Why do we go to movies more often than the theater?CostAccessibilityVisualAdvertisementPROBLEM: “The Greying of the American Audience” leading to theaterstrying to be edgierWhy do we study theater?Universality of theaterInnate mimetic desire in humansMimesis=imitationThe definition of theater:Theater must have:1 ) An actor2) A story/text3) An audience1 performs 2 for 3“liveliness”Communication Interaction Model: Message sender receiver feedback 3-Way Theatrical Interactionperformers audienceaudience performersaudience audiencetheater is ephemeral: lasting only temporarilyHow audiences negotiate theaterTheatrical ConventionRules, practices, or shorthand that audiences agree to acceptWilling suspension of disbeliefAlthough audiences know the events of a play are not real, they agree for the moment to not disbelieve themAesthetic DistanceAudiences remember that events on stage are not real so they do not interveneBEFORE:Appropriate dressArrive earlyRead programDURING:Avoid noiseSite linesNo food or wrappers!No talking, or singingNo phonesAFTER:No early departuresStanding ovations---only when necessary“The Three-Block Rule”---don’t talk about the performance until you are far awayHow to think critically about a playThe theater production is the sum of a set of choices:PlaywrightArtistic directorDirector“Director’s Concept” --- how the director visualizes individual productionsDirector cannot change script of a play, but can change stage directionsDesignersActorsAs an audience member, ask yourself:What choices were made by the people involved? How and when do they work?What was attempted? Was it accomplished? Is it valuable?History of DirectingRichard Wagner (1813-1883)Wrote operas (German)Unified production (Gesam Kunstwerk—German)Called a “Master Artist”Prior to Wagner (before 19th cent.) it is most likely that actors used to direct themselvesDirectors Concept/Thematic ThrustOverall image or metaphor for the playThe directors main jobs are:InterpretationUnificationCommunicationGUEST LECTURER-SCOT REESE (director):What made you decide to work as an actor/director?Music major and theater minor from IllinoisWent to UCLADid soap operas in LAMoved to NYDid BroadwayDaytime on “The Today Show” won an Emmy AwardMoved to Chicago to directMoved to Maryland for the great theater sceneWhat do you see as the job of a director?Interpreter: read and analyze play to interpret it for performanceUnification: collaboration to have a unified theme/conceptCommunicator: communicate with the audienceWhat is the process a director goes through?Hired by an artistic directorHas to be interviewed about his/her vision of the playGets a timeline for the meetings with the theater(3-6 months before play) research about play (bio of playwright, books, movies, articles, etc.)Read the play as many times as necessaryPresent researched information to the designersbreak for 2 weeks for designers to do researchDesigners present researchFind actors:Casting Calls (invited auditions and open auditions)Call backsUnderstudy: shadows specific part incase actor cannot perform4 weeks to put on the showRehearse in open space, not on real stage2 weeks in---designers come in3rd week--- run throughs4th week---move into theaterrehearse 3-4 days on stagetech-rehearsaldress rehearsal/invited dress rehearsalPreview is open to public. Invited dress rehearsal must be invitedShow opensStage manager directs show after opening nightDidactic playwright= teaches; has lesson within play (ex-Arthur Miller)Where do you start?ImageCharacterLocationStoryJust a lineAction and ConflictAction: series of eventsDrama only occurs when a character wants something (objectives), but meets obstacles that he must overcome (tactics)ThemeAn abstract concept which part or all of a play is “about”The World of the PlayThe “world of the play” must be understandable and complete with its own rules and logicCharacterRevealed through:Through how a character interacts with othersThrough a characters actionsThrough what others say and do in relation to the characterLanguageReveals info. about charactersHelps create a world of playPlot and StructurePlot vs. StoryPlot is the ordering of events/incidents in the playStory is the play as a wholeThree major plot types:Climatic/linear= cause and effect basedEpisodic= doesn’t have to happen in a specific order (no cause or effect)Cyclical= begins and ends in the same wayTranslation“Every translation is also an adaptation”Problems with translation: meaning, tone, poetry, etc.DEATH OF A SALESMAN (Dustin Hoffman version vs. Lee J. Cobb version)1) What are specific differences between the productions?Dustin Hoffman is much smaller than his sons, making him look weaker and more vulnerable; while Cobb is about the same size as his sonsScenery in Hoffman version is very bland and grey; Cobb version looks more real with painted walls and props to look like a real homeHoffman was much more aggressive and seemed to slur more; Cobb looked like he was loosing it by his outfit (confused, messy), but seemed more calm at certain points2) How do these productions feel different?Hoffman version is much more intense and aggressive and physicalCobb version is calmer, yet seems more realistic3) Which version is more effective?Is actually a personal preference, but:Hoffman version has a more modern father/son relationship with Biff and Willy yelling at each otherMothers interaction in Cobb version is believable (cries, and tried to step in)DRAMATURGYDramaturge—works on new plays or established plays to help create a communication between the play the playwright and the audienceEstablishedResearchAsk questionsDefend textProgram Notes and Lobby DisplayPre- or post show discussionsNew PlaysHelps playwright refine scriptDirect staged readingsPre- or post show discussionsHow he got into acting:Took high school theaterStudied it in collegeMoved to NY after undergradWorked at bookstore called the “Drama Book Store”Realized acting is about “studying people”acting is “physical sympathy” and is the “study of people”Questions to Ponder:What is acting?Impersonation of a characterWhat makes good acting and bad acting?Good acting: actor needs to suspend their disbeliefTransformative acting: “dissolve yourself into the character”Bad acting: when the audience can’t separate the actor from the characterDifferences between theatre acting and film
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