Theater 101 — Lecture 1: What is Theater?

What is Theater? (Overview)

  • Theater is a visual medium with a direct audience–performer relationship.
    • The live connection between audience and performer affects how the performer works and how the audience feels.
    • Film, while a brilliant visual storytelling medium, cannot replicate this live connection.
  • Common definitions often focus on theater buildings; however, the term originally emphasizes seeing and performance, not just space.
    • Merriam-Webster’s definitions place emphasis on dramatic representation as an art or profession, then list variants about buildings/spaces.
    • The origin of the word theatron means the “seeing place,” underscoring theater as a visual medium.
  • Theater vs literature: Theater is a visual medium meant to be seen; literature is primarily textual.
  • The teacher often uses film clips to create common dialogue, but cautions against treating film and theater as interchangeable.
  • This is the first lecture; foundations will be revisited throughout the semester.

Origins, Terminology, and Core Distinctions

  • Theater origins in ancient Greece: a festival to the god Dionysus.
    • Thespis separated from the crowd and began acting out a part, using masks to differentiate characters.
    • About a hundred years after Thespis, theater became central to the Dionysian festival.
  • The Greek seeing-place concept reinforces theater as a visual experience.
  • The theatron (seeing place) highlights why visual storytelling is central to theater.
  • The book/field distinction: being in a theater department vs an English department is due to theater’s visual medium and live performance.

Aristotle and the Six Elements of Drama

  • Aristotle’s six elements of drama (from Poetics):
    • Plot, Character, Diction (Language), Thought (Idea), Spectacle, Song
    • extSixelements={Plot,Character,Diction,Thought,Spectacle,Song}ext{Six elements} = \{Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, Song\}
  • These elements recur across the semester; they form the backbone of critical responses.

Plot vs Story

  • Plot: the pattern of events in a play; not the same as the full story.
    • Story includes backstory, prophecy, origins, etc.; plot starts where the main action unfolds.
  • Oedipus example (Oedipus the King):
    • Story (overall myths) includes prophecy about killing father and marrying mother.
    • Plot (the play) begins after these events, with a plague afflicting the city; the investigative action starts here.
    • The prophecy’s consequences unfold through action taken after birth; the audience follows the sequence of events that constitute the plot.
  • How plot should work (Aristotle’s criteria):
    • It must be believable and emotionally engaging; not too long, not too short.
    • Too much time dilutes emotional impact (epics can be unwieldy), too little time prevents a reversal of fortune from developing.
    • Believability does not require strict realism; emotional truth matters more than literal realism (e.g., Marvel films may be fantastical yet emotionally believable).
    • A reversal of fortune is essential: a change from bad to good, good to bad, or a more complex sequence.
    • Reversals often come via surprise or revelation (e.g., memory, reasoning, or signs).
    • Example: The Sixth Sense demonstrates a reversal through revelation (ignorance to knowledge).

Character

  • Character definition: both the person being portrayed and the collection of qualities that drive actions.
  • Important distinctions: characters exist within the play; actors occupy roles temporarily and may age, die, or move on to other works.
  • Criteria for a compelling character (Aristotelian):
    • Mostly good: enables audience to relate to them.
    • High social status: in Aristotle’s era linked to noble birth; in modern context often equates to being highly capable or prominent in their field (e.g., political leaders, top athletes, or cultural figures).
    • Actions believable and consistent with what is known about them.
    • Tragic flaw (hamartia) that leads to downfall; this flaw drives the arc.
  • Examples:
    • Michael Corleone from The Godfather: starts as a war hero with a loving family; over time, his belief that he can operate outside moral law to protect his family leads to moral decline and tragedy.
  • Note: actors vs characters; actors age and live outside the play; characters persist within the dramatic world.

Diction (Language)

  • Diction is how language reveals character: educational background, values, origin, and personality.
  • Aristotle’s aim: language should be beautiful and poetic, drawing from Greek origins of theater, but modern practice emphasizes language that conveys who the character is.
  • Language offers clues about a character’s education, region, values, and social position.
  • Example: a speaker’s語尾, cadence, vocab choices, and even swearing can reveal background and character traits.

Thought (Idea)

  • Thought pertains to the idea or moral driving the story.
  • Every work presents a point of view or message; all texts have an underlying purpose or argument to convey to the audience.

Song

  • Song encompasses the Greek chorus and literal musical elements; theater has always included music.
  • Song also captures rhythm and musicality in dialogue; it can be sung or felt in the cadence of speech.
  • Shakespearean comedies often conclude with a dance; music is a longstanding component of theater.

Spectacle

  • Spectacle includes all visible elements: costumes, sets, special effects, and overall visual design.
  • Aristotle considered spectacle the least important of the six, but the modern visual culture heavily emphasizes spectacle.
  • Theater is still a visual medium, so audiences should consider whether a character’s world is as it appears or if it’s heightened/idealized (e.g., a “crappy apartment” could be rendered as more beautiful; the idea of a supposedly “ugly” friend might be interpreted differently).
  • Spectacle is the visual language that supports the other elements and helps convey the world of the play.

Connections, Implications, and Real-World Relevance

  • Live audience–performer relationship emphasizes immediacy, rhythm, and emotional exchange absent in film.
  • Visual storytelling shapes perception; understanding spectacle requires considering how visuals influence meaning.
  • The six elements interact: a strong plot with believable reversal, well-crafted characters, naturalistic or deliberate diction, a clear thought/idea, integrated song/musicality, and well-designed spectacle.
  • Critical practice involves balancing appreciation of visuals with assessment of narrative and character depth, not just surface aesthetics.
  • Practical considerations for viewing theatre and film:
    • Ask whether the world on stage feels emotionally true, even if not strictly realistic.
    • Examine how language reveals character and social context.
    • Recognize how a reversal or revelation changes the audience’s understanding.
    • Consider how spectacle enhances or distracts from the core drama.

Summary Takeaways for Exam Prep

  • Theatrical tradition is rooted in live, visible performance and audience contact; distinguish this from film and literature.
  • Aristotle’s six elements are a foundational framework for analyzing drama: extPlot,extCharacter,extDiction,extThought,extSpectacle,extSongext{Plot}, ext{Character}, ext{Diction}, ext{Thought}, ext{Spectacle}, ext{Song}
  • Plot is the sequence of events; it is not the entire story or backstory.
  • A good plot features believability, an optimal duration, and a compelling reversal of fortune, often achieved through revelation.
  • Character should be mostly good, have high social status (in historical context), act consistently, and possess a tragic flaw leading to downfall (e.g., Michael Corleone).
  • Diction reveals character through language choices; Aristotle sought beauty and poetic form, but intelligibility and relevance to character matter more.
  • Thought/Idea is the moral or argument guiding the work; every work conveys a point of view.
  • Song represents both literal music and the musicality of dialogue; the Greeks used choruses, and later works integrate music and dance.
  • Spectacle is the visual language; its importance varies, but in contemporary culture, visuals heavily influence interpretation.
  • Foundational ideas recur across lectures: the live audience connection, the visual nature of theater, the distinction from film and literature, and the ongoing relevance of Aristotle’s framework.

Key Figures and Terms Mentioned

  • Thespis: first actor to step out from the chorus and perform a part; introduced masks.
  • Dionysus: Greek god associated with theater and wine; festival context.
  • theatron: Greek for "seeing place"; root of the word theater.
  • Aristotle: Greek philosopher who organized elements of drama in Poetics; six elements listed above.
  • Oedipus (Oedipus the King): used to illustrate plot vs story; plague as the play’s initial action; the backstory is part of the story, the play begins with the plague.
  • The Sixth Sense: example of a reversal of fortune via revelation.
  • The Godfather: example of a protagonist whose flaw leads to downfall (Michael Corleone).

Practical Note to the Reader

  • If you’re confused about any concept, revisit these foundations throughout the semester as they recur in different contexts and works.