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Abstract
Copernicus Rising began as a historical biography when it was first conceived, but as the writing progressed it quickly became a rather absurd play that took historical research and twisted it through the lens of my own wit, philosophy and personal affection for the characters. When working with historical figures—characters who existed in a very tangible way in our own history—the playwriting process opens a dialogue between different points in time and space. The difficulty lies in finding a unique and clear voice amongst the discordant personalities involved in this time and space overlap, both in the writing and production processes, in order to get to the heart of what the play is really all about.
This thesis follows the journey of the play from its historical roots through the creation of an absurd journey both insides and outside time, space and the human mind. The first part of the thesis explains the beginnings of the concept and outlines much of the research and development that went into the play. The next part outlines the process of production and integrating the world on paper with that of moving bodies on stage. In the final part, post-production discussions and audience feedback sessions shape the play into the draft included in this thesis.
