Performance: An Investigation of the Representation and Perception of Gender on Stage

Abstract

This honor’s thesis incorporates the author’s majors in Theatre and Women and Gender Studies to investigate how the genders are treated differently within society, how gender itself is constructed and perceived, along with the performative nature of gender. The author accomplished this through the inversion of gender roles in seven iconic plays, spanning in time from the 1600s to the 2000s, and followed each performance with a talkback session, where the audience and actors were able to offer insights both into the process and the perception of the audience. A final perspective was from the director’s point of view, through a discussion of the role of gender, both the actors and the characters’, and how they are perceived in a certain way, and the challenge to overcome those natural inclinations.