The Value of Theatre Theatre I Mrs. Cobb

Why is Theatre important? On your own paper, please respond to the question. You must use complete sentences—do not just jot down random thoughts. Perhaps plan out your response first—brainstorm. You will use the front side of your paper to write. Please also include: a)Your MLA Heading (top left corner) b)A Title c)Key references as to WHY you belief it is valuable to individuals AND society

HOMEWORK: For Thursday’s Class Please locate ONE article online (perhaps something like The New York Times) that examines the value of Theatre in society and to the individual. NOTE: This article should reference a play or performance, so that there is relevance to their thoughts. It should NOT just be a rant about someone’s personal love for Theatre. PRINT this article and bring it to class on Thursday. After you have printed it, please use a highlighter and pull key lines that you feel expand on the idea. ***This will be the item that you will use in conjunction with your response for Thursday’s discussion. If you have not realized it, this has the makings of an informal Socratic Seminar.

Does It Speak To You? Theatrical Genres Consider the following: Why do people choose to see these types of theatre performances? a)Comedies ** “The Importance of Being Earnest” a)Tragedies ** “Romeo and Juliet” a)Dramas ** “The Crucible” a)Musicals ** “The Producers” Will Farrell as Hitler ** “Annie—The Musical”

So, why should we care about theatre? What does theatre contribute to the world? 1) entertainment/diversion 2) communication of shared experience 3) INTERPRETATION of the world around us --like the comic who tells us a joke that we laugh at and wince at, the actor entertains us and teaches us something at the same time 4) People love a good story; we have this need to hear stories (film, popular novels) 5) But we also have this ability to tell stories, all of us 6) it's one way we cope with/understand our existence (dealing with a bad experience by making a joke out of it) 7) usually we tell our own stories, but not always 8) telling other people's stories helps us empathize with them, experience (a little) what they've gone through, understand them a little better

So, What Is Theatre? We're going to focus on the theatrical event (i.e., plays in performance), rather than just discussing them on the page What are the absolutely essential elements of live theatrical performance? Five things present in EVERY theatre piece of any kind 1) Performer 2) Text 3) Space 4) Time 5) Audience What are the implications of these items, and how do they make theatre unique?

Performer --the medium of expression is the living human being 1) you can have a play without people, but it won't sustain itself very long 2) like dance in this way; unlike painting, sculpture and other visual art 3) live music uses human beings, though usually also an intermediary object (instrument) or one particular mode of human expression (singing, as opposed to speaking, moving, etc.) different than film or TV; no live presence (therefore no possibility for interaction) --How does this affect the art? performer-audience relationship exists (even in realistic drama, where the actors pretend not to notice the audience)

Performer How does this affect the art? performer-audience relationship exists (even in realistic drama, where the actors pretend not to notice the audience) evidence of this: fluffed lines, dog on stage (doesn't know it's onstage) one of many theatrical conventions (e.g., Mel Brooks in High Anxiety) people are individual -- different people will perform same play differently people are changeable -- makes the art temporal, ephemeral people are human -- makes the art form MIMETIC (imitative in some way, even if it's self imitating self) makes the art form of necessity COLLABORATIVE

TEXT like music in this way (interpretation of text/score) differs from dance & visual art in that the text is directly present implications: makes the art form INTERPRETIVE (performer-text relationship) e.g., Rembrandt vs. Shakespeare (impossible to recreate, even in the new Globe theatre) performers are lens (or filter) through which aud views the text implies an actor/character relationship -- two levels constantly operating text is MEANT to be performed, not just read (e.g. Shakespeare) text need not be verbal; can be improvised, non-verbal; includes sound, movement--whatever the actors DO

SPACE like dance & film (and visual art/music, if you go to a gallery/hall) in this way differs from recorded music/TV implications: takes one out of one's everyday environment; going to a different location a public location; possibility of interaction with strangers actors perform against a background or in a physical context Theatre is VISUAL, not just verbal involves all five senses (or can) non-verbal communication by actors: movement, gesture, composition technical elements: setting, lighting, costumes, props, sound, makeup

TIME and AUDIENCE temporary, ephemeral; sequential; special (kairos, or "time out"; event) It's not a play till it's performed and somebody sees it nature of artist/audience interaction is immediate, changeable, ephemeral makes it by nature a GROUP experience (like other live performing arts) audience is a community; may unite or disagree changes with each performance audience participates in the event and responds to all three of the other elements much time and effort devoted to figuring out how an audience will respond and/or trying to get them to respond in a certain way (through all three elements)

Theatre Still Matters