Lecture 1Why do we go to movies more frequently than theatre?CostAccessibilityVisualAdvertisementWhy do we study theatre?Universality of theatreTheatrical ImpulseAristotle The Poetics (335 BC)Innate mimetic desire in humans“mimesis”=imitationThe Definition of TheatreTheatre must haveActorStoryAudience“Liveness”3 Way Theatrical InteractionPerformers AudienceAudience PerformerAudience AudienceTheatre CharacteristicsTheatre is a collaborative areTheatre relies on “liveness”Theatre is ephemeral (short lived)How do Audiences Negotiate the Theatre Event?Theatrical ConventionsRules, practices, or shorthand that audiences agrees to acceptWilling Suspension of DisbeliefAlthough audiences know the events of a play are not real, the agree for the moment not to disbelieve themAesthetic DistanceAudiences remember that events on stage are not real so they do not interveneTheatre EtiquetteBeforeAppropriate Dress-Business CasualArrive EarlyRead ProgramDuringAvoid NoiseNo food/candy wrappersLecture 2How to Think Critically About a PerformanceThe theatre production is the:Sum of a set of choicesPlaywrightArtistic DirectorDirector-“Directors Concept”DesignersActorsAs and 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?Lecture 3History DirectingRichard Wagner (1813-1883)Needs a unified production (gesam kunstwerk)Master artistDirector’s Concept or Thematic ThrustOverall image or metaphor for the play that the director wants to conveyDirector’s 3 Main Jobs:InterpretationUnificationCommunicationInterview with Professor Scot ReeseDirector’s Job:Read and analyze the play to create a concept for thematic thrustDetermine if the play is right for youCollaborate with all involved in play (community included)Process a director goes throughGiven a script/hired by artistic directorThink about script for 3 months and researchMeet with producers/artistic designers to present the research that you’ve done and present the concept that you have for the playKnow biography and background about playwright, what plays they have done beforeResearch plays, films and music of that time period for ideas, themes and overall conceptNext meeting, the designers present their research and ideas a week later to get everyone to create a unified productionThird Meeting: The designers start bringing sketches, ground plans, and rendered ideasMore Money=Less Time, Less Money=More TimeNext up is auditions: A week to two weeks long, whittle the group down, callbacksAfter actors are chosen, the actors read through the script at a “table read”Part of the table read is a question and answer section between the actors and directorIn the first rehearsal gives actors some semblance of freedom and interpretation in their roleTwo weeks in everyone has to be memorized, no scripts, start running through the play in fullAfter start going through the play with most of the stage, and costumesTechnical rehearsals-Go through the play with the stage manager running through the playThen dress rehearsals has everything that the real play will haveHave a preview show to get feedbackAfter show opens, the director is done, the stage manager runs itLecture 4The PlaywrightWhere do you start?ImageCharacterStoryJust a lineLocationAction and ConflictAction is a series of eventsConflict is the soul of dramaDrama happens when a character wants something and meets obstaclesSuper ObjectiveThe main thing that the actor wantsThemeAn 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 logic and rulesCharacter, which is revealed…Through how a character interacts with othersThrough what others say and do in relation to the characterThrough a character’s actionsGood playwrights show instead of tellLanguageReveals information about charactersHelps create the world of the playPlot and StructurePlot vs. StoryPlot is the ordering of the incidents in the playThree major types of plotsClimatic/LinearEpisodicCyclicalDramaturgy: Established and New PlaysOn an established play:ResearchAsk questionsDefend textProgram notes and lobby displayPre or post show discussionsOn a new play:Helps playwright refine scriptDirect staged readingPre or post show discussionsTransition“Every translation is also an adaptation”Problems with translationMeaningTonePoetryDeath of SalesmanWhat are the specific differences between the two productionsHow do these productions feel differentWhich production was more effectiveLecture 5ActingWhat is acting?What is good/bad acting?Differences between theater acting and film acting?Definitions of actingActing is living truthfully under imaginary given circumstances. –Sanford MeisnerThe thing about performance, even if its only an illusion, is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities.-Daniel Day LewisUsually in a battle sequence when a bomb is going off, you forget you’re acting.-Charlie SheenPrimary Responsibilities of the ActorStudy the textMaintain flexible body, mind and voiceWork collaborativelyContribute creatively to the rehearsal processSkills of the Actor/Actor TrainingFocus & ConcentrationOpenness & NeutralityDiscipline & RelaxationCuriosity & PlayfulnessThick SkinApproaches to ActingInternal ApproachIndentifying as closely as possible with the emotional life of the character portrayedKonstantin Stainslavsky (1863-1938)Russian Theatre Director & ActorDeveloped a “system” for actingMost taught acting system in AmericaKey TermsGiven CircumstancesPersonalizationIntention, Objective, Super ObjectiveExternal ApproachShaping character by making conscious physical and vocal choicesAnna Deavere Smith (1950-)Playwright, performer, teacherWalking in another’s shoes“…say a word enough, and it becomes you.”Actors and the Production ProcessAuditionsOpen Auditions & Cattle CallsClosed Auditions & InterviewsCold Readings v. MonologuesCall BacksAdditional SkillsActor’s LifeActors’ Equity Association (AEA)Professional Union for ActorsUnemploymentMaintaining contacts/networkingMaintaining skills/acquiring skillsLecture 6Blake Robison-Artistic Director of Round House TheaterTheater major in collegeEarned a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts)Moved to NYC to actStarted his own theater company (Vermont Stage Company), self
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