The influence of femininity and panoptical power on creative impulse: An actor's journey through Anton Chekhov's Masha

The character Masha in Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters struggles to find happiness in early twentieth-century Russia. She is a complex character living within a male construct in a state of discordance. In order to gain a better understanding of Masha this paper will explore the ways in which women's ideas of themselves are formed. It will investigate the idea of femininity, Michel Foucault's theories of Panoptical power and relationship, and the role of women in early twentieth-century Russia as it pertains to the world that Chekhov created in Three Sisters. This research will elucidate my own relationship to being female in a male construct, addressing that part of my artistic challenge that describes my struggle to define a consistent understanding of my own femininity and how it impacts my work as an actor. In my exploration and discovery of Masha, I will also examine my control impulses with the intention of creating a dynamic and kinesthetically connected performance rather than a "safe" intellectualized one. I will approach these challenges through research and exploration of the Jungian-based practice of Authentic Movement and a technique for actors developed by Michael Chekhov, one of Konstantin Stanislavski's actors and the nephew of Anton Chekhov. Through the integration of research and the practical application of physical techniques, I hope to create a strong visceral performance that details the unraveling of a complex Chekhovian character relevant to modern life.