Stage CombatStage Rules- Safety Firsto Most sacred of all ruleso Very slow motions, in reality stage combat is the most carefully choreographed in the entire showo Most dangerous move is a slap- Good partneringo Evenly matched in both skills and strengtho Work well together on stage Left handed vs. right handed people- Create the illusion of violenceo Not real combat on stageo Looks realThe Purpose of Stage Combat, Stage Violence should:- Tell a story- Have a logical physical dialogueo Giving the finger vs. punching someone (don’t go hand in hand), violence must be escalating, etc.- Support the conflicto Develop the plot, and defining the character o Re-enforce and help escalate the conflictPirates of the Carribbeann clip:- Multiple levels of intensity, raising the stakes- Painting the characters for a gradual build for violence, with the dialogued and pushing characters to violent acts. They pull objects from around you to create more violence.- Points the sword in his face, hitting swords against each other, throws sword towards door at him, continuously talk throughout the scene to each otherStage Combat Weapons- Unarmedo Hand to hand combat- Broadswordo Huge sword, ala highlander or lord of rings, olden days- Quarterstaffo Long hard stick- Rapier & Daggero Long sword & short sword, use them together, pair long sword for thrusting into opponent and the dagger works as a shield. Popular form- Sword and Shieldo Knights gallivanting with sword and shield, olden days- Smallswordo Small sword- Knifeo Dull knife or knife that retracts so you can stab someone and it retracts- Firearmso Carefully certified with an expert and training teams, never EVER point a firearm at the audienceThe Process – acting:- Objectiveso Do the characters want a hug, an apology, etc? What do you want?- Intentions & Maintaining the illusiono Movements on stage provide to creating the illusion, example wind upyour arm to show that your going to hit somebody- Sound (knap, voice)o Knap – screams that happen when you’re using violence, range of vocal quality (lower pitch and higher pitch)- Reaction- Vocals and Sound effects demonstrated by Chantel King and Jedediah Roeo Showing reaction to the bit of violence that happensTheatre & Social Change“the theatre, when it is good, it’s always dangerous.” Hallie FlanaganSocial Drama is theatre for social change.*****Characteristics- Individual vs. societyo Individual against society at large or what the society thinks- Social Illso Focus on question of what it is that is wrong in society?- Question of Moralityo At some point main characters faced with a question of what is moral and what is not? Question of what is right, what is wrong?o Also comes up, question of morality of individual vs. morality of society***Social Drama, MOST FAMOUS SOCIAL DRAMA, Clifford Odet’s, “ Waiting for Lefty ”, came up in the 1930’s, focuses on NYC cab drivers and how they cannot pay bills or support their families, etc because of poor wages and nasty labor practices going on. Group against society at large. What is it that happens when there is anentire group of people that cannot support themselves because society is not giving them the funds to survive.Examples of Social Drama:- Most of the Greek theatre- August Wilson & The Pittsburgh Cycle (Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Piano Lesson, etc.)- Uncle Tom's Cabin (George Aiken/Harriet Beecher Stowe)- Amiri Baraka (Dutchman)o African American man killed on subway train by a white woman- Lorraine Hansberry (Raisin in the Sun)- Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman)o Social ills, social responsibilitieso “attention must be paid to this man who is trying and had something horrible happen to him”- The complete piece that you will see in class this week - El Teatro Campesino & Luis Valdez's Los VendidosRealismSetting the Stage for Realism- Industrial Revolution (c. 1780-1830s & c. 1850s) – cause the world to shift to radically urbanization – rise of factories and class system – take away people’s independence to monotaneous jobs, office jobs, rebellion happenso Steam powered shipso Railroado Electricityo Urbanization- Iconoclasts – a person who attacks cherished beliefs or instituionso Marx Communist manifesto, “the history to the…class struggles” classism is destined for failureo Freud Beginning of psychology, theories of unconscious mind, the ediple complex (based of Sophocles, Oedipus rex), o Darwin Huge naturalist, advocated natural selection, evolution (understand the world)- All 3 question the way of the world, set the stage for realismo Sociology (August Comte) – study of sociology, desire to study the kind of things that are causing problems, why do people react in certain ways?Realism (Mid 19th Century-?) –o “truth”o won’t see actual reality on stage, you see a representation of realityo The 4th wallo Theatrical convention, invisible wall in front of the stage in, forms a barrier between audience and the actors on stage, we look in and are snooping in on whats happening on stage Breaking the 4th wall, actors cross the barrier, when an actor is talking to the audience he is breaking the 4th wallo Middle Class – relates to realismo Social Problems & Questionso Nature vs. Nurture Heredity vs. Enviroment, what exactly is causing actions, what is sculpting personality, how much is your personality based off of your environment? How can you be responsible for your own actions?o Long term effect on theatreo Example: House, M.D.o Real things, depicted in a way that’s just not a visit to the ER, created in a way that its dramatic and excitingo Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) – “the father of realism”o “A Doll House” (1879) woman married to a man who does not treat her like a person, treats her like a possession or a “doll” she steps into her own and controls her own life and decisions, so she decides she cannot be married to him anymore, she leaves “the door slam heard around the world” – hear this at the end of the play as the woman walks out on her husband and family A doll’s house clip – woman is scuffling for the mail since she is hiding the note she left her husband so she can leave him, she distracts her husband by dancing for him, she is not good enoughResponses to Realism Begin with Social & Economic Disastero WW1 (1914-1918)-“the war to end all wars”o Economic Depression (1920’s-1930’s) – both in US and Europeo WW2