Ariana Goodwin | 2026 I.S. Symposium
狈补尘别:听Ariana Goodwin
Title: Rewriting the Self: Identity, Self-Reflection, and Self-Love in be still. Through Time, Rhythm, Music, and Character
惭补箩辞谤:听Theater & Dance
础诲惫颈蝉辞谤:听Kristin Vaughn
This independent study examines how playwriting can be used as a method for exploring identity, self-reflection, and self-love through theatrical form. My project combines research and creative writing to develop my one-act play, be still., which follows three Black girls trapped in a prison cell. As they confront trauma, memory, and faith, the play asks a central question: once we recognize the prisons created by our past experiences and beliefs, are we willing to walk out of them? The research portion of this project examines how three playwrights鈥擝ertolt Brecht, Ntozake Shange, and Suzan-Lori Parks鈥攗se theatrical elements such as time, music and rhythm, and characterization to explore history, systems, identity, and shape audience experience. Brecht’s disruptive music and fragmented time structures encourage emotional distance, while Shange’s use of movement and rhythmic language invite embodied, communal understanding. Parks stands in the middle of these two approaches by using nonlinear time and repetition to explore how identity and history are continually being reworked. By placing these playwrights in conversation, I developed my own approach to character, structure, and rhythm in be still., exploring Black identity, memory, and healing through a nontraditional theatrical form. What excites me about this project is the way research informs creating writing. Studying these playwrights allowed me to experiment with fragmented time and rhythm and expand my craft in character embodiment in my own work. This allowed me to deepen my understanding of theatre and my own artistic practice. Next steps for this project include continuing to develop be still. through workshops, applying to playwright residencies and fellowships, and seeking opportunities for staged readings. I also plan to submit the play to the American College Theater Festival in January 2027 for additional feedback and development.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
