Take a look at samples from my research presentation!

⇩

Course research presentation for THR 503: Theatre History @ Pace University; presented by Parker Jenkins

Abstract: The Enlightenment, a period of radical philosophical, political, religious, and scientific reform, spanned the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe, inspiring both international and Europe-local reform. Based on the idea that reason is the basis for ultimate authority, the Enlightenment movement addressed the role of natural rights and individual liberty in organized government, the intersection between political authority and the Church, experimentation and observation as scientific processes, and the philosophy of self and human expression. Influenced by Europe’s radical restructuring of societal ideas and expectations, European theatre undergoes a similar evolution in thinking, incorporating Enlightenment ideals of reason and Descartonian philosophy to break away from traditional dramatic structures, emphasizing a balance of reason and emotion in theatrical performance. During this period, theatre became a vehicle for societal education and enlightenment surrounding the psychological and social ramifications of traditional power structures, emphasizing human behavior, societal order, and philosophical awareness as the basis for theatrical purpose and convention.

This project was developed at ASDS’s THR 503: Theatre History course as a semester-long research project focused on the evolution of theatrical performance and literature throughout specific moments of history. This presentation was a part of the requirements of a 15-minute presentation supported by a 20 page research paper and 1-page “Quick Look” handout.