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Revised Project Proposal - Kerisa Van Gorden
Revised Project Proposal - Kerisa Van Gorden
Objectives:
Complete a full draft of the play, two full revisions, and one sectional revision
Hold a reading and discussion of the play with actors
Write a play that believably contrasts the dead world and the living world but still allows
them to affect each other
Tasks:
Workshop Readers:
Weekly Calendar:
Proposed Deadlines:
Artist Statement:
My plays question the pre-conceived notions of various cultures and societies in the modern
world. Among other topics, these notions include the validity of purity and rape culture,
condemnation of doubt within the Christian faith, and self-righteous disdain for people who
suffer from mental illness. By rooting my plays in personal experience and compassion, I hope to
debunk societal stereotypes and shock readers with my perception of reality.
My current project questions our cultures romanticized myths about being in love in the context
of a culture war. Within this play, I modernize and explore the lives of Romeo and Juliet after
they die and have the chance to live out the love they expressed so ardently in Shakespeares
work. My goal is to provide a realistic portrayal of the complexity of clashing ideologies inside a
relationship that has been committed to only one day after the couple initially meets. By allowing
Juliet to get to know Romeo and discover how little their worldviews actually connect, I give her
a chance to grow into a more complete understanding of love and the possible foolishness of her
suicide. As Juliet's regrets and struggles reveal themselves, I hope my audience will be able to
see that there is hope for true love; it just won't be the fairy tale romance we all thought it would
be.
As a young girl, my initial inspiration to be a writer came from C.S. Lewis. Lewis revealed my
inner desire to imagine and create in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and he showed me
that theology can be integrated into fiction in The Last Battle. Now, my work is also influenced
by fiction authors such as Alison Croggon, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Margaret Atwood. Tokiens
redemptive themes and Atwoods ability to unveil societal hypocrisy are traits I want to give to
my own plays and novels, and I hope to emulate the intricate fantasy worlds and internally
complex characters of Croggons Edil-Amarandh and Tolkiens Middle Earth.