| abstract |
The primary goal of this thesis is to explore the use of known techniques in
creating a piece of documentary theatre. Upon completion of this study, I aim to put into
practice said techniques and subsequently analyze their application within a play of my
own creation. I will begin by examining a selected inciting incident that inspired my own
personal hunch, a term coined by Tectonic Theater Project to be defined more in depth in
Chapter One.
In selecting a topic to research for the thesis, I was soon exposed to documentary
theatre, a form which serves as a way to represent past events and real-life stories, as well
as being used to memorialize happenings that might otherwise be forgotten. This creates
a difficult ethical paradox for the creator of a piece of documentary theatre, considering
the commandeering of a person's life story in order to create a dramatic narrative for
audiences to enjoy. That being said, I seek to explore several techniques that two separate
published plays utilise to accomplish this task, following by an analysis of whether or not
the final products achieved a respectful depiction of the initial event.
Creating a play of this sort in an era of fake news means that the creator is
attempting to offer "truth" to an already-skeptical audience. It is for this reason that, from
the start, I do not define the final play as fact. Like all dramatizations, it is to be taken as
one interpretation of a story -- though one that still deserves to be told.
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