonic Theatre Project and its development and process.

Moises Kauffman talks about the company he created, how is started and the process. To understand where 33 Variations is rooted from is invaluable in unlocking the deeper meaning and connections within its text.

 

ALS

 

4.Leandro, Georgiana Soares, Mário Emílio Teixeira Dourado Júnior, Glauciane Costa Santana, and Luan Samy Xavier Dantas. "Coping Strategies Among Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Patients: An Integrative Review." Journal of Neurology 2021: 1-10. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00415-021-10472-2.

 

SUMMARY:This article focuses on the various coping techniques of patients with ALS.The article takes a deep dive into the multitude of emotional and physical struggles and techniques that have been implanted to cope with ALS. This article in comparison to Katherine in the play, helps us navigate the different tactics used by the character to deal with the impending illness. Katherine is aggressive and spiritualizes towards the end of the play. I believe it would be worth investigating the reasons she does not seek social support. I believe that could be a choice to align her more closely to Beethoven’s demeanor.

 

5. Zhao, Y., M. Kuruvilla-Dugdale, and M. Song. "Voice Conversion for Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis." IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Biomedical and Health Informatics, IEEE Journal of, IEEE J. Biomed. Health Inform. 24, no. 10 (2020): 2942-2949. https://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2019.2961844.

 

SUMMARY: This article talks about the different approaches of voice conversion for ALS patients.          This is done to protect the vocal identity of patients and enhance late-stage communication.

This article really provides a deeper understanding of the need for voice conversion devices such as the one used in the scene “Cheeseburger” in 33 Variations. It also touches upon vocal identity for ALS sufferers which will be helpful to understand for Katherine.

 

6.Mefferd, Antje S., and Mary S. Dietrich. "Tongue- and Jaw-Specific Articulatory Changes and Their Acoustic Consequences in Talkers with Dysarthria Due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Effects of Loud, Clear, and Slow Speech." Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research 63, no. 8 (2020): 2625-2636. https://dx.doi.org/<link linkTarget="URL" linkWindow="10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00309" linkTerm="http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00309">10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00309</link>.

 

SUMMARY: This study aimed to determine how tongue and jaw displacement changes impact acoustic vowel contrast in talkers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The differences were due to disease- related physiological constraints that negatively impact tongue motor performance in talkers with ALS.

This article will help aid the challenge of Katherine’s physical deterioration and an actual medical understanding of how speech is affected in ALS patients. When Katherine’s tongue “begins to die” in act two, this will be a guide moving forward.

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BEETHOVEN

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7. MACDONALD, HUGH. "From the Wiener Wochenblatt, 16 October 1802: 'Ludwig Van Beethoven'." Musical Times 161, no. 1953 (2020): 3-7.

 

SUMMARY: This periodical was written about the days following Beethoven’s death, and his final wishes. It sheds particular light onto the last years of his career as a composer and his accomplishments in comparison to Mozart. The latter half of the article is biographical in nature in reference to his childhood. This article does a fairly good job at creating the reverence that the public feels towards the loss of Beethoven and his influence on the musical world. It is helpful in bridging the gap on the timeline and successes of his musical compositions.

 

8. Bootle, Emily. "The Many Beethoven Myths." New Statesman 149, no. 5530-5533 (2020): 94-96.

 

SUMMARY: This article was written in celebration of the 250th year anniversary of Beethoven and it digs deeper into the unknown facts about Beethoven and common myths surrounding his life, works, demeanor, and ethnicity. A quick and enjoyable read, this article is helpful to understand the multiple sides of Beethoven and actor/director would find useful in building the character for the stage. It shares quotes of Beethoven’s that portray his thoughts regarding his feelings toward his work and his impending deafness.

 

DIABELLI’S VARIATIONS

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9. Herzog, Patricia. "The Practical Wisdom of Beethoven's "Diabelli" Variations." The Musical Quarterly 79, no. 1 (1995): 35-54.

 

SUMMARY: This article talks about the structure of Diabelli’s variations. It makes an argument for why many composers would want to write a variation on it, including Beethoven who wrote not just one but 33 variations. The best take away quote is. Diabelli’s theme was absurdly prosaic, but it happened to be, perhaps, the sturdies piece of musical anatomy that Beethoven (or any composer” ever saw.”  

 

10. Solomon, Maynard. "Beethoven's 'Diabelli' Variations: The End of a Beginning." Beethoven          Forum (University of Nebraska Press) 7, no. 1 (1999): 139-153.

 

SUMMARY: This article explores in greater detail the structure of Beethoven’s variations on Diabelli’s theme. Some of the areas in which it elaborates are on the themes, figures, rhythmic patterns and motifs. This article was essential in understanding how the variations can be contrasted to the human life in a variety of ways. It breaks down some of the variations used in the play and gives you deeper more intimate look at how they function.

 

 

PSYCHOLOGY OF DEATH AND DYING

 

11. Corr, Charles A. "Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and the "Five Stages" Model in a Sampling of Recent American Textbooks." Omega: Journal of Death & Dying 82, no. 2 (2020): 294-322. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0030222818809766.

 

SUMMARY: This article which is taken form the journal of death and dying explore some aspects of the influence of the work of Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and especially of her “five stages” model and end of life span development.

This article was helpful in mapping out which psychological stages Katherine goes through at any given time in the play and understanding what they mean. It also provided great material into the psychology of death and dying.

 

12. PS, Chandra, and Desai G. "Denial as an Experiential Phenomenon in Serious Illness." Indian Journal of Palliative Care 13, no. 1 (2007): 8-14.

SUMMARY: This study is taken from a population in Saudi Arabia and aims to explore denial as a serious phenomenon in serious illness. Various factors affect denial including demographic, types of illnesses and cultural background. It looks at the stages of denial as well as the reasons behind it.

In the play, Katherine spends almost the entire first acting in denial over her illness. Is it a helpful coping mechanism, or does it prolong her ability to reach the level of acceptance? It is helpful to understand the basis for denial and then apply it to this character.

 

13. Wimberly, Anne Streaty, and Anne Streaty Wimberly. "Reverence for Life in Severe and Terminal Illness: A Theological Ethical Viewpoint." The Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center 20, no. 1-2 (1993): 1-21.

 

SUMMARY: This study examines the medical advances we have to prolong life and how that affects treatment and decisions made around end-of-life scenarios. It also integrates the functionality of spiritualization and how that may affect these decisions on a case-by-case basis. This article was extremely helpful in examining the area of the play dealing with planned assisted suicide. It also helps explain the emotional shift Katherine experiences regarding it and how spirituality was influential within it.