Mitchell, Gail J.2018-08-272018-08-272018-04-252018-08-27http://hdl.handle.net/10315/35011Within academia, there has been much focus on representations of suffering, distress, and/or violence, including how these representations can foster meaningful change in audience members. The consequences of representing human suffering, distress, and/or violence, however, have received less attention. Given this, in this dissertation, I explore professional actors lived experiences of representing human suffering, distress, and/or violence. In order to complete this exploration, I undertook a world-first study, uncovering what professional actors experiences of representing human suffering, distress, and/or violence entail; how these actors respond to working with these complex representations; what concerns, meanings, strategies, and personal consequences these actors describe in relation to this work; and what, if any, support systems assist these actors as they engage with such representations. Throughout the dissertation, I review the themes that were identified in this study and consider what these themes can offer actors, the entertainment industry, and North American society moving forward.enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.EthicsElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2018-08-27ActingActing theoryTheatreTheaterFilmFilm studiesEthicsPhenomenologyTraumaRepresenting traumaSufferingDistressViolenceEthics of representing sufferingEthics of representing distressEthics of representing violenceConsequences of representing sufferingConsequences of representing distressConsequences of representing violenceConsequences of representing traumaEthics of representing traumaWorkplace ethicsWorkplace health and wellnessHealth and wellnessActors healthActors wellnessSelf-careActors self-careSupport systemsActors support systemsVicarious traumaSecondary traumaActors vicarious traumaActors secondary trauma