THET110 08 31 2011 Lecture 1 September 7 2011 Why do we go to the movies more frequently than theatre Cost Accessibility Visual Advertisement o Problem The Graying of the American Audience Why do we study theatre Universality of Theatre Theatrical Impulse o Aristotle The Poetics 335 BC o Innate mimetic desire in humans o mimesis imitation The definition of Theatre Theatre must have a n o Actor o Story o Audience o Liveness Communication Interaction Model o Sender message receiver feedback Theatre requires action Theatre uses actors an actor is a performer who impersonates Theatre is a hybrid form Theatre is a collaborative art Theatre relies on liveness Theatre requires a space o Theatron seeing place Theatre is ephemeral Three Way Theatrical Interaction Performers Audience Audience Performers Audience Audience How do audiences negotiate the theatre event Theatrical Conventions rules practices or shorthand that audiences Willing Suspension of Disbelief Although audiences know the events of a play are not real they agree for the moment not to agree to accept disbelieve them Aesthetic Distance audiences remember that events on stage are not real so they do not intervene Theatre Etiquette Before o Appropriate dress o Arrive early o Read the program During o Avoid noise o No food or candy wrappers o No talking singing phones After o No early departures o Standing ovations o Three Block Rule Lecture 2 September 12 2011 How to think critically about performance The theatre production is the o SUM OF A SET OF CHOICES o Playwright o Artistic Director o Director Director s concept what do you want that piece to say o Designers o Actors As an audience member you should ask yourself o What are the choices made by all the people involved with the production and how well do they work o What was attempted Was it accomplished Was it valuable Lecture 3 September 14 2011 History of Directing Richard Wagner 1813 1883 wanted people to be fully engulfed Wanted unified production gesam kunstwerk potential extra credit Director s Concept or Thematic Thrust Overall image or metaphor for the play Director s three main jobs o Interpretation o Unification o Communication Lecture 4 September 19 2011 The Playwright Where do you start Image Character Story Location Just a line Action and Conflict Action is a series of events Conflict is the soul of drama Drama happens when a character wants something and meets obstacles Super objective main thing the actor wants Theme An abstract concept which part or all of a play is about The world of the play must be understandable and complete with its The World of the Play own logic and rules Character which is revealed Through how a character interacts with others Through what others say and do in relation to the character Through a character s actions Good playwrights show instead of tell Language Reveals information about characters Helps create the world of the play Plot and Structure Plot vs Story o Plot is the ordering of incidents in the play Three major types of plots o Climatic Linear o Episodic o Cyclical Dramaturgy Established and New Plays On an established play o Research o Ask questions o Defend text o Program Notes and Lobby Display o Pre or post show discussions On a new play o Helps playwright refine script o Direct Staged Readings o Pre or Post Show discussions Translation Problems with translation Every translation is also an adaptation o Meaning o Tone o Poetry Death of a Salesman Willy version colorful What are the specific different between the two productions o Biff was more loving of his father in the earlier version whereas it seemed as if Biff had much more contempt for o Willy moved around much more in the 85 version Took a couple laps around the kitchen o In later version Willy is much more emotional o More of a build up in the 66 version but Dustin Hoffman comes out right away yelling How do these two productions feel different o Willy was smaller and not a strong voice in Dustin Hoffman o 66 version was more homey More stuff in the house more o Family more involved in the older one compared to new one o Early version sad New version anger o Willy was passive aggressive and more senile in the 66 version not as engaged o Willy more stubborn in the Hoffman version Which production was more effective Why o 66 was more effective because there was more physicality o Dustin Hoffman more effective because of the intense anger that the family has for Willy Lecture 5 September 21 2011 Acting What is Acting o Embodying a script What is Good Acting Bad Acting Definitions of Acting Sanford Meisner Acting is living truthfully under imaginary given circumstances The thing about performance even if it s only an illusion is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities Daniel Day Lewis Usually in a battle sequence when a bomb is going off you forget you re acting Charlie Sheen Primary Responsibilities of the Actor Study the text Maintain flexible mind body voice Work collaboratively Contribute creatively to the rehearsal process Skills of the Actor Actor Training Focus and Concentration Openness and Neutrality Discipline and Relaxation Curiosity and Playfulness THICK SKIN Approaches to Acting Internal Approach External Approach Internal Approach to Acting Definition identifying as closely as possible with the emotional life of the character portrayed Konstantin Stanislavsky 1863 1938 o Russian Theatre Director and Actor o Developed a system for acting o Most taught acting system in America Key Terms o Given Circumstances o Personalization o Intention Objective Super Objective External Approaches to Acting Definition Shaping character by making conscious physical and vocal choices Anna Deavere Smith 1950 o Playwright performer teacher o Walking in another s shoes o say a word enough and it becomes you Actors The Production Process Audtitions o Open Auditions and Cattle Calls o Closed Audition and Interviews o Cold Readings v Monologues o Call Backs o Additional Skills Dance and Music Rehearsals It s A Hard Knock Life An actors pay dogshit Lecture 6 September 26 2011 Blake Robinson Artistic Director of Round House Theatre Theatre major in college Started out as an actor Earned MFA Master of Fine Arts Moved to NYC to act Started a theatre in home state of Vermont Self declared artistic director after theater in Vermont took off Been in DC for 7 years JOB OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Oversees casting Development of
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