Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Meta-reference wikipedia , lookup
Development of musical theatre wikipedia , lookup
Antitheatricality wikipedia , lookup
Improvisational theatre wikipedia , lookup
Augsburger Puppenkiste wikipedia , lookup
Theatre of the Absurd wikipedia , lookup
History of theatre wikipedia , lookup
Theatre of the Oppressed wikipedia , lookup
Theatre of India wikipedia , lookup
Medieval theatre wikipedia , lookup
FALL2016-TH105TheatreAppreciation RobertCohen,THEATRE:BriefVersion(11thedition) ReviewoverChapters1,2,3,4and6 http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0767430077/student_view0/index.html Chapter1-WHATISTHETHEATRE? Theoriginsoftheatreareancient.TheEnglishwordsfortheatreanddramahavetheirrootsinAncientGreece.Today,we usetheword“theatre”inavarietyofways,asaplacefordramaticperformance,acompanyofplayerswithavisionthat animatesthem,andanoccupation.Atheatremaybeanelaboratestructureinsize,decoration,andfunctionality.The onlyrequirementofatheatreis,however,anemptyspacewithaplacetoactandaplacetowatch.Theatremayalso suggestitsnatureasacollaborativeartbyindicatingthecompanyortroupeintowhichitspractitionershaveformed. Additionally,theatremayrefertoalargergroupofartists,plays,buildings,andpracticesthatconstitute,forinstance,the AmericantheatreortheElizabethantheatre.Finally,theatreisanoccupationandanavocation.Assuchitinvolvesthe workofmanypeopleinmultiplefunctions.Theatrealsoholdsrelationshipstoplay,games,andsportsthatsuggestits impulsesoriginateinhumannature.Theatreisalsoartisticworkthatinvolvesaqualityuniqueinthearts,thatof impersonatingcharacters.Asanart,itutilizesdifferingmodesofperformance,representationalandpresentational. Theatreisaliveeventputtingperformersandaudiencesinanimmediateandmutuallyaffectingrelationship. Theatron Dran Audience Producer Director Actor Designers Crewing Stagemanager Housemanager Playwriting Playwright Play Drama Performance Representational Presentational Suspensionofdisbelief Building Company Chapter2–WHATISAPLAY? Asthebasicunitoftheatre,aplayisnotathingsomuchasanevent,anactionsurroundingaconflict.Itcanalsobeseen asapieceofliterature,andits2500yearsofwrittenpracticehasgivenrisetotwowaystounderstandthenatureand potentialofdramaticform.Onemethodofunderstandingplaysistoclassifythem.Durationisonemethodofgrouping plays,butthemoreuseful,althoughsubjectiveapproachisthroughgenre.Tragedy,comedy,tragicomedy,darkcomedy, farce,melodrama,documentary,andmusicalsaresomeoftheclassificationsthathavebeengiventotypesofdrama,but genericclassificationissubjectivetoahighdegree,andplaysoftenescapeeasydesignation.Historically,scholarsand theatrepractitionershavereliedupontwoprimarywaysofanalyzingthestructureofparticularplays.Aristotleinitiated analysisofaplayaccordingtoitscomponents2500yearsago,andyethislistofadrama’ssixparts,withthemodern additionofaseventh,convention,isstillusefultounderstandinghowaplayfunctions.Anotherwaytoevaluateaplay’s structureistobreakdownitstemporalorder.Withanappreciationthatplaysexistintimeandthereforewithina theatricalexperience,Aristotle’sobservationthatdramahasabeginning,middle,andendcanbeexpandedtoincludethe groupingsofthepreplay,theplayproper,andthepostplay. Action Conflict Genre Tragedy Comedy Interlude Cycleplays Historyplays Tragicomedy Darkcomedy Melodrama Farce Documentary Plot Characters Theme Diction Music Spectacle Convention Procession Transition Exposition Climax Denouement Curtaincall Critics Chapter3–THEACTOR Beingthemostpublic,theactorisitsbest-knowntheatreartisttoaudiences,andactingistheartofthetheatrethatmost peoplebelievetheyknowmostabout.SincethetimeoftheAncientGreeks(ourtermThespiancomesfromThespis,the “first”actor)theatreartistshaverecognizedtwodifferentandseeminglycontradictorynotionsofacting.Inone,theactor "presents"aroletotheaudiencethroughphysicalandvocalskill,abilitiestoimitatecharacters,andrelatedtalents,suchas dancing,singing,fencing,improvisation,etc.Sucha"presentational"approachisdevelopedthroughaprogramoftraining thatoriginatesfromanexternalinstructionalprocess.ThisisthetraditionalEXTERNALmethodseenintheworkofgreat BritishactorslikeLaurenceOlivier,JohnGielgudandKennethBranagh.Thesecondnotionmaintainsthatactingoriginates frominsidetheactor.Theactorattemptstoenter,throughtheimagination,theworldoftheplayandlivethelifeofthe character.Becausesuchanapproachseekstorepresent,notjustpresent,allaspectsofthecharacterportrayed,itisknown asrepresentational.ThisisanotherwaytodescribetheINTERNALapproachor“TheMethod”originatedbyStanislavski andtaughtwidelyintheU.S. Thedebateovertherespectivevalueofthesetwonotionshasbeendebatedforcenturiesbut,somewhatparadoxically, fineactingcontainselementsofeach.Thedevelopmentofvocal,physical,andmentalskillshasbeenatraditional attractionofactorsthroughouthistory,andwhiletheriseofrealismcreatedatemporaryeclipseofsuchvirtuosityinthe middleofthetwentiethcentury,traditionalskillsofthetheatrehavemadeacomebackinrecentdecades.Unlikemost artists,theactor'sinstrumentistheself.Trainingtheactor'sinstrument,therefore,requiresdevelopmentofthe physiologicalandpsychologicalinstruments.Trainingofthevoiceincludesimprovingbasicssuchasbreathing,phonation, andresonance,aswellaselementsofspeech,suchasarticulation,pronunciation,andphrasing,tocreateclearprojection. Movementistrainedthroughdance,mime,fencing,acrobatics,andotherdisciplinestodeveloprelaxation,muscular control,andeconomyofaction.Psychologicallytheactordevelopsdisciplineandthreeareasofimagination.Increatinga role,threeelementsofanintegratedactingtechniquearesharedbynearlyallapproaches.Thefirstispursuingthesolution tothe“character'sproblem.”Someteacherscallthisobjective,intention,task,victory,wantorgoal.Secondisidentifying thetacticsnecessarytoreachthegoal,andlastisresearchingthestyleoftheplayandmodeofperformancethatwill governtheproduction. Theactor'sprofessionalroutinecontainsthreestages,whichcovertheattainment(usuallythroughanaudition), preparation,andperformanceofarole.Fornearlyallactors,auditioningforrolesisnecessary,andisdonethrough"cold readings"fromthescriptoftheplannedproductionorpreparedauditionpieces,whichareusuallyone-ortwo-minute monologuesfromplaysorotherworksofliterature.Duringtherehearsalperiodofaplay—usuallyafewweeks—theactor learnstherole,investigatesthecharacter'sbiography,subtext,thoughts,goals,andtheworldoftheplayitself.Inaddition, linesandmovementsarememorizedandtheactorexperimentsanddiscoversthepossibilitiesoftherole.Performance bringswithitafundamentalshiftintheactor'sawareness,sincetheadditionoftheaudiencerequiresadjustmentsinthe generalsenseandspecifics,suchastiming,ofperformance.Performancealsocarriespotentialproblems,suchasstage frightandkeepingtheperformancefreshaftermultipleperformances.Theexcitementofactingluresmanypeoplewho wishtobecomeactors,but,statistically,thechancesofdevelopingalongstandingactingcareerareslim.Todosorequires greattalent,skill,perseverance,andpersonalfortitude. KonstantinStanislavsky DenisDiderot TheMoscowArtTheatre TheActor’sParadox LeeStrasberg PatrickStewart TheActorsStudio MerylStreep Chapter4–THEPLAYWRIGHT Theplaywrightisboththemostcentralfigureofthetheatre(fromwhoseworktheenterpriseoriginates)butthemost peripheralartisttothecreationoftheevent.Inaplaywright’scareer,writingtheplayisthefirststep,buttheworkisnot complete,ultimately,untilonastage.Thereareanumberofwaysbywhichplaysreach“theboards.”Openrehearsals, developmentalworkshops,stagedreadings,solicitationbytheatres,newplayfestivals,developmentaltheatrecompanies, contests,agents,andfellowshipsallprovidemeansofgettingnewworkproduced.Thewrittenscriptis,inasense,a blueprintfortheplay.Alsoincontrasttootherliteraryforms,itscoreisnotdescriptionsorobservationsbutanordering ofobservable,actableevents.Itscoreisaction. Qualitiessuchascredibilityandintrigue,richness,depthofcharacterization,gravityandpertinenceimparttheweight, depth,dimension,andsenseofimportancetolifethatgreatplayscontain.Speakability,stageability,flow,compression, economy,andintensityconstituteitsmoreeasilydiscernablecraftandgiveaspecificandeffectiveformtoaplay.Inthe end,allfineplays,concernedastheyarewithanartboundupsointimatelywithlife,areacelebrationoflife.Someofthe mostexcitingplaywritingofthetwentiethcenturywasdoneinAmerica.EugeneO’Neillwasnotedinternationallybothfor hisrealisticandantirealisticworks.Americanplaywrightsafterhimhaveoften,likeTennesseeWilliamsandArthurMiller, blendedelementssuchasrealism,poetry,socialcommentary,andantirealismintoasingleplay.Today,however,women, personsofcolor,andpersonswhowriteopenlyfromtheviewpointoftheirsexualorientationshaveenteredtheranksof thecountry’smostproducedandadmiredplaywrights.Examiningtheworkofagroupofplaywrightswhohavegainedan internationalaudiencesuggeststhevitalityanddiversityofperspectivesandformsinAmericanplaywritingtoday. WilliamShakespeare SamuelBeckett AntonChekhov ArthurMiller TennesseeWilliams EdwardAlbee TomStoppard HaroldPinter AugustWilson DavidMamet TonyKushner DavidHenryHwang NeilLaBute Suzan-LoriParks LynnNottage Chapter6–THEDIRECTOR Becausetheproductofthedirector'sartisnotdirectlyvisible,audible,orsensed,itisperhapsthemostambiguousand mysteriousinthetheatre.Althoughthedevelopmentofthedirectorasanindependenttheatreartisthasoccurredinthe pastcentury,directinghasbeengoingonsincetheatrebegan.Thisevolutionofthemoderndirectorcanbedividedinto threephases:Teacher-directors,RealisticdirectorsandStylizingdirectors. Thedirectortodayservesanumberofdifferentfunctions:Whenanindependentproducerisnotinvolved,thedirector acceptsresponsibilityforthefinancialsupportoftheproduction.Fundamentally,thedirectorenvisionstheprimarylinesof theproductionsandprovidestheleadershiptorealizethatvision. Thestepsnecessarytodosodivideintotwophases.Inthepreparatoryphase,beforerehearsalsbegin,thedirectorselects theplay(iftheproducerhasnotdoneso),formulatestheguidingconceptfortheproduction,selectsdesigners,guidesand collaboratesinaprocessofdesigningthelookandsoundoftheshow,andcaststheactors. Duringtheimplementationphase,muchofthedirector'sfocusturnstotheactors,asheorshestagesthemovementand positioningofactorsandobjects,coachestheactorstowardeffectiveperformances,conductsthepacingofeachsectionof theplay,coordinatesthedesignswiththeactingandgeneralstaginginthefinalrehearsals,andgivestheperformanceover tothosethatwillpresentit. GeorgIItheDukeofSaxe-Meiningen DavidMamet KonstantinStanislavski JulieTaymor AndreAntoine SusanStroman MikeNichols Yournotes