Thart 10 Midterm Exam 1

LORT

League of Resident Theatres; Largest professional theater association - USA

Music

Everything we hear. Sound effects. Music. Actors voices. Leather shoes on the wooden stage.

Antagonist

"Opposer of Action" Adversary who stands in the way of the protagonist's goal

Character

"the agent for the action"Makes the action possible. We recognize characters by what they do. Actors are the "doers" of the character's actions.

Genres

- A category of artistic works that share a particular form, style, or subject matter. a. Tragedy - These plays contain darker themes such as death and disaster. Often the protagonist of the play has a tragic flaw, a trait which leads to their downfall. Tragic plays convey all emotions and have very dramatic conflicts. Tragedy was one of the two original play types of Ancient Greece. Some examples of tragedies include William Shakespeare's Hamlet, and also John Webster's play The Duchess of Malfi. b. Comedy - Comedies are plays which are designed to be humorous. Comedies are often filled with witty remarks, unusual characters, and strange circumstances. Certain comedies are geared toward different age groups. Comedies were one of the two original play types of Ancient Greece, along with tragedies. An example of a comedy would be William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, or for a more modern example the skits from Saturday Night Live. c. Drama - The specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc, performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.[1] Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle's Poetics (c. 335 BC)—the earliest work of dramatic theory d. Farce - A generally nonsensical genre of play, farces are often acted and often involve humor. An example of a farce includes William Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors, or Mark Twain's play Is He Dead? e. Melodrama - A dramatic work in which the plot, which is typically sensational and designed to appeal strongly to the emotions, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Characters are often simply drawn, and may appear stereotyped f. Tragicomedy - a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragic and comic forms. Most often seen in dramatic literature, the term can variously describe by either a tragic play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the overall mood or a serious play with a happy ending. g. Musicals (also have subgenres, ex. Musical Comedy)

Dithyramb

- A hymn sung at the altar of Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of wine and fertility; it was accompanied by dancing and perhaps improvisations by a chorus of as many as fifty men.

Art vs. Entertainment

- Art challenges-changes- makes us uncomfortable sometimes. Entertainment pleases- is safe, easy, reaffirming. Art Lets us see another's POV Requires active viewing Is about self-examination Has great potential as an agent of social change Challenges the audience Is about edification, transcendence, contemplation Does not compromise for public taste Entertainment Reaffirms our own POV Is directed toward the largest possible number Makes no intellectual Makes no intellectual demands on the viewer May examine life but does not lead to criticism Has little potential as an agent of social change Is about gratification, indulgence, escape

Chorus

- In ancient Greek plays, an all-male group of singers and dancers who commented on and participated in the action.

Hamartia

- In ancient Greek tragedies, a personal weakness (also called a tragic flaw or fatal flaw) that leads to a tragic hero's downfall.

Deus Ex Machina

- Latin for "god from a machine"; an improbable plot twist, such as a god flying onto the stage via a special-effects crane.

Play Review

- Reviews are often short evaluations of a production presented in the print or electronic media that offer the opinion of whether the play's worth attending. Dramatic Criticism offers the reader a discriminating, often scholarly interpretation and analysis of a play, an artist's body of work, or a period of theatre history.

Parody

- The exaggerated imitations that are done for comic effect or political criticism.

National Endowment for the Arts

- The federal agency that disburses tax dollars as grants to fund cultural programs

Thespis

- The first known Western actor. Created theatre by stepping from a dithyramb chorus in ancient Greece to play an individual role. In 534 BCE, wrote and acted in a play that won the City Dionysia. Source of the word "thespian," or a person who has studied the craft of acting.

Public Domain

- The legal realm of intellectual property that is not protected by a copyright or patent and belongs to the community at large.

Ekkyklema

- in ancient Greek theatres, a platform that could be rolled out from the skene to reveal a tableau.

Styles

- the way the artist presents reality (Styles usually end with "-ism")

Subjective Reality

Expressionism & Surrealism; ,how the actor or artist feels/thinks about reality

Types of Commercial Theatre: (Much of this section is not in the book but from lecture)

1. Broadway - 499 and larger generally denote Broadway. Broadway theatres generally have larger stages and therefore can present more extravagant shows. So, the term "Broadway Musical" tends to suggest a specific kind of entertainment. Though, as Rent proved this year, a show that originates Off-Broadway can wind up the Best Musical on Broadway. Owing to the scale of Broadway productions, ticket prices generally are higher as well, up to $75 for Broadway, versus a top of $45 for Off-Broadway, and $20 or so for Off-Off-Broadway. Many tickets cost far less. 2. Off Broadway - 99-499 seats generally denote Off-Broadway. Off-Broadway theatres can be located anywhere in New York, but most are congregated in Greenwich Village, the upper West Side and to a lesser degree, the East Side. Ticket prices. $45 for Off-Broadway 3. Off-Off Broadway - Theatres with up to 99 seats generally are considered Off-Off-Broadway. Off-Off-Broadway theatres also can be located anywhere in the city. Because of their tiny size, most charge little for tickets and pay actors, et al, very little as well. However, because so little is invested, Off-Off-Broadway tends to be a hothouse of experimentation. Because so much of the work is specialized, and has a limited audience, the small size of Off-Off-Broadway theatres is perfect.Shows make the decision to invest in a transfer from one category to another when they prove (or believe) that they have enough commercial appeal to attract enough people to fill a larger theatre, and to pay more for tickets. $20 or so for Off-Off-Broadway

Subjective Reality

1. Expressionism - A style that shows the audience the action of the play through the mind of one character. Instead of seeing photographic reality, the audience see the character's own emotions and point of view. 2. Surrealism - A genre of theatre that emphasizes the subconscious realities of the character, usually through design, and often includes random sets with dreamlike qualities.

Three Major Factors by which Theatre Artists Manipulate their Audiences

1. Group Dynamics - how people function when members of a group. Emotion overcomes the intellect Laughter becomes infectious 2. Willing Suspension of Disbelief - we accept the world of the play over that of our everyday reality 3. Aesthetic Distance - the audience's ability to remove themselves so that they can contemplate and evaluate the performance and the play

The six styles can be grouped into three related pairs

1. Objective Reality (Realism & Theatricalism) 2. Subjective Reality (Expressionism & Surrealism) 3. Idealized Reality (Classicism & Romanticism

Aristotle six elements

1. Plot 2. Character 3 Thought 4. Diction 5. Music 6. Spectacle

Aristotle's PoeticsThe Six Elements of DramaIn order of importance to Aristotle

1. Plot - what is the story about? 2. Character - Who is doing the action? 3. Thought - What do the actions in the play mean? 4. Diction - How is the dialogue used to reveal character and set the environment? 5. Song - How do the musical elements of the play move the plot to its conclusion? 6. Spectacle - How do each of the visual and auditory elements of the play contribute to the performance?

Theatrical Styles

1. Realism 2. Theatricalism 3. Expressionism 4. Surrealism 5. Classicism 6. Romanticism

Objective Reality

1. Realism - A style of theatre that attempts to seem like life, with authentic-looking sets, "honest" acting, and dialogue that sounds like everyday speech. 2. Theatricalism - in 20th-century Western theatre, the general movement away from the dominant turn-of-the-century techniques of naturalism in acting, staging, and playwriting; it was especially directed against the illusion of reality that was the highest achievement of the naturalist theatre

Idealized Reality

1. Romanticism - a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual. Was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850 2. Classicism - the following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and style in art and literature, generally associated with harmony, restraint, and adherence to recognized standards of form and craftsmanship, especially from the Renaissance to the 18th century. The following of traditional and long-established theories or styles. Refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate.

Goethe - Three Essential Questions Dramatic Criticism Should Address

1. What is the artist trying to do? 2. How well has the artist done it? 3. Is it worth doing?

Unity of Time

A 24 hour period

Tragicomedy

A drama combining elements of tragedy and comedy, helplessness

Protagonist and Antagonist

A protagonist is the central character in a literary work. An antagonist is a character (or element) who is opposite to or challenges the protagonist." (http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/reading-writing/on-line/lit-terms.html) The protagonist doesn't need to be "good" Macbeth does many evil deeds but he is the protagonist of the play, Macbeth.

Tragedy

A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character

Types of Not-for-Profit

A. Not-for-profit is a tax status a. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non profits/charitable- organizations/exemption-requirements-section-501-c-3-organizations b. Most none profits can't rely only on ticket sales i. About 60% of income comes from earned income that includes ticket sales and concessions (sale of food, drinks and souvenirs) ii. Remaining funds come from outside sources 1. Grants a. NEA (National Endowment for the Arts - Federal Government) i. USA spends fewer tax dollars on arts funding than most developed countries ii. NEA is one of the smallest government programs iii. In 2010 the NEA budget was $161.3 million 1. Because of funding national arts community pumps nearly $37 billion into the economy 2. Results in $5 billion in revenue for federal, state and local governments 3. Few government programs can boast a higher return on investment b. California Arts Council i. http://www.arts.ca.gov/ c. Local Arts Councils and organizations i. SMAC ii. Yuba Sutter Arts d. Other foundations 2. Donations a. Corporate i. Corporate Sponsorship 1. Ex Wells Fargo Pavilion and California Musical Theatre/Music Circus b. Individual i. Tax deductible donations ii. Often called "Patrons" or "Donors" B. LORT (Professional with union contracts) a. http://lort.org/who-we-are b. American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco c. Berkeley Repertory Theatre d. Regional Equity Theatres (Professional with union contracts) a. Sacramento i. B Street ii. Capital Stage iii. Sacramento Theatre Company iv. Music Circus D. Community Theatre (usually do not pay actors) a. Acting Company Yuba City E. Educational a. URTA - University Resident Theatre Association i. Professional theatre company on university campus 1. Examples include UC Irvine and UC San Diego b. Yuba College - Education focused. Colleges usually don't use professional actors but sometimes they hire professional actors to add to the cast, often on a teaching contract. c. High School Theatre F. Religious and Church Theatre (Non-union, usually don't pay actors, but some touring shows pay their actors.)

Representational Theater

Acting as though the audience is not present Uses the Fourth Wall

Presentational Theater

Actors acknowledge the audience

Play Review

An opinion

Plot

Aristotle called this the "the life and soul of the drama."Most important of six elements"the arrangement of the incidents"The plays plot consists of the selected incidences and their sequence. Beginning, middle and end.

Who wrote the Three Unities

Aristotle in Poetics

Commercial Theatre, 5 types

Broadway, Off B, Off-off B, Touring, DRAC

Going to the Theatre

Check your local paper, TV, or websites for play listings. Reserve your nonrefundable tickets. To save money, attend preview performances or check for student rates. Observe the dress code for that theatre. Read the program to be better informed. Analyze and discuss the performance after the show.

Idealized Reality

Classicism & Romanticism;Shows how the artist wishes the world looked. People speak in beautiful poetry, break into song, and young lovers live happily ever after.

Unity of Action

Comedy and tragedy should never mix

DRAC

Commercial - Dinner/Pub Theater, Repertories, Amusement Parks, Casinos & Cruise Ships

Touring Theater

Commercial - First Class & Bus/Trucks

Culture/Enculturation

Culture: The values, standards, and patterns of behavior of a particular group of people expressed in customs, language, rituals, history, religion, social and political institutions, and art and entertainment. Enculturation: The process by which we learn about our culture

Freedom of Speech and exceptions to the right of freedom of speech

Defamation - cannot state publicly or publish alleged facts that are false and can harm the reputation of another. Sedition and Incitement to Crime - if one's words incite another to commit a crime, you may be in violation of the First Amendment. Separation of Church and State. Government can't endorse any religion. Freedom of speech can be suppressed if it causes physical or economic injury, but not for spiritual injury Obscenity is not protected. Breach of the Peace Some people hearing Orson Wells' War of the Worlds radio drama thought the alien invasion of earth was real and panicked.

Criticism

Detailed Analysis

Etiquette in the Theatre

Do not come late and don't leave until intermission or the end. Do not talk. Turn off cell phones and don't text or tweet. Do not take photos or use recording devices.

Diction

How language is used to advance the plot; reveal character's education, social class, background; use of imagery, symbolism, etc.

Thought

Meaning of the play. The message. What is the universal truth of the play?What is the message of a film or play you have seen?

Thought/Theme

Meaning of the play; its ideas,theme & message

Touring

Independent theatre that travels, often internationally, being presented at a different location in each city. Touring theatre is produced by a Theater Company, called the Producing Entity, often based in one location, and sold, as a show, by a booking agent to Presenters. The Presenters are responsible for arranging the venue, local crew, and any other considerations needed and specified in the Rider. The Presenter pays a set amount of money to the Producing Entity, and the Producing Entity then pays the traveling crew by check or direct deposit. The show could be in for one performance on one day, or for a "sit" of a week or longer. Extended engagements can last six weeks or more. a. First Class - The right to present first class live stage performances of a work. There is no standard definition of "first class" but it is usually determined by reference to the size, location and reputation of the theatre, the use of professional performers and an experienced professional creative team, possibly the size of the budget and/or the standard of stage scenery and costumes, the length of anticipated production run and other such factors. b. Bus/Trucks - An American expression which can also apply elsewhere relating to touring productions which transport the entire stage company and physical assets from place to place, presenting a small number of performances at each venue before moving on. In America (and sometimes elsewhere) they are often presented for a fixed fee (which forms the basis for calculation of royalties instead of box office receipts).

Types of Not-for-profit Theater

Not-for- profit as tax status; Donations; LORT; Regional Equity Theaters; Community Theatre; Educational;Religious & Church

Music/Song

One of six elements to help set mood, advance plot, characters or thoughts of the play

Diction

Order of the words. Vocabulary. Are you all right?O'wite? What's up? Wassup?

Playwrights vs. Screenwriters

Playwriting: The Venk Definition: A writer creates a story to be performed on the stage. • Plays generally do not have a gargantuan number of scenes. • In Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park and Eugene O Neil's Long Day's Journey into Night, the scenes all take place where the characters would meet, like Tyrone's summer home or Corrie and Paul's top floor apartment. • Lengthy descriptions of what the setting is like are often found at the beginning of an act. This gives the reader a full impression of the character of the set and of the theme of the play. • In a play, the performers establish a fourth wall with the audience, while the audience eavesdrops on the lives of the characters—including all the juicy secrets of the character's desires, fears and conflicts. • Syd Field in his book, Screenplay: The Foundation of Screenwriting, explained the essence of a play best: "...the action of the play occurs within the language of dramatic action; it is spoken in words that describe feelings, actions, and emotions." (19) Screenwriting: The Venk Definition: A writer creates a story to be filmed. • Because a screenplay is the basis for creating a moving picture, it is a visual medium that dramatizes a basic story line. • When we watch a movie, usually the first thing we experience is something visual. You see the history of the 9 kings who went mad with power in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. You see the violent flipping of pictures that show a woman making love to a man in Roman Polanski's Chinatown. Although no dialogue has been spoken, the story has already begun. • Screenplays generally DO have a gargantuan number of scenes. This is not the same as a cut—which refers to the splitting of one image to another. Sometimes in a screenplay, you will have three different scenes on a single page. That would not conventionally happen in a play. In fact, that one page would most likely be used to describe the setting. • A single page in a screenplay is denoted to about one minute of film. • The action of a screenplay resides within the "action" lines. Obviously they are called action lines because they describe the action taking place during the scene.

Aristotle's Six Elements

Plot, Character, Thought/Theme, Diction, Music/Song, Spectacle

Levels of Participation

Presentational Theatre is self-consciously theatrical and will often acknowledge the audience and may even invite them to participate Example - The Rocky Horror Picture Show Representational Theatre is based on the idea of the "fourth wall," in which the actors never acknowledge the presence of the audience Example - A Doll's House

Regional Equity Theaters

Professional with union contracts

Types of Theatre stages:

Proscenium stages have an architectural frame, known as the proscenium arch, although not always arched in shape. Their stages are deep and sometimes raked, meaning the stage is gently sloped rising away from the audience. Sometimes the front of the stage extends past the proscenium into the auditorium. This is known as an apron or forestage. Theatres containing proscenium stages are known as proscenium arch theatres and often include an orchestra pit for live music and a fly tower for the movement of scenery and lighting. Traverse (AKA alley stage, corridor stage, tennis court style, run-way style). On a traverse stage the audience sits on two sides facing each other. Thrust Audience sits on three sides. Arena Stage Actors cannot wait in the wings for their entrance. Instead, actors enter through the vom, or vomitorium. Blocking cannot be used, because audience is not on one side, so actors and directors describe movement using clock direction. Black Box Theatre "A black box is a bare room with a movable seating area, a movable stage, and a flexible lighting system. Became popular during the explosion of experimental theatre in the 1960s, when store front, church basements, and even old trolley barns suddenly became intimate venues." Found Space Environmental Theatre "A branch of the New Theatre movement of the late 1960s, that aimed to heighten audience awareness of theatre by eliminating the distinction between the audience's and actor's spaces: the audience can sit anywhere." Site Specific Space is like found space. Any type of theatrical production designed to be performed at a unique, specially adapted location, other than a standard theatre.

objective reality

Realism & Theatricalism

Objective Reality

Realism & Theatricalism - World through a scientist's eye; evaluate things by what they look like and familiarity

Aeschylus

Reduced the size of the chorus (20 - 12?)

Everyone is a Critic

Reviews are often short evaluations of a production presented in the print or electronic media that offer the opinion of whether the play's worth attending. Dramatic Criticism offers the reader a discriminating, often scholarly interpretation and analysis of a play, an artist's body of work, or a period of theatre history.

What were the Three Unities for?

Rigid Rules for play writing

Funding: Theatre vs. Screen Entertainment

Screen - Movie ticket sales, DVD rentals, watching television, advertising (product placement and items used by stars lead to sales of these items to the public, companies pay millions to have their items featured). Television uses product placement but also sells commercial time, the more commercials a network can pack into an hour, the more money they can make. Theatre - A recent poll found that 59 percent of theatres income comes ticket and concession sales and 41 percent had to come from outside sources, including grants and contributions. Individual contributors, corporations, foundations, and federal, state, and local entities keep theatre alive.

Exceptions to freedom of speech

Sedition, Libels, obscenity, symbolic speech, false advertising, youthful speech, hate speech

Stage Manager and Technical Manager

Stage Manager - The role of the stage manager is especially important to the director in rehearsals. Here the director and the stage manager work side by side, with the stage manager recording the director's decisions about blocking and notes for the actors, keeping track of logistical and scheduling details and communicating what goes on in rehearsals to the rest of the team. This enables the director to concentrate his or her full attention on directing. Stage managers have several key responsibilities and tasks to perform in each phase of a production, including: • scheduling and running rehearsals • communicating the director's wishes to designers and crafts people • coordinating the work of the stage crew • calling cues and possibly actors' entrances during performance • overseeing the entire show each time it is performed Technical Manager - The Technical Director (TD) works with a great deal of independence and exercises independent judgment in performing a wide variety of duties. Because of the operating hours of most facilities, close supervision is not normally required nor expected. In general, a TD may do any or all of the following: • Operates, maintains and safeguards the technical assets of the theatre, including supervising the use of lighting, sound, communications equipment, and the use and maintenance of stage facilities. • Determines the necessary technical supports, such as lighting, sound, staging, and special needs, necessary for events and performances presented at the facility in advance of production dates. • Designs, sets up, maintains, and operates lighting and sound systems for theatre, dance, music, and other productions and projects; assists guest designers and arts with technical matters. • Advises production managers, lighting and sound designers, on the technical specifications, costs and usage of technical equipment required for the individual show, and supervises the implementations of approved technical designs. • Supervises and assists with set and stage construction and management. • Assists in recruiting, training and assignment of volunteer or paid technical staff for individual shows. • Orients facility renters and visiting productions to safety, technical characteristics and other areas of facility operations; facilitates the use of the technical facilities by the resident company and others engaged by or renting the facility. • Monitors the condition of equipment including lighting, sound, and rigging equipment; arranges for the repair and replacement within budgetary constraints; performs preventive maintenance on equipment. • Assists with the preparation and control of production budgets; maintains inventory and orders specialized supplies. • Attends technical Week rehearsals, in order to supervise and assist in the technical aspects of the mounting the show. • Makes recommendations to the Board of Directors or theatre leadership regarding capital purchases of technical equipment.

Realism

Style of theater to portray life as accurately as possible

Drama

Tells a story about people, their actions & conflicts that results, makes you think

Aesthetics

The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty

Character

The personalities of the story, made up of motivation and action.

Three Unities

Unity of Time the plot takes place in one unit of time, typically one day Linear plot, no flashbacks or large jumps in time Unity of Place Acting takes place in one setting Unity of Action - one plot, no subplots Plays can follow all of the unities, some or none

URTA

University Resident Theater Association

Style

The way artists present reality (usually end in "ism"

Geothe's Three Questions

What is the artist trying to DO, How well has the artist DOne it?, Is it worth DO ing?

Spectacle

What we see on stage. Least important to Aristotle for tragedy. Do we need to see comedy?

Hamartia

a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine

Copyright

a. Definition and Laws - Copyright is a legal guarantee granted by the government to authors, composers, choreographers, inventors, publishers, and corporations that allows them to control and profit from their creative work and intellectual property. A copyright is like a patent, when you patent an invention, the U.S. government grants you the "right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling" your invention without your permission. A copyright, unlike a patent, protects the forms of expression rather than the subject matter. When you copyright something, you affirm your exclusive right and ownership of your words, music, photographs, paintings, drawings, computer software, CDs, DVDs, MP3s, or other form of expression. Playwrights copyright their plays, published or not. This means that to stage a play by a playwright who is living or has died within the last seventy years, you must first get written permission from the playwright or the playwright's agent, publisher or estate. Copyright infringement includes movies copied without permission, illegal downloading of music and TV shows that are aired without paying royalties, cost around American companies around 18 billion per year. b. Royalty Payment - Payments to playwrights or their estates in exchange for staging a copyrighted play. c. Loopholes: One loophole in the copyright law that does allow alteration of copyrighted material is parody. Parodies are exaggerated imitations that are done for comic effect or political criticism. A copyright only lasts the lifetime of the creator plus seventy years. After the seventy years after the creator dies, the copyrighted material passes into the public domain and the copyright no longer applies. Songs, plays, pictures, etc. in the public domain are owned by the public, and everyone has the right to produce or change them, without permission or payment to the creator such as the plays of William Shakespeare.

DRAC:

a. Dinner Theatre / Pub Theatre - Fringe theatre is theatre that is experimental in style or subject matter. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In London, the fringe are small-scale theatres, many of them located above pubs, and the equivalent to New York's Off-Off-Broadway theatres and Europe's "free theater" groups. Dinner theatre, meal is included in price of ticket and is performed during the course of the meal. b. Repertories - Can be a Western theatre or opera production in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. c. Amusement Parks - Though the shows' content may be lighthearted, the talent is often Broadway caliber. The team behind the new "London Rocks" revue, for example, includes the Tony Award-nominated director Sam Buntrock ("Sunday in the Park With George") and the Tony-winning lightning designer Kenneth Billington ("Chicago"). d. Casinos (Las Vegas) and Cruise Ships (Disney)

The Five Basic Qualities all Art shares: (H,S,M,S,R)

a. Human Creation - not in book b. Subject - What a work of art is about, what it reflects, and what it attempts to comprehend c. Medium - The method, substance, and technique used to create a work of art d. Structure - not in book e. Reaction - not in book

Theatre

a. Performing Art - Arts, such as theatre, music, opera, and dance, whose medium is an act performed by a person. b. Theatre Greek Roots - Many words associated with theater have roots in Greek. Our word theater is derived from the Greek word theatron, which contains the stem of the verb theasthai 'to view as spectators.' Drama is a Greek word meaning 'action', related to the verb dran 'to do.' c. Plato - (427-347 BCE) was a teacher, a philosopher, and an amateur playwright. However, early in his career he was persuaded by the philosopher Socrates (ca. 469-399 BCE) that playwrighting was a waste of time, so he burned all his plays. Later he wrote a series of dialogues between Socrates and others. These dialogues, conversation-like plays meant to be read rather than performed, deal with art, metaphysics, immortality, religion, morals, and drama. Plato also founded "The Academy," which is often called the first university. His most famous student was Aristotle. d. Aristotle - The philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE) wrote on such diverse topics as logic, natural philosophy (what we call physics today), astronomy, zoology, geography, chemistry, politics, history, psychology, and playwrighting. His treatise Poetics is the first known text on how to write a play. Aristotle founded a rival school to Plato's Academy called the "Lyceum." His most famous student was Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE).

Aristotle's Six Elements: (PCTDMS)

a. Plot - Aristotle called this the "the life and soul of the drama. "Most important of six elements" the arrangement of the incidents. The plays plot consists of the selected incidences and their sequence. Beginning, middle and end. b. Character - "the agent for the action" Makes the action possible. We recognize characters by what they do. Actors are the "doers" of the character's actions. c. Thought/Theme - Meaning of the play. The message. What is the universal truth of the play? What is the message of a film or play you have seen? d. Diction - Order of the words. Vocabulary. Are you, all right? O'wite? What's up? Wassup? e. Music/Song - Everything we hear. Sound effects. Music. Actors voices. Leather shoes on the wooden stage. f. Spectacle - What we see on stage. Least important to Aristotle for tragedy. Do we need to see comedy?

Art

a. Spatial Art - Arts, such as sculpture and architecture, that are created by manipulating material in space. b. Pictorial Art - Arts, such as drawing or painting, created by applying line and color to two-dimensional surfaces. c. Literary Art - Arts created with written language.

Multiculturalism vs. Stereotypes:

a. Theatre of Identity - Plays by and about a culture or ethnic group. b. Theatre of Protest - Plays that criticize the policies of the dominant culture and demand justice. c. Cross-culture Theatre - Theatre that joins contrasting ideas - whether staging techniques or myths and rituals - from diverse cultures into a single work to find parallels between cultures and promote cultural pluralism. d. Yiddish Broadway - The Jewish theatre district on Second Avenue in New York City in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. e. Harlem Renaissance - An African American literacy, artistic, and musical movement during the 1920s and 1930s centered in the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. f. Minstrel Shows - Stage entertainment consisting of songs, dances, and comic scenes performed by white actors in blackface makeup; originated in the nineteenth century.

Parts of a Greek Theatre

a. Theatron - From the Greek term for "seeing place," the seating area in ancient Greek theatres. b. Orchestra - The circular playing area in ancient Greek theatres: derives from the Greek word for "dancing place." c. Parados - The entrance of the chorus into the playing area in ancient Greek theatre d. Skene - in ancient Greek theatre, the building behind the orchestra; it housed dressing rooms and storage spaces, and its facade was used as a backdrop for productions. e. Paraskene - primary performance area for the actors

Three Unities:

a. Unity of Time - the plot takes place in one unit of time, typically one day Linear plot, no flashbacks or large jumps in time b. Unity of Place - Acting takes place in one setting c. Unity of Action - one plot, no subplots (plays can follow all the unities, some or none)

Geothe's Three Questions: (DO, DONE, DOING)

a. What is the artist trying to do? b. How well has the artist done it? c. Is it worth doing?

Conflict

the core of a drama and moves the plot forward, struggle of opposing forces

Protagonist

central character who pushes the action forward

Melodrama

mix melody/drama; overacting, clearly defined hero & villain; woman in distress, traditional values

Spectacle

performance's set, costumes, and effects - the sensory parts of the production

Censorship

the altering, restricting, or suppressing of information, images, or words circulated within a society

Plot

the arrangement of incidents, what happens

Comedy

triumph over unpleasant circumstance by creating comic effects, resulting in a happy or successful conclusion. (Wikipedia)

Farce

type of comedy, very fast, characters take everything very seriously. lots of misunderstanding (esp. sexual), big confusion, absurd, funny

What are the Three Unities

unity of time, unity of place, unity of action