What does the process look like for an actor to disconnect from a circumstance that they take on during the course of a rehearsal or performance? And how does this disconnection process affect the actor’s mental, physical, and emotional health? This project consists of interviews of CSU student actors about their personal experiences in letting go of imaginary circumstances immediately following a performance, rehearsal, or actor’s exercise. The purpose of this project is to determine whether or not actor’s training provides sufficient tools for an actor to disconnect. Interviewees detailed their own personal methods, as well as whether or not they think their coping mechanisms are successful in helping them let go. During the course of the interviews, it was discovered that many actors also struggle with releasing internal or external pressures put on themselves. In fact, some participants stated that they struggled with this more than letting go of circumstances. Overall, it was determined that the training provided at CSU has both strengths and weaknesses when it comes to providing its students with sufficient tools and coping mechanisms to fully let go of imaginary circumstances.
","abstract_html":"<p>What does the process look like for an actor to disconnect from a circumstance that they take on during the course of a rehearsal or performance? And how does this disconnection process affect the actor’s mental, physical, and emotional health? This project consists of interviews of CSU student actors about their personal experiences in letting go of imaginary circumstances immediately following a performance, rehearsal, or actor’s exercise. The purpose of this project is to determine whether or not actor’s training provides sufficient tools for an actor to disconnect. Interviewees detailed their own personal methods, as well as whether or not they think their coping mechanisms are successful in helping them let go. During the course of the interviews, it was discovered that many actors also struggle with releasing internal or external pressures put on themselves. In fact, some participants stated that they struggled with this more than letting go of circumstances. Overall, it was determined that the training provided at CSU has both strengths and weaknesses when it comes to providing its students with sufficient tools and coping mechanisms to fully let go of imaginary circumstances.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bryers, Amanda"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Theatre - Performance Track","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Theatre Department","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["David Turner","Larry McDonald","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:44:41Z","subjects":["Sanford Meisner","Lessac Kinesennsics","Interview","Imaginary Circumstances","Personal","Performance Studies","Theatre and Performance Studies"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/564","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["David Turner","Larry McDonald","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bryers, Amanda"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Theatre Department"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Theatre - Performance Track"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Sanford Meisner","Lessac Kinesennsics","Interview","Imaginary Circumstances","Personal","Performance Studies","Theatre and Performance Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/564"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["What does the process look like for an actor to disconnect from a circumstance that they take on during the course of a rehearsal or performance? And how does this disconnection process affect the actor’s mental, physical, and emotional health? This project consists of interviews of CSU student actors about their personal experiences in letting go of imaginary circumstances immediately following a performance, rehearsal, or actor’s exercise. The purpose of this project is to determine whether or not actor’s training provides sufficient tools for an actor to disconnect. Interviewees detailed their own personal methods, as well as whether or not they think their coping mechanisms are successful in helping them let go. During the course of the interviews, it was discovered that many actors also struggle with releasing internal or external pressures put on themselves. In fact, some participants stated that they struggled with this more than letting go of circumstances. Overall, it was determined that the training provided at CSU has both strengths and weaknesses when it comes to providing its students with sufficient tools and coping mechanisms to fully let go of imaginary circumstances.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Stop Suffering for Your Art"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["David Turner","Larry McDonald","Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz"],"dc:creator":["Bryers, Amanda"],"dc:description.abstract":["What does the process look like for an actor to disconnect from a circumstance that they take on during the course of a rehearsal or performance? And how does this disconnection process affect the actor’s mental, physical, and emotional health? This project consists of interviews of CSU student actors about their personal experiences in letting go of imaginary circumstances immediately following a performance, rehearsal, or actor’s exercise. The purpose of this project is to determine whether or not actor’s training provides sufficient tools for an actor to disconnect. Interviewees detailed their own personal methods, as well as whether or not they think their coping mechanisms are successful in helping them let go. During the course of the interviews, it was discovered that many actors also struggle with releasing internal or external pressures put on themselves. In fact, some participants stated that they struggled with this more than letting go of circumstances. Overall, it was determined that the training provided at CSU has both strengths and weaknesses when it comes to providing its students with sufficient tools and coping mechanisms to fully let go of imaginary circumstances.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/564"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Sanford Meisner","Lessac Kinesennsics","Interview","Imaginary Circumstances","Personal","Performance Studies","Theatre and Performance Studies"],"dc:title":["Stop Suffering for Your Art"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Theatre Department"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Theatre - Performance Track"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:44:41Z"}