Intro to Theatre

theatron

“seeing place”

a place where something is seen

Producer

business side

Director

tells the story through actors

Actor

plays the characters in the story

Designer

lights, costumes, sets, etc

Technical

building and painting sets, hanging lights, etc

Crew

working behind the scenes during rehearsals and production

Stage Manager

organizing and coordinating a production

House Manager

in charge of house, ushers, admissions

Playwright

writer of the play

Proscenium stage

picture stage stage; raised stage; most common

Proscenium advantages

permanent tech, wings

Proscenium disadvantages

unnatural movement for actors

Black box

big empty room

Black box advantages

can be anything; building itself is cheap

black box disadvantages

time consuming sets and tech; laborious; no permanent tech

thrust stage

stage that projects into the audience; makes a “T” shape

thrust stage advantages

close to audience; natural movement

thrust stage disadvantages

back to audience

arena stage

stage with seating on all sides

arena stages

theatre in the round; central staging

arena stage advantages

close to audience; vomitorium to exit

arena stage disadvantages

back to audience sometimes; not very realistic sets; tech needs to be set up

cyclorama

big screen/curtain at the back of the stage that covers the back wall and helps brighten/light the stage

Aristotle

Greek philosopher and scientist; wrote “Poetic”

The unities

unity of time; unity of place; unity of action

unity of time

the play should be set in a period of 24 hours

unity of place

the play should take place in one location

unity of action

the play should have one plot, one theme, and a clear beginning, middle, and end

modern theatre added…

convention, genre, audience

convention

techniques and methods used by writers and directors to create the desired stylistic effect

genre

the type of play

audience

considered the most important element of drama; everything is done for their enjoyment

Theatre is (1)

a structure/building

Theatre is (2)

a company or troupe

Theatre is (3)

art

Theatre is (4)

a paradox

Theatre is (5)

an occupation

Drama is

theatre’s companion term

Drama comes from

the Greek word “dran” → to do an action

Suspension of Belief

semi-conscious decision to put away disbelief and accept the story as real

Representational theatre

has the fourth wall in place; a “slice of life”

Presentational theatre

acknowledges the audience

Aristotle’s 6 elements of theatre

plot, character, theme, diction, music, spectacle

plot

action, storyline

character

people/animals/ideas; move the plot; represented by actors

theme

meaning of the play; main idea/lesson

diction

word choices, ennunciation; moves plot, defines characters, gives exposition

music

rhythm of voices in Aristotle’s time

spectacle

all of the visual elements (costumes, sets, etc)

Modern theatre added these to Aristotle’s elements of theatre (5)

lighting, theme, (actual) music, diction, script/video

lighting is made of

color, intensity, direction, movement

diction

symbols / signs