PJC Theater Appreciation 4

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December 30, 2023

  • ACTING: The 3 raw materials actors work with: -Text: The written words that make up the script. -Self- How the actor's voice, body, imagination, and discipline effect the performance. -Context: The circumstances in which the actor works. The time, the space, the other people, the physical circumstances of the settings and the costumes. Also the Audience.

December 30, 2023

  • TEXT: Text- The creative work that the playwright wrote, providing actors with much of the raw material for their performances. Gives clues about the character the actor must create. Actors must master the skill of analyzing a script in order to discover their character. 1. Stage directions- Character and mood descriptions given outside of the text. 2. What characters say about themselves 3. What characters say about other characters. 4. What characters do.

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  • Actor characteristics: Body: Physical Self -Young -Old -Tall -Short -ect. Voice: Audible self -Dialects -pitch -smokers voice -ect. Discipline: Professional Self -The actor's behavior personally and professionally Imagination: Mental Self -The actor "becoming the part" in essence embodying the character's mood, personality.

December 30, 2023

  • DIRECTING: Directing is actually a relatively new position in theatre. Theatre functioned for centuries without a director. The 18th Century: -Direction moved out of playwrights hands and into the hands of the actor. - Theatre was a new and profitable business -Decision made to move away from playwright intentions and toward what would sell tickets. ACTOR-Managers -Ran the business and were the main attractions -Directed the productions to suit their own egos -Playwrights would re-write the plays to ensure the actor-manager had the starring role. (Wow what brats lol)

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  • EVOLUTION OF THE DIRECTOR In the late 19th century -Power is taken from the actor-manager (haha good!) -A new position was introduced: The Director -They gave shape to the performance The first director was George, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1874) -He decided how plays would be produced, he interpreted the scripts, oversaw designs, told the actors where to go, what to do, what to say. He was meticulous in his concern for the details and was responsible for the idea of making a single, clear and artistic work.

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  • EVOLUTION CONTINUED: -The Duke's way of presenting plays spread like wild fire. -Two of the most influential directors of the time: Andre Antoine (France) & Constantine Stanislavski (Russia) Andre Antoine Founded the Theatre Libre aka (free theatre) in Paris. It was a place where artists were free from governmental supervision and artistic tradition. It became a model for small theatre companies across Europe and America.

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  • EVOLUTION CONTINUED: Constantine Stanislavski Founded the Moscow Art Theatre. It is still in operation today and established the Stanislavski system which embraced realism. He is the most influential director of the 20th century and is studied all over the world. His books are translated into just about every language. He brough an objectivity to theatre so that a coherent world was created for the audience.

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  • IMPORTANT DIRECTORS: Harold Prince- Holds the record for most Tony Awards (21) -Famous for concept musicals. -He structured the book and score around conveying a theme or message rather than emphasizing a plot. Vinette Carroll- First African American woman to direct on Broadway. Integral part of the creation of the gospel song-play theatre form. Artistic director and producer of the Vinnette Carroll Repertory Company until 2001. Julie Taymor- First woman to win a Tony Award for directing "The Lion King". -Began a career studying Japanese puppetry. -She directed films, designed costumes, stages and operas.

December 30, 2023

  • STYLES OF THEATRE Realism- Started in France and portrays realistic characters, situations, and dialogue. -Moved away from sensationalism and melodrama but still borrows from it. a. Major contributor was Henrik Ibsen -groundbreaking for the time -Known as the father of realism. b. Major contributor was Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty Antonin acted in surrealist films and co-ran the Theatre Alfred Jarry. He struggled with mental illness and addiction for most of his life. Had violent impulses and believed that theatre should be "more real than real life." Romanticism- The belief that truth is discovered through feeling the emotions of our idealized image of perfection. emphasizes: Emotion over interest, Nature over culture, Instinct over reason, humans are struck between earthly existence and a higher, spiritual existence, --Art moves us closer. Romanticism idealizes past, imagined future, historical eras, or mythical/magical timelines. A fairy tale is a good example of a romanticism. Star wars in another example. Theatricalism- Conventions of theatre are broken down -The fourth wall is destroyed (Actors can interact with the audience) Character's and plots are narrated. Simple costumes and lighting is exposed. a. Major contributor was Bertolt Brecht. -He created Epic Theatre (Theatre of Alienation) -He believed that theatre could create an intellectual climate for social change. -Early works were expressionistic and episodic. -Forced audiences to think critical and uncomfortable thoughts. -Often had a narrator and signs/placards and spoken stage directions. Existentialism/Absurdism- Individual playwrights lumped together by Martin Esslin. -Life doesn't make sense so theatre shouldn't either. -They focus on monotony of life, misunderstandings, alienation of societal norms, a sense of the absurd, and may even be dissatisfying to watch. -A good example of an existential film is "Fight Club"

December 30, 2023

  • GENRES: Comedy of Manners: Sophisticated comedy set among the fashionable upper classes in which the machinations are veiled by elegant manners and elaborate repartee. Domestic/Situation Comedy- Characters are forced together due to a specific situation. Lessons are learned and there is a moral of the story, new perspectives are found. There is usually a familiar settings or situation that adds a hint of realism. Characters are relatable people and there are cultural references. -An example is "The Big Bang Theory" Low Comedy: Comedy comes from what the characters do rather than what they say. -clownishness -quarreling -noisy singing -boasting -fighting -buffoonery An example could be The Anchorman, The Stepbrothers, and many more Will Ferrell movies. The Farce- Has eccentric and stereotyped characters. It has very simple dialogue. Lots of running in and out of doors. Violence without serious impact. Lots of physical comedy. Slapstick comedy- Over the top physical comedy like the three stooges. Lots of harmless violence. Like when Wiley the Coyote is chasing the roadrunner but instead steps on a bear trap. It's over the top but it doesn't literally cut his leg off. He continues to perpetually pursue the road runner. Drama- A serious play that is not a tragedy. The central character struggles for something worth desiring. Reminds us that the world is not the way we wish it to be. It may try to make you cry. Tragedy- is a serious play that tries to make you feel exhilarated because the hero's experience teaches you some profound truth about your life. You feel for the main character because you know that in order for them to achieve their goal, they must destroy themselves or bring ruin to those around them in order to be true to themselves or better understand humanity. Melodrama- Characterized by exaggerated emotions, sensationalism, and simplified characterizations. It often involves a clear distinction between good and evil. It often included intense scenes with music to underscore emotional moments. Tragicomedy- Leaves you feeling agitated, frustrated, and anxious because of ambiguous endings. It is made up of partially serious subject matter a partially laugh-inducting stuff of comedy. An example would be "Sean of the Dead" where you have a guy going through a zombie outbreak yet there are funny situations and his friend eventually become a zombie. They lock him up and keep him in a shed where he plays video games. We are left to wonder what their life would be like now at the end of the movie.

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  • Technical Theatre https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Technical_Theatre