Research Symposium

BIO

Isabella Dabolish is a first year psychology and pre-med major here at FSU. She is currently a member of the Delta Zeta chapter and the honors program. She plans to continue in research in the medical and psychology field and aspires to go to medical school to pursue a career in psychiatry.

The Butterfly Affect: Eco-Puppetry for Envisioning a Joyful Environmental Praxis

Abstract

The Butterfly Affect is a performance-based experience that uses the stages of a butterfly as a symbol for change to encourage individuals to self-reflect on their personal growth and transformation.This research investigates how eco-theatre and eco-puppetry create a catalyst in the minds of people to encourage their self-reflection on their involvement in the anthropocene, and mobilize activism and cultural change.The connection between the puppet and touch in eco-theatre has been seen to have great effects on the person's ability to want to start the change themselves.
We explore the theoretical and creative aspects of eco-puppetry. First, we analyse the existing literature to understand what eco-puppetry is, its potential psychological effects, and how it impacts people’s engagement with environmental justice. Second, we reflect on our process of creating the various puppetry components of the project, such as The Butterfly Care Deck (for adults, children, and Spanish-English speakers), and the Paper Dolls. This research demonstrates how small actions or events can spark larger societal, political, and cultural movements, shedding light on the role of theater as a vehicle for social change.

Keywords: performing arts, environmental activism, feminism