Late 19th and early 20th centuries The Modern Theatre Late 19th and early 20th centuries

Modern Theatre The Beginnings of Modern Theatre (1875-1915) Richard Wagner- an innovator who injected theatre with the contemporary trend toward realism, calling for many changes to take place in the theatre world. Wagner is probably best known for his concept of a new type of theatre structure--the festival theatre. He designed the structure to fulfill his ambition of a classless theatre. Famous throughout the world, the architectural design of the festival was fan-shaped, making all seats equal in sight lines, as well as equally priced.

Modern Theatre The theatrical evolution during this period included the emergence of the modern director. Germany's Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the most famous early modern directors. He produced plays that were the most historically accurate of the 19th century. Designed all the costumes, scenery, and properties used by his troupe. Georg also adopted the practice of long rehearsal schedules and the idea of ensemble acting. He created carefully blocked crowd scenes and family groups, which made a small number of actors seem like a large gathering.

Modern Playwrights The prolific and controversial playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote 25 plays in the late 19th century including his most famous, A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler. Ibsen is known as the father of modern realism. Some of his subject matters were scandalous for his time.

Modern Playwrights George Bernard Shaw was one of the most prominent writers of late 19th century, early 20th century. Wrote plays, critiqued plays, very vocal on social issues of the time. Wrote satirical plays such as Pygmalion, Arms and the Man, and Major Barbara.

Modern Playwrights Anton Chekhov was the most famous Russian playwright. Wrote comedies such as The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull, The Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya. He was an instrumental figure at the beginning of the independent theatre movement-The Moscow Art Theatre was one of a few theatre companies that started the trend.

Realism The United States' Belasco was another famous director known for creating realist plays and sets. Also a noteworthy designer for his creation of the most modern (electrical) lighting instruments of the time. Introduction of the Box Set - 3 walls and an imaginary 4th wall.

Realism Realism is where people move and talk in a manner similar to that of our everyday behavior.  The style has been dominant for the last 120 years.  It holds the idea of the stage as an environment, rather than as an acting platform. Verisimiltude- the appearance of being truthful or real.

Realism Many artists began to find a psychological approach (Freudian) to theatre that emphasized the inner dimensions of the characters onstage. Stanislavski and The Moscow Art Theatre was indispensable to the development of Western drama in the 20th-century. He believed that actors should cultivate an “inner life” for their characters, from which all movement and gesture would flow.

Constantin Stanislavski Actor/Director/Moscow Art Theatre His “system” had to do with an actor using their own Emotional Memory to create a character’s emotional life- Stanislavski's 'system' focused on the development of artistic truth onstage by teaching actors to "experience the part" during performance. Stanislavski hoped that the 'system' could be applied to all forms of drama.

Stanislavski Stanislavski soon observed that some of the actors using or abusing this technique were given to hysteria. He began to search for more reliable means to access emotion, eventually emphasizing the actor's use of imagination and belief in the given circumstances of the text rather than her/his private and often painful memories.

Stanislavski Stanislavski's 'system' is a systematic approach to training actors. Areas of study include concentration, voice, physical skills, emotion memory, observation, and dramatic analysis. Stanislavski's goal was to find a universally applicable approach that could be of service to all actors. Method approach, an adaptation of Stanislavski's approach. Strasberg's adaptation relied exclusively on psychological techniques and contrasted sharply with Stanislavski's multivariant

Stanislavski and Chekhov The two men worked together at The Moscow Art Theatre from 1898 to the 1920s. Chekhov wrote plays and Stanislavski acted and directed them They made this style of theatre very popular and it was brought to the United States by students Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler.

Lee Strasberg Many actors routinely identify his system with Lee Strasberg’s “Method” approach, an adaptaion of Stanislavski’s approach. Strasberg’s adaptation relied exclusively on psychological techniques and contrasted sharply with Stanislavski’s multivariant psychophysical approach, which explores character and action both from the 'inside out' and the 'outside in’.

Stella Adler Stella Adler, who had also studied with Stanislavski, offered an American adaptation of the technique much more in keeping with that of Stanislavski focusing on both inner and outer sources of experience in building a character.

Meisner appeared in twelve Group productions. Sanford Meisner In 1931, Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Harold Clurman, among others, joined together to establish the Group Theatre. It was the first permanent theatre company that brought “Method” acting, rooted in the methods of Konstantin Stanislavsky, to practice and prominence in America. Meisner appeared in twelve Group productions.

Meisner In 1933 Meisner became disenchanted with pure “Method” acting. He wrote, “Actors are not guinea pigs to be manipulated, dissected, let alone in a purely negative way. Our approach was not organic, that is to say not healthy.” He had ongoing discussions about technique with Adler, who worked with Stanislavsky in Paris, and Clurman, who took a deep interest in the American character. Eventually he realized that if American actors were ever going to achieve the goal of “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” an American approach was needed. The Neighborhood Playhouse provided him with a venue to develop that approach on his own.

The End Meisner maintained an emphasis on "the reality of doing," which was the foundation of his approach. Until his death on February 2, 1997 at the age of ninety-one, Sanford Meisner was one of the world’s most influential and respected teachers of acting. In fact, no teacher of acting in the history of theatre and film has produced a more extensive and prodigious “who’s who” of actors than Sanford Meisner, yet most people outside the professional world of theatre have never even heard of him.