Armstrong, Eric2019-07-022019-07-022019-02-272019-07-02http://hdl.handle.net/10315/36269This thesis explores the concept of external validation in my personal artistic practice as I develop and perform the roles of the Librarian and the Freelancer in Will Enos Middletown directed by Jackie Maxwell in the Winter of 2019. This work is built upon personal observations of myself as I move through this particular artistic challenge. My goal will be to cultivate a deeper understanding of my internal landscape and need for validation through therapeutic research and a consistent acting process. That process will consist of daily journaling and a regular warm-up and cool-down ritual. My secondary research will extend into the career and writing style of playwright Will Eno, the main reoccurring themes Middletown, and the characters of the Librarian and Freelancer in the world of this play. With an acute attention to, and notation of, this process of creation and rehearsal, I aim to build a fruitful practice to carry into my professional career.enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Performing artsElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2019-07-02ActingTheatrePerformanceIntrinsic MotivationExtrinsic MotivationAutonomyMasteryPurposeAnxietyPolyvagal TheoryMiddletownWill EnoRae-Anna MaitlandArtistic Challenge