PERFORMING ARTS -
THEATRE
WHAT IS THEATRE?
Drama, dramatic theatre and spoken theatre
are often used interchangeably.
Drama - refers to a form of literature (along
with prose and poetry).
It is also employed as synonym for theatre in
general (Balme, 2012, p.4)
THEATRE AS AN ART
Characteristics of art is that it mirrors life.
Selectivity – a key feature of theatre.
It selects and focuses on a part of the total
picture.
It uses a medium to present its form.
In theatre, the medium is the presentations of
a story, or a message which enacted by
performers or actors.
THEATRE IS UNIVERSAL
Theatre can be found in every culture.
Theatre has been of a religious ritual, a civic
celebration, a status symbol, a means of
educating the young, a way of maintain or
challenging the status quo, a protest against the
establishment, a means of sexual titillation, a
way of raising morale and expressing solidarity,
a propaganda vehicle, a profit-making venue
and a way of sparking discussion.
Theatre is an interpretative discipline.
Between the text (story) and the audience,
stand a collaboration of artist director,
designers, actors – who embody the
interpretation through a performance.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF THEATRE
The Audience
Theatre provides a sensory experience for the
audience it appeals to the human senses as the
audience is actively involved in perceiving,
processing, reacting to, and storing a vast
number of stimuli.
Empathy – emotional identification (it means
the ability to put oneself in someone else’s
shoes.
It refers to a sense of participation an
identification with a character.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF THEATRE
Aesthetic distance – is psychological
separation or a sense of detachment.
This allows you to appreciate the way
something is done – to admire the skill with
which an actor portrays a character, the
beauty of the scenery, or the way lighting
changes the mood of the play – because you
realize that the effect is being crafted.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF THEATRE
Space
For a performance to be theatre, it must be
presented in a space that accommodated both the
performers and the audience.
The space could be formally designed by an
architect for the express purpose of theatrical
performance or could be simply a pre-existing
space that was never intended by the builder as
theatre.
Organized with the movement of the actor and the
relationships of the actors to the audience in mind.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS
The Director’s Supervision
The director is in charge of the artistic
aspects of production.
It is the director’s job to guide the
transformation of the play to live production.
The director sets the tone for the production,
approves its overall look and sound, sets the
movement of actors, and makes final
decisions when necessary.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS
The Purpose and Point of View of a Theatre
Piece
In the minds of most audience members,
reception is followed by understanding, which
includes “the meaning” of what they are
experiencing.
The meaning of a play or a moment in the
play can become something quite different for
each audience member.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS
The work of the Playwright
Most theatre begins with a written text.
One writer creates the play or script – a
written text indicating the words the characters
speak and some of the physical action.
The playwright or the writer provides the basic
action of the play – he or she decides the
major events of the play, the basic nature of
each character and the exact words that will be
spoken on stage.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS
The Visual Effects (Costumes, Lights, Scenery,
Sounds)
The play is brought to life by a team of theatre
artists – headed by the director, then the
designers.
A scenery pertains to visual home, location or
setting for the play on stage.
Costume pertains to the “wearable scenery” for
the actors to help define and express a
character.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ACTORS
The Visual Effects (Costumes, Lights, Scenery,
Sounds)
The lights influence the effect of all visual
elements by controlling focus and mood with
color, placement and intensity of light.
Sounds refer to acoustic and recorded sound
which pertains to the audible scenery which
also supports the mood projected by the play.
END OF THE TOPIC!
