185 terms

Adolphe Appia

A Swiss architect and theorist of stage lighting and décor, known for his work on modern stage design and lighting techniques.

Antiquarianism

A focus on the study and collection of antiquities or things of the past, often emphasizing historical accuracy in theatre productions.

Anton Chekhov

A Russian playwright and short-story writer known for plays like 'The Seagull,' 'Uncle Vanya,' and 'Three Sisters' characterized by complex characters.

Art for Art’s Sake

A philosophy that the intrinsic value of art is independent of its moral, social, or political utility, emphasizing aesthetic value.

Aurelien Lugne-Poe

A French actor, theatre director, and producer known for founding the Théâtre de l'Œuvre in Paris, promoting Symbolist theatre.

Bayreuth

A town in Germany famous for the Bayreuth Festival, an annual music festival dedicated to Richard Wagner's operas.

Berliner Ensemble

A German theatre company established by Bertolt Brecht, known for its productions of Brecht's plays.

Bertolt Brecht

A German playwright known for developing the concept of 'Epic Theatre' and the 'Verfremdungseffekt' (alienation effect).

Biomechanics

A system of actor training developed by Russian director Vsevolod Meyerhold, focusing on physical movement and expressive gestures.

Box Set

A type of stage design creating the illusion of a real room with three walls and a ceiling, often used in realistic theatre.

Bruitisme/Art of Noise

An art movement incorporating noise and unconventional sounds in music and performance, associated with Futurism.

Charles Kean

An English actor-manager known for his Shakespearean productions and for emphasizing historical accuracy.

Constructivism

An artistic and architectural philosophy from Russia, characterized by abstract forms and a focus on functional design.

Dada

An avant-garde art movement rejecting traditional aesthetics, embracing chaos and absurdity.

Ecstatic acting

A style of acting conveying deep, often transcendental feelings, characterized by high emotion and intensity.

Edward Gordon Craig

An English modernist theatre practitioner known for innovative ideas on stage design and the concept of the 'Übermarionette'.

Emile Zola

A French novelist and playwright, a major figure in naturalism who emphasized environment and heredity on human behavior.

Epic Theatre

A theatrical movement aiming to provoke rational thought and social change rather than emotional involvement, associated with Brecht.

Erwin Piscator

A German theatre director known for his contributions to Epic Theatre and multimedia use in productions.

Eugene O’Neill

An American playwright known for powerful and often tragic dramas like 'Long Day's Journey Into Night'.

Expressionism

An artistic movement emphasizing emotional experience rather than physical reality through distorted imagery.

Futurism

An avant-garde movement originating in Italy, emphasizing speed, technology, and modernity, rejecting traditional values.

Georg Lukacs

A Hungarian Marxist philosopher known for his theories on realism and the social function of literature.

Gesamtkunstwerk

A German term meaning 'total work of art,' describing a synthesis of various art forms into one cohesive whole.

Heredity vs. Environment

A theme in naturalist literature exploring the influence of genetics and surroundings on human behavior.

High Modernism

A style of modernist art characterized by a strong emphasis on form, technique, and autonomy of the work of art.

Historical Avant Garde

Early 20th-century movements that broke away from traditional forms, focusing on political and social change.

Industrial Revolution

A period of major industrialization and technological advancement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Konstantin Stanislavski

A Russian theatre practitioner known for developing the 'Stanislavski System' or 'Method Acting' emphasizing psychological realism.

Marcel Duchamp

A French-American artist associated with Dada and Surrealism, known for readymades and influence on conceptual art.

Medievalism/Utopianism

A fascination with medieval culture and ideals, often coupled with visions of a perfect society.

Noble Savage

A literary concept that idealizes indigenous people as living naturally uncorrupted by civilization.

Primitivism

An art movement borrowing visual forms from non-Western or prehistoric cultures, idealizing them as authentic.

Realism

A literary and artistic movement aiming to represent subject matter truthfully, avoiding artificiality.

Reification

A Marxist theory concept where social relations are perceived as characteristics of things rather than relationships.

Richard Wagner

A 19th-century German composer known for his operas, particularly the 'Ring Cycle,' influencing classical music.

Romanticism

An artistic and literary movement emphasizing emotion, individualism, and glorifying nature and the past.

Russian Revolution

A period of political and social revolution in Russia leading to the rise of the Soviet Union.

Socialist Realism

A state-sponsored artistic style in the Soviet Union promoting socialist values and idealizing the working class.

Sublime

A concept in aesthetics referring to overwhelming beauty or awe, linked to vastness or grandeur.

Symbolism

A late 19th-century movement using symbolic images and suggestions to express mystical ideas and emotions.

Tableaux Vivant

A static scene with one or more actors posed to create a 'living picture.'

Theatre de l’Oeuvre

A French avant-garde theater founded by Lugné-Poe, known for productions of Symbolist plays.

The Bancrofts

A husband-and-wife team known for influencing English theater with their realistic productions.

Tractor Art

Art glorifying industrial and agricultural machinery, often associated with Soviet propaganda.

Verfremdungseffekt

A technique used in theater to prevent passive audience immersion in narratives, encouraging critical observation.

Vichy Government

The regime established in Vichy, France during WWII collaborating with Nazi Germany.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government of Germany from 1919 to 1933, ending with the rise of the Nazi Party.