What are specific differences between the two productions? (know for midterm)How do these two productions feel different?Which production was more effective?Cobb Version-much more quieter; not as much emotion from Willy; older cast;Hoffman-more energyVisual Differences:physical features of the actorsHoffman=smaller; Cobbs=largersets were different—coloring was differentLee Cobb version was an ‘older’ versionDustin’s—more Victorian versionCobb—more drabWilly was older in the Cobb’s version—more helpless; frail; vulnerableHoffman-rocket/angry manCobbs=more rugged versionDifferent styles of acting—cobb=more subtler toneStature of the actor—affect the relationship between Willy and BiffLinda had a bigger participation in the newer version (Hoffman’s)More action in the Hoffman versionWhat is Theater?How to watch a playTheatre etiquetteGoing to theater vs. filmCostFilm is cheaperAccessibility/AvailabilityAdvanced planningAdvertising (lack thereof for thet)“The Graying of the American Audience”Audiences getting olderCelebritiesSpecial EffectsVisual Culture-MoviesAudio Culture-ThetWhy do we study theater?Important art formUniversality of theaterAll cultures have some sort of theatrical performance; gives us insight into cultureTheatrical ImpulseAristotle The Poetics (335 BC)Innate mimetic desire in humans; we want to imitateMimesis=imitationTheater is part of how we understand lifeDefinition of TheatreMust have…A. ActorB. StoryC. AudienceEric Bentley “A performs B for C”D. “Liveness”Communication Interaction ModelSenderMessageReceiverFeedbackSenderActivity: Similarities and Differences Between Theatre and…Jugglers-performing for someone, no storyBallet-performing for someone, no speaking in balletDramaFootball-crowd, undetermined outcomeFilm-story, always the same1. Theatre requires action2. Theater requires a spaceTheatron=seeing place3. Theatre uses actorsactor is a performer who impersonates4. Theatre relies on “liveness”5. Theatre is ephemeral, constantly changingonce the moment passes, it’s gone—you can never recapture the moment6. Theatre is hybrid form7. Theatre is a collaborative artHow do audiences negotiate the theatre event?Theatrical ConventionsRules, practices or shorthand that audiences agrees to accept while in the theatreWilling Suspension of DisbeliefAlthough audiences know the events of a place are not real, they agree for the moment not to disbelieve themWilling to believe the theatrical conventionsIf you are pulled out, that’s when you know something has gone wrong in the theatre—you don’t believe in the world going on anymoreAesthetic DistanceProtects us from our willing suspension of disbeliefAudiences remember that events on stage are not real so they do not interveneHow to think critically about the performanceThe theatrical production is the sum of a set of choices:PlaywrightArtistic DirectorCEO of non-profit theatreWhich plays to produceMake a political statementPersonal preferenceBring in an audience/make moneyDirector—“director’s concept”Putting in/ highlighting themesDesignersActorsBoth driven by the director’s conceptDirector’s changing the meaning of the showAs an audience member you should ask yourself: what are the choices made by all people involved with the production and how well do they work?What was attempted?Was it accomplished?Was it valuable?Acting—an explanation of acting…Actor as an ImitatorActing is imitatingTheatre born out of man’s innate desire to imitateActor is the messengerActor is the only theatre artist that the audience seesLiving presence of actor is the most essential element of audience’s experienceThe face of the showWhat it takes to be an actor, actor’s production process and how to evaluate an actor’s performanceKonstantin Stanislavski—“truthful living under imaginary circumstances”Russian director and actorDeveloped system of acting—goal is realistic portrayal of characterMost taught acting system in the USFoundation of modern acting techniqueWhat it takes to be an actor…Acting skill is mixture of 3 basic ingredients:Innate abilityTrainingPracticeTalent usually not enough in itselfSkills need nurturing and development through extensive training and repeated application in performanceThe Actor’s instrumentBody & Voice togetherFlexibleDisciplinedExpressiveSkills and abilities actors cultivate:ImaginationConcentrationPsychological responsiveness to nurture these abilities, actors may pursue training dancing, fencing singing and other skillsOptions for actor training:college or university programsconservatory or acting schoolindividual classesProduction ProcessAuditionsOpen auditions and cattle callsClosed auditions and interviews—invite only/restrictionsEquity members (actors union)Cold readings vs. Prepared MonologuesCall Backs—after 1st roundAdditional sills—dance and musicRehearsalsTable read/ read-throughWorking rehearsalsScene by scene; not necessarily in orderRunning rehearsals/ run-throughsTech rehearsals/ dress rehearsalsOpening night!Creating a RoleActor’s skills combined with a script/performance text equals the actor’s choicesSustaining a PerformanceTechniqueInvestment in the world of the play: the imaginary location, time period, situationThe actor must be committed to the world the entire durationReliance on given circumstancesInformation that the playwright provides in the script4 levels of characterization:BiologicalGender, age, appearance, condition of healthSociologicalProfession, social class, economic status, family background, standing in communityPsychologicalAttitudes, likes, dislikes, general emotional makeup, motivations, goalsEthicalSystem of values, choices when faced, crises and conflictssome of these are given circumstances others are actor’s choicesActing Terminology:(Super) Objective: the ultimate goal a character is striving forObstacle: that which blocks the character from attaining their goalIntention: what the character wants from another characterTactic: the device or the way a character gets over the obstacleMotivation: an internal force that compels the character to actEvaluating a Performance:Don’t shoot the messengerBasic TechniqueCould you hear and understand him/her?BelievabilityDid you buy it?Were the actors convincing in their roles?Which is it? Theatre or theatre?They're both rightTheatre EtiquetteWhat do you hate in the theatre?Before the PerformanceDressDress code
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