Death of a Salesman 11 12 2012 19 24 00 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 energy Visual Differences sets were different coloring was different physical features of the actors Hoffman smaller Cobbs larger Lee Cobb version was an older version Dustin s more Victorian version Cobb more drab Willy was older in the Cobb s version more helpless frail vulnerable Hoffman rocket angry man Cobbs more rugged version Different styles of acting cobb more subtler tone Stature of the actor affect the relationship between Willy and Biff Linda had a bigger participation in the newer version Hoffman s More action in the Hoffman version What is Theater What is Theater 12 11 2012 07 24 00 PM How to watch a play Theatre etiquette Going to theater vs film Cost o Film is cheaper Accessibility Availability Advanced planning Advertising lack thereof for thet o The Graying of the American Audience o Audiences getting older Celebrities Special Effects o Visual Culture Movies o Audio Culture Thet Why do we study theater Important art form Universality of theater us insight into culture Theatrical Impulse o All cultures have some sort of theatrical performance gives Innate mimetic desire in humans we want to imitate o Aristotle The Poetics 335 BC Mimesis imitation Theater is part of how we understand life Definition of Theatre Must have o A Actor o B Story o C Audience o D Liveness Eric Bentley A performs B for C Communication Interaction Model o Sender Message Receiver Feedback Sender Jugglers performing for someone no story Activity Similarities and Differences Between Theatre and Ballet performing for someone no speaking in ballet Drama Football crowd undetermined outcome Film story always the same 1 Theatre requires action 2 Theater requires a space Theatron seeing place 3 Theatre uses actors actor is a performer who impersonates 4 Theatre relies on liveness 5 Theatre is ephemeral constantly changing once the moment passes it s gone you can never recapture the moment 6 Theatre is hybrid form 7 Theatre is a collaborative art How do audiences negotiate the theatre event Theatrical Conventions o Rules practices or shorthand that audiences agrees to accept while in the theatre Willing Suspension of Disbelief o Although audiences know the events of a place are not real they agree for the moment not to disbelieve them o Willing to believe the theatrical conventions o If 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 anymore Aesthetic Distance o Protects us from our willing suspension of disbelief o Audiences remember that events on stage are not real so they do not intervene How to think critically about the performance The theatrical production is the sum of a set of choices o Playwright o Artistic Director CEO of non profit theatre Which plays to produce Make a political statement Personal preference Bring in an audience make money o Director director s concept Putting in highlighting themes o Designers o Actors Both driven by the director s concept Director s changing the meaning of the show As 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 o What was attempted o Was it accomplished o Was it valuable Acting 11 12 2012 19 24 00 Acting an explanation of acting Actor as an Imitator o Acting is imitating o Theatre born out of man s innate desire to imitate Actor is the messenger o Actor is the only theatre artist that the audience sees o Living presence of actor is the most essential element of audience s experience o The face of the show What it takes to be an actor actor s production process and how to evaluate an actor s performance Konstantin Stanislavski truthful living under imaginary circumstances o Russian director and actor o Developed system of acting goal is realistic portrayal of character o Most taught acting system in the US o Foundation of modern acting technique What it takes to be an actor Acting skill is mixture of 3 basic ingredients o Innate ability o Training o Practice Talent usually not enough in itself Skills need nurturing and development through extensive training and repeated application in performance The Actor s instrument o Body Voice together Flexible Disciplined Expressive Skills and abilities actors cultivate o Imagination o Concentration o Psychological responsiveness o to nurture these abilities actors may pursue training dancing fencing singing and other skills Options for actor training o college or university programs o conservatory or acting school o individual classes Production Process o Auditions o Open auditions and cattle calls o Closed auditions and interviews invite only restrictions Equity members actors union o Cold readings vs Prepared Monologues o Call Backs after 1st round o Additional sills dance and music Rehearsals o Table read read through o Working rehearsals Scene by scene not necessarily in order o Running rehearsals run throughs o Tech rehearsals dress rehearsals o Opening night Creating a Role Actor s skills combined with a script performance text equals the actor s choices Sustaining a Performance o Technique period situation Investment in the world of the play the imaginary location time o The actor must be committed to the world the entire duration Reliance on given circumstances o Information that the playwright provides in the script 4 levels of characterization o Biological o Sociological Gender age appearance condition of health Profession social class economic status family background standing in community Attitudes likes dislikes general emotional makeup o Psychological motivations goals o Ethical conflicts choices System of values choices when faced crises and o some of these are given circumstances others are actor s Acting Terminology Super Objective the ultimate goal a character is striving for Obstacle that which blocks the character from attaining their goal Intention what the character wants from another character Tactic the device or the way a character gets over the obstacle Motivation an internal force that compels the character to act Evaluating a Performance Don t shoot the messenger Basic Technique o Could you hear and understand him her Believability o Did you buy
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