Study Theatre Guide Test 1People and Contributions Robert Edmund Jones-left the US and then returned bringing European culture back to US. - first theory-Spontaneous Inspiration...The Dramatic Imagination-story of the first play. Ook being the lion..Theories a sort of spontaneous event where Ook has a lightbulb moment. The idea of theatre was born in a moment of pure inspiration. Joseph Campbell- theory about the origins of theatre- tendency to create myth and rituals out of life's crises and mysteries. mythologist and anthropologist who created the second theory. Imitation to Ritual. Theory about the origins of theatre begins with the human capacity to imitate and fantasize, which leads to the ability to create myth and ritual. Children mimicking adults. Aristotle-wrote The Poetics. Said Thespis was the 1st Greek performer to change dithyramb into drama. Stepping out- theatre evolved out of religious rituals known as dithyrambs(the entire community gathering on occasion to sing and chant in unison)Thespis stepped forward and began speaking to the community. Went from group monologue to a dialogue crated between speaker and community. Bharata- Hindu theorist revealed the origins of Sanskrit dance drama. A divine gift. What theatre is and what it should be. Natrya Sastra. Athol Fugard-wrote Master Harold and the Boys. Has a racially mixed acting company despite Apartheid laws. Many of his plays were banned in South Africa and performed elsewhere. All his plays deal with the politics of apartheid. Also focus on tiny miracles, disasters, and triumphs of the ordinary individual. Sanford Meisner-founder of the Neighborhood Playhouse. All work between partners. Protg of Stanislavski- developed a system of repetition to help actors have honest observations and behavior. Lee Strasburg- acting teacher. mentor to film stars. Developed The Method- placed emphasis on emotion memory. Developed relaxation processes that are now widely used as warm-ups. Also developed concentration techniques. Stanislavski-developed an actor training regimen. The System-20 crucial elements. First 10 are questions actors ask themselves for any scene. The last 10 are elements for the whole play. Francois DelsarteDavid Henry Hwang- wrote M. Butterfly. His plays explore themes including love, politics, and generational conflicts, also about the American Immigrant Experience. Wrote for films and tv.
Stella Adler- creation of character through evidence in the script. Had the actor put himself in the place of the character. Developed Paraphrasing: trying to do lines that are similar to, but the not actual ones, creating a sense of newness in the text. Terms Origin Theories- spontaneous inspiration, imitation of ritual(Joseph Campbell), setting out(Aristotle), theory of divine gifts(Bharata) Conventions-rules to the game. Established by production. Audience must accept conventions to enjoy it. Things that aren't real that the audience must pretend are real. Ex) watching tv on nothing The Method- a technique for teaching acting Exposition- the events that happen before the point of attack(shown by stories) Inciting incident- event that makes the story worth telling. Changes the nature and tone of the day or life being portrayed in the play. Makes this day different from any other one. Rising action- leads to climax. Increase tension. The central conflict is intensified complicated. and Stem from the inciting incident and leads to the climax. Climax- resolution of the play. Tying up of loose ends. Final confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist. We learn the purpose of telling the tale. Fourth wall- imaginary line between stage and audience-audience is in the dark. No interaction Aside-when a character has to step through the fourth wall to tell us something and then steps back like it never happened.-almost always telling the truth. Monologue-when one person speaks without being interrupted Soliloquy-a characters thoughts spoken out loud. Other characters cant hear him Point of attack-where the writer begins the story. Protagonist-the central character Antagonist-person in conflict with the protagonist Forshadowing-used to create suspense-Lets us know something is about to happen. Medium-the raw materials-Picking what kind of theatre it is(media vs. live theatre)
Mode-picking between comic or tragic mode. Comic(something is wrong but characters will find a better place or make the best of situation.) tragic mode- the world is thrown out of order by the actions of others Natrya Sastra- Bharata was essentially trying to identify about what theatre is and what it should be. Attempt to reach beyond the natural world
Plays
Ogun's Sacrifice-the first play Characters: griot (narrator) Obatala- creator or consciousness. Drinks too much and that is how he creases blind or lame people Babale Aye-the god of suffering teaches people to cope with misfortune Ogun- the warrior god, the first actor. The dispenser of justice both gentle and harsh. Obatala makes all the people. Ogun noticed sadness is his fellow gods. They want to have the humans in their lives. Want to rid of the great abyss that separates them. Ogun agrees to go through the abyss, but obatala cant go because he is creating all the people. Babalu Aye said that suffering should be endured and we cant change life. Ogun wanted to do whatever it would take tp bring everyone together. Ogun jumps into the abyss, he was torn and shredded but he endured. After many days, he landed att he bottom and shattered into 1000 pieces. He the resurrects himself and starts to climb up the other side of the abyss and asks the other gods to follow him. Themes: the suffering of a people, the rise of a hero, the willingness to sacrifice for the good of others.
Uzume's Trance Narrator Amateratsu, Sun Goddess Consort/Boulder Elders Children Uzume Plot: Consort told Amateratsu that she looked old. She turned him into a boulder and said she couldn't shine anymore and that she was going into a cave and never coming out. People began to suffer because there was no sunlight. Crops died, people were hungry. Elders tried to get her
out, they tried everything! She refused to get out. The people sat and waited to die. Uzume, a young goddess began to dance and sing. The people began to smile and clap to her song. She shows everyone her underpants and the people begin to laugh. Finally Amateratsu looks and she too begins to laugh. They show her how beautiful she is in a mirror and she left the cave and went back to the sky. Themes: healing power of comedy The link between sex and comedy The necessity for female energy in some performance traditions The satisfaction derived from ancient and enduring traditions
Also know: Master Harold and the boys M. Butterfly