UROP Project

qualitative, dramaturgy, theatre

Research Mentor: Ms. Dee Selmore , she/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Theatre, Fine Arts
Contact Email: dselmore@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Though this project is open to all majors, the preferred majors are Theatre, English/Literature, History, African American Studies, Cultural Studies, Communications/Media Studies, Education, Film, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Creative Writing, and related fields.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

This project involves exploring the psychological and emotional impact of embodying traumatic characters on Black actors. Using a production of August Wilson's Fences, the project aims to provide comprehensive research support to the director, cast, and production team, ensuring an authentic portrayal of the play’s cultural, historical, and thematic elements. Additionally, the research will delve into how performances that engage with historical and contemporary racial and gender-based trauma affect the mental health and well-being of Black actors. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study will examine factors such as stress, emotional exhaustion, and identity disruption among actors who have portrayed roles involving trauma.
The research will involve a diverse sample of professional and amateur Black actors, with data collected over six months. Research assistants will play a critical role in conducting interviews, administering assessments, and managing the data. Alongside the psychological study, the project will assist in creating audience engagement materials and material for talkbacks to enhance understanding of the play and the research findings. By combining dramaturgical research with an in-depth study of performance psychology, this project will contribute to the literature on Black studies and performance, offering insights into the challenges faced by Black actors and informing strategies to support their mental health in the performing arts industry.


Research Tasks: Literature review, dramaturg tasks, develop a research portfolio, data collection, administering assessments, data analysis, data management, content creation, among other tasks.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Strong reading and literary analysis skills required
Content creation recommended
Interviewing skills recommended
Assessment administration recommended
Data analysis (qualitative) recommended
Knowledge of performance psychology (desired but not required)
Understanding of racial trauma and its impacts recommended
Project management (desired but not required)
Video production and editing (desired but not required)
Ethical research practices required
Data management and security recommended
Statistical software proficiency (e.g., SPSS, R) (desired but not required)
Strong communication skills required
Cultural sensitivity and awareness recommended
Time management required
Critical thinking and problem-solving required