Pocahontas reclaimed: the Powhatans' theatrical rebuttal to Disney's revisionist myth

<p>This study compares the content of play <em>The One Called Pocahontas</em> to the Walt Disney film <em>Pocahontas</em>. The author examined the accepted history of the Powhatan woman known as Pocahontas in relation to the "infotainment" provided by both the play and the movie. The study examines the objections to the Walt Disney movie <em>Pocahontas</em> and poses them as motivating factors for the Powhatan tribe's decision to use theatre to respond to the inaccuracies they perceived in the movie. The primary research methods of the study include an analysis of existing literature and internet sites about Pocahontas, an interview with the playwright, and reviews of the play and the movie. The study concludes that the play <em>The One Called Pocahontas</em> is an effective tool for presenting a version of history more authentic than the Disney film <em>Pocahontas</em>. While theatre, by nature an ephemeral art, could not generate an audience of the magnitude of the Disney movie, the success of the play, measured by the interpersonal connections between the actor and the audience, proves noteworthy.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. in Theatre

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Theatre & Dance

Year dc:date.available

2003

Author dc:creator

• Gardner, Barbara E.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hostetter, Elisabeth

• Pocahontas, -1617--Drama; Pocahontas (Motion picture)
• Theatre and Performance Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1299

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-2299