When looking back in time, theater has always reflected what was important to society at the time. The Grecians used theater to honor the Gods and to retell stories of a time gone by. Shakespearean productions brought people of different socioeconomic statuses together, uniting audiences through their love for theater. Today, as entertainment and technology become intertwined, the role of theater seemingly decreases in our society. However, recent productions such as Grease Live and Hairspray Live prove that contemporary society craves live theater, just like they did in ancient Greece. Growing up only a train ride north of New York City, I’ve always been blessed with easy access to live theater. I have vivid memories of going to see my first …show more content…
Theater is still a major part of contemporary society. Each major city and town has their own theater, holding the occasional tour or production from a local theater company. Musicals like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen are breaking into pop culture. The recorded version of Newsies was sold out in movie theaters across America. This isn't because the public has lost their love for theater, it's because theater just isn't as accessible as other forms of entertainment. People would much rather binge watch a series from their couch than put on a pair of pants and drive to their local theater. In order for theater to stay relevant, we must make it a more accessible form of media. Live broadcasts by major TV networks are already putting theater back into the forefront of culture. Although you may not get the rush that comes with actually being in a live theater, it keeps theater in the minds of the American audience. After seeing Grease live, one may be inspired to go out and see their local theater’s production of Grease. Theaters should start taking advantage of professional recordings in order to reach further audiences. Many people don't have the funds or the time to dedicate a trip to New York City in order to see a play, but they would pay fifteen dollars to see a recording of their favorite show. As time goes on, I’m sure we’ll see more productions take advantage of streaming services like Broadway HD or even Netflix to …show more content…
It has always adapted to that society’s standards of leisure. Shakespeare offered tickets at a variety of prices so noblemen and commoners alike could view his productions. Now, as technology sprints towards unknown heights, theater companies must adapt to the changing times in order to keep up with digital
Before the life on Broadway, before famous hit musicals such as the Sweeney Todd, Phantom, Chicago and Annie, that drove people into New York to see America’s professional theatre. The America’s professional theatre was spread throughout the country. In the mid- to late-19th century, actors and managers would put together a company and tours playing for weeks at a time in cities such as Chicago, San Francisco and they also performed in little towns along the way. But then came the Theatrical Syndicate, which was often referred to as “The Syndicate.” Which composed of six men that would change the United States theatre forever.
Concluding the Federal Theatre Project, it has accomplished the goal of introducing theatre to millions who had never seen theatre before. It employed thousands of people, initiated European epic theatre and Living Newspaper theatre techniques to the United States, and for this reason could be seen as a vast achievement.
The theatres in Chicago have a very vast and interesting history. Starting in the 1920’s, it has been around for a long time. Stephen Schwartz once said “I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return”(goodreads.com). Broadway can help teach people morales. Broadway is one of the most exciting parts of downtown Chicago. Broadway in Chicago is undoubtedly less recognized then what it should be due to its talent and national status.
The audience is an important factor to determine the success of a spectacle. It is known that there is no spectacle without audience. The musical theater presentations are known for their number of people, which according to the Broadway League (n.d.), the 2013 season reached attendance of 11.57 million. However, the number of spectators has been decreased in comparison with the peak of popularity for musicals in the last century. The first reason for that is that the spectators of musical theater presentations were a more specific group such as wealthy and intellectual people that used to go to this type of presentation, and this pattern has been consistent until now, as it can be seen in the price of a Broadway spectacle that is very expensive. Second, the spectators have to go where the spectacles are set up, which makes the live presenta...
When my father and I first settled in the theater, I immediately scanned the crowd. On the way to the production I envisioned, as superficial as it may seem, an auditorium crammed with African Americans and college students. But to my surprise, the majority of the playhouse flooded with middle‑aged Caucasian people. With suits and dresses on, clearly they were financially well off. On the contrary, I only observed a few African American people. I expected that more African American families would attend a play that pertained so relevantly to their past. Nevertheless, the demographics still posed an interesting point about who goes to these plays.
From the late 1800’s up through the present date, musical theater has changed. Though customs and love for the theater will always be carried on, origins, trends, and styles will change throughout time.
Kenrick, John. Musical Theatre A History. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008. Print.
To fit the needs and wants of our target audiences, the theatres have to position and project themselves at a unique level compared to other commercial forms of live entertainment. Community theatre cannot compete if all it offers to its audience is the stage. A theatre experience has to be much more than watching a play. We need to combine the theatre ambience, audience, actors and directors to create a unique mix of a ?cultured? event. For this revival and recast, Memphis community theatres, as a consortium, need to play a vital role in offering a high value for audiences in enjoyment, culture, and bonding to the community.
Theatre has heavily evolved over the past 100 years, particularly Musical Theatre- a subgenre of theatre in which the storyline is conveyed relying on songs and lyrics rather than dialogue. From its origination in Athens, musical theatre has spread across the world and is a popular form of entertainment today. This essay will discuss the evolution and change of musical theatre from 1980-2016, primarily focusing on Broadway (New York) and the West End (London). It will consider in depth, the time periods of: The 1980s: “Brit Hits”- the influence of European mega musicals, the 1990s: “The downfall of musicals”- what failed and what redeemed, and the 2000s/2010s: “The Resurgence of musicals”- including the rise of pop and movie musicals. Concluding
Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Before this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days.
Throughout the late nineteen twenties and early nineteen thirties a significant development in the world of theater began. This movement was called The Workers' Theatre and it was partially shaped by the agitprop theatre of communist Russia. Agitprop theatre contained brief bits and were performed on transportable entities of theater. Agitprop Theater performers frequently performed songs which strained to enrage listeners to resist entrepreneurship and acknowledge the ways of communism. They wanted their audience to consent to the notion that the working-class would arise. The Russian Communist agitprop theatre correspondingly utilized presentations, presentational performing, lack of plot, and montages to promote their philosophies. Ultimately, The Worker’s Theatre weakened in significance during the mid-nineteen thirties and one of the developments assisting the deterioration of the Workers' Theatre Movement through use of various approaches and dramaturgical tools originated by The Worker’s Theatre was the establishment of the Federal Theatre Project. As soon as the government acquired the role of positioning individuals to produce theatre, the government had the capability to incorporate the advance. The Federal Theatre Project tried to give jobless theater personal work because trendy radio shows and films with sound had nearly substituted vaudeville as America's preferred practices of performing, and many of even the best vaudevillians lost their jobs. The Federal Theatre Project also attempted to perform theatre which was pertinent within society and politics, was local, and had an affordable price range. A majority of The Federal Theatre Project’s well known work was produced in New York City. The New York Branch containe...
Theatre serves to reflect society. From Shakespeare to Sophocles, a playwright’s work illustrates the different mechanics within a culture, time period, or society. Theatre offers viewers the experience of taking a step back and looking in on themselves. In this way, theatre is a mirror of the world and the way it functions. In the time period from 1968 to 1983, the world was transitioning.
For thousands of years, people have been arguing that theatre is a dying art form. Many people think theatre is all just cheesy singing and dancing or just boring old Shakespeare, but there is much more to theatre than those two extremes. Theatre is important to our society because it teaches us more about real life than recorded media. Theatre has been around for thousands of years and began as a religious ceremony that evolved into an art form that teaches about the true essence of life. Theatre can incorporate profound, and provocative, observations of the human condition that can transcend time; lessons found in Greek plays can still be relevant to the modern world. People argue that the very essence of theatre is being snuffed out by modern
My experience watching a live theatre performance on stage was a fascinating one, most especially since it was my first time. I attended a staged performance of “The History Boys” in a small theatre called “The Little Theatre of Alexandria” at 8:00 pm on Wednesday June 8, 2016 in Alexandria, Virginia. The overall production of the play was a resounding experience for me particularly the performance of the actors and the design of the scene made the play seem real.
A mere mention of the term theatre acts as a relief to many people. It is in this place that a m...