Before enrolling in PERF 115, I never studied theatre in an academic setting. My high school was lucky to have an underfunded drama club, let alone credited classes on the subject. Honestly, I joined PPP simply because I wondered what the class would entail; I enjoy a few stage productions, but I am not as emotionally invested in theatre as my peers. I expected this course to cover the fundamentals and origins of theatre, but I feared that these origins would lie in the the Greek and Renaissance periods. I had little experience in studying classic texts, leaving me trepid and uncertain of myself. However, the ways in which we approached both periods guided my studies, allowing me to overcome my anxiety and embrace the content. From my experiences in this course, I’ve come to understand how theatre conventions from the Greek and Elizabethan eras serve as foundations for contemporary, Western theatre. I overcame the challenges presented by the texts and now maintain a newfound appreciation for their significance.
Through lectures, discussions, and lab activities, I developed my understanding of and appreciation for the impact Greek theatre has had on the entire art form. The Greeks established the theatre as an organized, cultural event and essentially created the longstanding union between performers and the audience. By discussing the correlations between contemporary and Greek theatre in class, I realized how many terms and practices still used today originate from Greek theatre; for example the terms theatron and skene clearly form the basis of “theatre” and “scene,” and the entire notion of constructing large-scale theatres emerged from the Greek period. Additionally, the Greek Acting Lab gave me the opportunity to practice...
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...ht of examining such texts.
Having analyzed a multitude of texts, performances, and theoretical concepts, I have truly expanded my knowledge of theatre and its foundations. The influence of the Greek and Elizabethan periods on contemporary theatre must not be overlooked, and I am now confident in my ability to understand the texts that emerged from these eras. No longer do I find myself avoiding classic texts like the plague, which happened to close the theatres of London prior to Elizabeth I’s reign. The interactive nature of PERF 115 helped me to develop an understanding of the origins of theatre, its conventions, and its linguistic constructs as they first appeared during the Greek and Elizabethan eras. I can honestly say, with assurance in my analytical abilities and sheer gratitude for enrolling in the course, that my outlook on theatre will never be the same.
When Mary Zimmerman adapts a play from an ancient text her directing process and the way she engages with text are woven together, both dependent on the other. She writes these adaptations from nondramatic text, writing each evening while working through the pre-production rehearsals and improvisations during the day with the cast. The rehearsal process influences the text, and the text enriches the rehearsal process, so that one cannot exist without the other. Every rehearsal is structured the same but each production is unique because as Zimmerman states in “The Archaeology of Performance”, she is always “open to the possibilities”. The piece is open to everything happening in the world and to the people involved, so the possibilities are honest and endless.
Olive, David. "Possibilities of Performance: New Ways of Teaching Dramatic Literature." Links & Letters 2 (1995): 9-17. UAB Digital Repository of Documents. Web. 30 Mar. 2012.
To realize the vision of the play, the script, set-up, costumes, stagecraft, sound design, and acting have to communicate a unified message with which the audience will relate. The script will be tailored to ensure that the audience can understand the play as it proceeds. This is in terms of the language and terms used. Though the language will not be modern, it will be English that can be understood by the audience. This will be English of antique England as it will give the play a feeling of ancient times. The scriptwriter will carry out research on the level of understanding the local people will have of ancient English so as to ascertain that the script matches this level. Although many plays of that era were sung and accompanied by dance, this play will be acted out with spoken word rather than songs. This is because speaking will ensure the audience hears the conversations as they go on and that they understand. This is ...
Even though this outline has been in existence for thousands of years, one can see it still being put to good use with modern playwrights. One can see what happens when emphasis is misplaced, spending time perfecting Aristotle’s minor elements, like spectacle, and under developing more important ones like characterization. Such is the case with Carrie the musical. It was executed to the best of each actor’s ability, the show simply fell flat. One can conclude there is a direct correlation between the terrible implementation of Aristotle’s guidelines and the lackluster quality of the show and its characters.
There are many important aspects of theatre history. Important playwrights, actors, theatres, and events that impacted theatre in major ways. In this paper I am going to discuss the life of an important actor who would be better known for his last name and the actions of his brother. By looking into his life I have learned how interesting of an actor he was and what significance he had on theatre history. This actor is Edwin Booth.
Tragedies in the Greek and Renaissance theater were very effective in portraying the social and religious constraints that tainted society. Both playwrights, through the use of their ingenuity and vast literary knowledge were able to perfect and display such flawless spectacles. The differences and similarities between Greek tragedy and Renaissance tragedy, although vast, can be narrowed down to the audience. Greek and Renaissance theater targeted very different audiences that demanded a certain type of play in order to be entertained.
"The arts of the western world have been largely dominated by the artistic standards established by the Greeks of the classical period" (Spreloosel 86). It is from the Greek word theatron, meaning a place for sitting, that we get our word theater. According to James Butler, "The Greeks were the first people to erect special structures to bring audiences and theatrical performers together" (27). "The theaters were normally located near a populated area at the bottom of or cut out of a carefully selected, sloping hillside overlooking a seascape, a plain, or a city" (Butler 30). "They eventually with few exceptions consisted of three distinct parts: theatron (viewing place) for spectators, orchestra (dancing place) where the chorus and actors performed; and a later addition, a skene (scene building), which provided a scenic backing" (Butler 30).
"Theaters." Renaissance: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Paul F. Grendler. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 120-122. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
Lazarus, Joan. "On the Verge of Change: New Directions in Secondary Theatre Education." Applied Theatre Research 3.2 (July 2015): 149-161. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1386/atr.3.2.149_1.
“The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation,” says Stella Adler. Theater is unique and intriguing because it blends literary and visual arts to tell a story. Before Theater 10, I viewed theater on the surface level: cheesy plot lines with dramatic scenarios for entertainment purposes. Throughout the course, I have learned what it means to appreciate theater, such as understanding Brechtian and Chinese theatre; however, I believe understanding theater’s ability to convey crucial historical and social messages, such as in the production of RENT, is more relevant and important for theater appreciation.
Kernodle, George R. "The Theater Of Exaltation: Modern Tragedy And Poetic Drama." Kernodle, George R. Invitation to the Theatre. New Yory: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1967. 217-223.
In this paper, I will be focusing briefly on my knowledge and understanding of the concept of Applied theatre and one of its theatre form, which is Theatre in Education. The term Applied Theatre is a broad range of dramatic activity carried out by a crowd of diverse bodies and groups.
Garner Jr., Stanton B. "Theatricality In Mankind And Everyman." Studies In Philology 84.3 (1987): 272. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.
Greek and Elizabethan theatre, while similar in some respects, had a few large differences. The Greeks believed in a certain unity of theme, which was prevalent throughout the production. Greek plays were often drawn from myth or of historical significance, so it seems that only ki...
A mere mention of the term theatre acts as a relief to many people. It is in this place that a m...