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UConn DRAM 1101 - Theatrical Spaces

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Drama 1101 1st Edition Lecture 2Outline of Last Lecture I. Why do we study theatre?II. What is theatre?III. Ancient OriginsIV. Theatre as a place, a company, an occupation, an art, and as a performanceV. Paradox of the actorVI. Theatre v. RitualsVII. Theatre v. SportsOutline of Current Lecture I. Theatrical spacesa. Amphitheatersb. Prosceniumc. Thrust Staged. Arena Stagee. Black Box StageCurrent Lecture1. Different theatrical spaces have different scenic elements2. Amphitheatersa. Outdoor theatres b. Example: ancient Greece and Rome3. ProsceniumThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.a. A.K.A The picture frame stagei. Because it is as if you are looking at a picture of real lifeb. Large enough to accommodate the most realistic set and special effectsi. Theatre wings allow for different scenic elements to be hidden from the audience offstage in order to have changeable sceneryii. Fly Space1. Allow for props and actors to come in from above through rigging ropesiii. Elevators1. Allow for things to emerge from below the stage c. Audience is seated right in front of the stagei. Easier for directors and actors to be aware of the audience and tailor their performance towards themd. Proscenium stage’s utilization of Box Seti. A kind of design in which there are wallsii. Very detailed, lots of depth, and ceilings iii. Typically only used on Proscenium stages because it requires an audience that is directly in front of them e. Advantages and disadvantages of prosceniums i. Advantages: 1. Large space makes for intricate set designs2. Offers the greatest potential and flexibility for scenic designa. Paradoxically, since the audience is only seeing a performance from one side it may appear to have more detail but may actually only have to use props and designs that look detailed from one angleii. Disadvantages: 1. Some audience members have a poorer experience because of the arrangement of seatsa. People in the back may experience a flattening, or 2-dimensional effect because they cannot see or hear as welli. Alienating4. Thrust Stagea. Audience sits surrounding the stage on three sidesb. Advantages and disadvantages of thrust stagesi. Advantages1. Offers a more intimate relationship with the audiencea. Invites audience into the environment2. Lower costsii. Disadvantages1. Design, acting, and staging needs to work in three different directions 2. Restricted scenerya. No off-stage storageb. Limited capability for scene changesc. No act curtaini. Scene changes occur in full view of the audience3. Often limited fly space4. Scenery, props, costumes, and sound have to be more realistic5. More challenging to light6. Smaller spacea. Musicals have to be smaller productionsi. No place to put a giant orchestra5. Arena Stagea. Often called theatre-in-the-round or a stadiumb. Spectators surround the stage on all sidesc. Advantages and disadvantages of Arena Stagesi. Advantages1. Proximity of the audience can help spectators feel more involved in the play2. Requires limited scenery3. More audience members can feel like they are in the “front row”4. Audience focus is directed to the costumes, lighting, directing, and actinga. As opposed to the set design5. Not as costlya. Ideal for a small budgetii. Disadvantages1. Requires greater detail and expressiveness in all production elements2. Sightline problemsa. Sightline is the line-of-sight between an audience and a productionb. To ensure optimal sightlines for audience on all sides, only limited scenery can be usedi. Cannot use scenery that is too tall and could potentially block the view of the audience on one or more sides3. No fly space4. Actors will always have their backs to one side of the audience at any given timea. Directors must work on staging in diagonals as opposed to straight lines in order to improve visibility 5. Blocking difficultiesa. Special demands are placed on director’s staging and production’s designi. Staging has to work from all angles of the audience6. Designer must suggest set with minimal detailsa. Because there is minimal set design due to producers avoiding potentially blocking sightline of audience, producers are forced to rely on accent pieces to convey the locale, period, mood, and style of the productioni. Often rely on costumes7. Scene changes cannot be hiddena. Often done in semi-darkness 8. Difficult to light6. Black Box Stagea. Also called Flexible Stageb. No defined rules about the relationship between the audience and the actorsi. They can mix in dynamic waysc. Advantages and Disadvantages of Black Box Stagesi. Advantages1. There is no one prescribed design of black box stages a. Directors have options 2. Small and intimate3. Low costii. Disadvantages 1. Because it is so small:a. Limited lighting & scenery capabilityb. Blocking difficulties 2. Props and costumes have to be more


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