To Arrive and Conquer: An Individual's Rite of Passage through Recognition of Ritual on Stage

Jones, Jamar C. E.

Publication

To Arrive and Conquer: An Individual's Rite of Passage through Recognition of Ritual on Stage

Jones, Jamar C. E.

Abstract

My honors performance "To Arrive and Conquer: My Rites of Passage" was a theatrical reflection of my personal journey at the College of William and Mary. Constructed and based on the theory of French ethnographer and folklorist Arnold Van Gennep. I celebrated and acknowledged my rites of passage through song, dance, recitations, and scholarly analysis. Ritual performances in theatre function as creative and therapeutic avenues for an individual to arrive at complete self-awareness. Subsequently, through a ritual performance an individual can successfully conquer personal inhibitors and become a fully engaged and initiated citizen in their community. Thus, ritual performances conducted serve as mechanisms of self-development for the individual as they transition between different phases in their life journey.