Title of Project:  The Scottish Play, Break Legs, and Ghost Lights: Superstitions in the Theatre	  

Course: 							Instructor:  	 		
CA:610 Digitally Documenting Everyday Communication	Rob Howard

Year:							Semester:
2011							Spring

Date(s) material was documented: March - April 2011

Language(s): English 

Places mentioned:  Madison, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Summary of Project: 
An examination of the superstitions that are held by theatre participants, specifically in the Southern Wisconsin area, why the superstitions are held, and the feelings that participants have about those superstitions.  General superstitions included are why you never say MacBeth in a theatre, why you never say Good Luck to anyone in theatre, and why ghost lights are left on in the theatre.  The respondents also then talk about places that they have learned these superstitions and whether or not they believe they have any value.  The video also includes the respondents discussing any personal superstitions that they may have that are specific to themselves.  These superstitions are an interesting aspect of communication because they dictate the ways in which participants in the theatre world interact with other members and also nonmembers. 

Restrictions, if any, placed on the use of this project by the Student or the Respondent: None  Keywords:   (terms that will help researchers find your fieldwork; include 3-5 terms for each)

 Folk Genre Keywords: (from the Ethnographic Thesaurus’ top term categories, e.g. Belief, Ritual, Music, Dance, Material Culture, Foodways, etc; list all that apply)			
Belief, Superstition, Theatre, Tradition					
				
More Specific Subject Terms:  (from the Ethnographic Thesaurus, e.g. taverns, basket making, etc)
Theaters, Good Luck, Bad Luck				
 				
Folk Group Keywords: (use list of ethnic terms handed out in class and/or the Ethnographic Thesaurus, e.g.  Family; Ethnic: Greek American, African American; Work: firefighters; Sports: baseball players; Gender; Sexualities; Others)
 Theater participants, actors, crew members				
				
Cultural Practice, Motif, and Issue Keywords not described above: (examples: -making, Ho-Chunk pahkeh beadwork;  apples, bear, car, water, death, murder, changes in tradition, hybridity)
	MacBeth, ghost lights, luck practices						

About the Student:

Name of Student: Brooke Vechinski

Major/Dept: Communication Arts	and Theatre and Drama		Year in College: 
								Freshman      Sophmore      Junior      Senior X  
Gender: Female	 Age: 22				 Ethnicities (list specific ethnicities, not racial categories like “Asian”): N/A		 Birthplace: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, United States		Significant places of residence, if different:  	
Religious group affiliations: N/A					Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States
				
About the Respondent(s):

Name of Respondent(s):  
	Tyrell Cushman
								
Area of Expertise/Explanation of Focus: (what is it about this person that forms the basis for this project?)
	Significant participation in theatre 							
Relationship to student:										
	Classmate and fellow crew member 						
Gender: Male							
Age: 21	
Birthplace (town or county, state [spelled out], country): Unknown		
 Significant places of residence , if different than above: Madison, Wisconsin, United States	
		
If relevant, please provide the following:			
Ethnicities (list specific ethnicities, not racial categories like “Asian”): N/A	
Religious background: N/A			
Occupation: N/A				
Hobbies: Participation in theatre groups			
Other:	 N/A	

Name of Respondent(s):  
	James Doherty
						
Area of Expertise/Explanation of Focus: (what is it about this person that forms the basis for this project?)	
	Significant and continued work in theatre groups, relationships with others that are deeply involved in theatre		
Relationship to student:										
	Former classmate, fellow cast and crew member on productions		
Gender: Male						
Age: 23
Birthplace (town or county, state [spelled out], country): Unknown		
 Significant places of residence , if different than above: Madison and Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States		
		
If relevant, please provide the following:			
Ethnicities (list specific ethnicities, not racial categories like “Asian”): N/A	
Religious background: N/A			
Occupation: N/A				
Hobbies: Participation in theatre groups			
Other:	 N/A	

Name of Respondent(s):  
	Karlin Langley
									
Area of Expertise/Explanation of Focus: (what is it about this person that forms the basis for this project?)
	Significant participation in theatre, professional actor
								
Relationship to student:										
	Former classmate, fellow cast member in productions				
Gender: Male							
Age: 23	
Birthplace (town or county, state [spelled out], country): Unknown		
 Significant places of residence , if different than above: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States		
		
If relevant, please provide the following:			
Ethnicities (list specific ethnicities, not racial categories like “Asian”): N/A	
Religious background: N/A			
Occupation: Actor 				
Hobbies: Participation in theatre groups			
Other:	 N/A	

Name of Respondent(s):  
	Nicole Wiegert			
						
Area of Expertise/Explanation of Focus: (what is it about this person that forms the basis for this project?)
	Significant experience in theatre							
Relationship to student:										
	Classmate							
Gender: Female							
Age: 22	
Birthplace (town or county, state [spelled out], country): Unknown		
 Significant places of residence , if different than above: Madison, Wisconsin, United States		
		
If relevant, please provide the following:			
Ethnicities (list specific ethnicities, not racial categories like “Asian”): N/A	
Religious background: N/A			
Occupation: Stage Manager				
Hobbies: Participation in theatre groups			
Other:	 N/A	

List of Documents/Recordings:
 (Include the following information for EACH Document/Recording.  Attach separate sheets if necessary)

No.1	Name of Document: Ghost Light Focus

	Material Type:  video .mov
	    Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected: 
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	
Description: This is b roll of focusing on a ghost light in a theatre. Raw footage.

	   Social and/or Cultural Context: The ghost light is left on in a theatre in order to ward off any ghosts. It is also a practical safety device for people in a dark theatre

No. 2	Name of Document: Ghost Light Zoom

	Material Type:  video .mov
	    Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States	
Description: This is b roll of focusing on a ghost light in a theatre. Raw footage.

	Social and/or Cultural Context: The ghost light is left on in a theatre in order to ward off any ghosts. It is also a practical safety device for people in a dark theatre
 
No.3	Name of Document: James Bad luck to finish a show without an audience

	Material Type:  video .mov
	    Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	
Description: This is a raw footage clip of James explaining that it is bad luck to finish a performance without an audience.

	   Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. 

No.4	Name of Document: James on break a leg summary

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States	

Description: This is a raw footage clip of James summarizing the superstition of why you say break a leg instead of good luck in the theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.5	Name of Document: James on break a leg

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected:3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	
Description: This is a raw footage clip of James explaining the superstition of why you say break a leg instead of good luck and the origins of the superstition in detail.

	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.6	Name of Document: James on his theatre experience

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	   Description: This is a raw footage clip of James describing his theatre background.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.7	Name of Document: James on macbeth counter curse

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	Description: This is a raw footage clip of James describing the counter curse that you have to execute if you say MacBeth in a theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.8	Name of Document: James on macbeth example

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	Description: This is a raw footage clip of James describing an example of when the MacBeth curse actually happened. 
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.9	Name of Document: James on macbeth

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected: 
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	Description:  This is a raw footage clip of James describing the MacBeth curse and its possible origins.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. 

No.10	Name of Document: James personal practices

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected:3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
	Description: This is a raw footage video of James describing the things that he and his fellow theatre members do as personal superstitions.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.11	Name of Document: James where do you get superstitions

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of James describing where he learned the theatre superstitions and where people learn these superstitions more generally.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.12	Name of Document: James why you don't whistle on stage

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of James describing why you do not whistle when in a theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.13	Name of Document: Karlin needs to be onstage last

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Karlin describing his personal superstition that he avoids going onstage until the last moment possible.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.14	Name of Document: Karlin on breaking legs

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Karlin describing the superstition that you say break a leg instead of good luck.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.15	Name of Document: Karlin on Macbeth

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Karlin describing the MacBeth superstition.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.16	Name of Document: Karlin on the show must go on

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Karlin describing the theatre tradition of the show must go on.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.17	Name of Document: Karlin on where you learn superstitions

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip on Karlin discussing where people learn theatre superstitions.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.18	Name of Document: Karlin what he does before an audition

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip on Karlin talking about his particular superstitions about what he does before an audition.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.19	Name of Document: Karlins friend and smart water

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 4/8/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Karlin describing his friend's superstition that he always have to drink Smart Water before an audition.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

No.20	Name of Document: Pan of the Mitchell Theatre

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is raw footage of the Mitchell Theatre while it is lit only by the ghost light and a few working lights. B-roll footage.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This theatre is one of the two theaters that University Theatre uses for its productions.  

No.21	Name of Document: Work in the shop

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/30/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is raw footage of work going on in the scene shop. B-roll
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This work took place in the scene shop for University Theatre.

No.22	Name of Document: Tyrell about breaking a leg

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip on Tyrell stating that you say break a leg instead of good luck.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.23	Name of Document: Tyrell and his compass

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell describing his personal superstition involving a compass that he received from his grandfather.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.24	Name of Document: Tyrell bad dress rehearsal means good performance

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell describing the superstition that a bad dress rehearsal means that you will have a good performance and an example of this happening with a show he was in.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.25	Name of Document: Tyrell on colors

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison , Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell describing that certain colors are either good luck or bad luck when used in costumes onstage.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.26	Name of Document: Tyrell on macbeth

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell talking about the fact that you don't say MacBeth in a theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.27	Name of Document: Tyrell on where to learn superstition

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected: 
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell describing where he learned the superstitions that he knows.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.28	Name of Document: Tyrell talks about ghosts

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell describing the superstition of ghost lights and other things concerning ghosts in the theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin. 

No.29	Name of Document: Tyrell theatre background

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is a raw footage clip of Tyrell talking about his background in theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview took place at a home in Madison, Wisconsin.

No.30	Name of Document: Nicole Wiegert Interview Interview1Clip3

	Material Type:  audio .mp3
Date Collected: 3/10/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is an audio interview conducted with Nicole about superstitions in the theatre.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This interview was conducted in the Stage Management office for University Theatre.

No.31	Name of Document: Brooke Vechinski Researcher Release Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 5/4/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is my researcher release form.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.32	Name of Document: James Doherty Consent Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the consent for for James.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.33	Name of Document: James Doherty Release Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 3/29/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the release form for James.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.34	Name of Document: Karlin Langley Consent Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 4/10/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the consent form for Karlin.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.35	Name of Document: Karlin Langley Release Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 4/10/11
Places where material was collected:
		Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the release form for Karlin.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.36	Name of Document: Nicole Wiegert Consent Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 3/10/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the consent form for Nicole.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.37	Name of Document: Nicole Wiegert Release Form

	Material Type:  text. pdf
Date Collected: 4/21/10
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the release form for Nicole.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.38	Name of Document: Tyrell Cushman Consent Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, WIsconsin, United States
Description: This is the consent form for Tyrell.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.39	Name of Document: Tyrell Cushman Release Form

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 3/28/11
Places where material was collected:
		Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the release form for Tyrell.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: 

No.40	Name of Document: The Scottish Play, Break Legs, and Ghost Lights Part One

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 5/3/11
Places where material was collected:
		Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the final cut of my video on theatre superstitions.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This video was compiled from clips gathered from Madison and Sun Prairie Wisconsin on the superstitions that are held among theatre participants, both individually and collectively.

No.41	Name of Document: The Scottish Play, Break Legs, and Ghost Lights Part Two

	Material Type:  video .mov
Date Collected: 5/3/11
Places where material was collected:
		Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the final cut of my video on theatre superstitions.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This video was compiled from clips gathered from Madison and Sun Prairie Wisconsin on the superstitions that are held among theatre participants, both individually and collectively.

No.42	Name of Document: The Scottish Play, Break Legs, and Ghost Lights

	Material Type:  video .mpg4
Date Collected: 5/3/11
Places where material was collected:
		Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is the final cut of my video on theatre superstitions.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: This video was compiled from clips gathered from Madison and Sun Prairie Wisconsin on the superstitions that are held among theatre participants, both individually and collectively.

No.42	Name of Document: IRB Certification

	Material Type:  text .pdf
Date Collected: 
Places where material was collected:
		Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Description: This is my certification form.
	Social and/or Cultural Context: