Module 4: American Theater
Reported by: Sanilyn Grace T. Zamora
Sources: Encyclopedia
World Literature
www.infoplease.com
At the end of this module the students are expected to:
1. 1. Describe and differentiate the different kinds of theater;
2. 2. Identify the parts and the people of theater;
3. 3. Perform a short play or theatrical act about colonial life.
Arena Stage
Thrust Stage
Proscenium Stage
Introduction
A theater (θίeter) is a place where people, who are called actors, perform for an audience. A theater can be located anywhere—indoors or outdoors, in a specially constructed space or a place chosen on the spur of the moment. An audience might consist of one person or thousands. Although the word “theater” refers specially to the place in which actors perform, it is also used to describe the entire process of production and performance.
History
The history of the theatre in America begins early in the Eighteenth Century, about the time the first rumblings were heard of the storm which was to break the ties still holding the Colonies to the mother country.
William Dunlap, the earliest historian of the American stage, tells us that the drama was first introduced in this country by the Hallams in the year 1752 when they brought over a company from London and presented The Merchant of Venice at Williamsburg, then the capital of Virginia, in a building arranged for that purpose. "This," says Dunlap, "was the first theatre opened in America by a company of regular comedians." This singularly misleading statement is perhaps the most conspicuous of a number of similar erroneous assertions which mar an otherwise valuable and interesting work. Dunlap ignored or was uninformed of a number of well authenticated dramatic performances which had been given in different parts of the Colonies many years before the arrival of the Hallams. Apparently, he knew nothing of the theatre built in Williamsburg, VA., in 1716. He had no knowledge of the theatre opened in New York in 1732. He makes no mention of the opening of the Playhouse in Dock Street, Charleston, S.C., in 1736. He had never heard of Thomas Kean who acted Richard III at the First Nassau Street Theatre, New York, March 5, 1750.
Even so careful an historian as Joseph N. Ireland falls into the error of taking it for granted that no earlier records existed because he had not happened to stumble upon them. In his Records of the New York Stage, referring to an advertisement in Bradford's Gazette of October, 1733, which mentions George Talbot's store as being "next door to the Playhouse," he says, "No other reference has been found respecting it (the Playhouse) and any conjecture as to its proprietors, its performers, or the plays presented therein would be vain and fruitless."
How little "vain and fruitless" may be judged from that fact that today we not only know what play was performed in this New York theatre of 1732, but also who some of the players were.
Kinds of theater
Theater of cruelty—it is a dramatic art form designed to convey sense of suffering and evil by creating a nonverbal atmosphere and utilizing various shock techniques, originated in the 1930’s by French Surrealist actor and writer Antonin Artaud (1896-1948), who saw such drama as a ceremonial act of purgation.
Theater of fact—dramatic presentations based on personalities and statements from the news.
Theater of involvement—dramatic presentations designed to shock and upset middle-class standards and so to create social change.
Theater of panic (theater panique)—theater characterized by a contrasting blend of rustic vitality, tragedy and fun, refinement and bad taste; coined by Fernando Arrabal (1932- ).
Theater of protest—dramatic presentations, street theater, designed to influence public opinion in favor of social change.
Theater of the absurd—dramatic presentations that depict the absurdity of the human condition in an incomprehensible universe by abandoning realistic form and utilizing fantastic or other eccentric means.
Theater of the mind—dramatic presentations designed to simulate a psychedelic milieu with flashing lights, hallucinogenic background.
Theater of the streets—street theater.
Theater parts
The stage—the space in which actors perform there are three basic types of stage that are used today: the arena stage, sometimes called theater-in-the-round; the thrust stage; and the proscenium, or “picture frame,” stage. In a theater with an arena stage, the audience sits around the performers. This form was first used 2,000 years ago by the Greeks. Because the audience surrounds the stage, there is a little room for scenery. Arena productions therefore depend more on costumes and lighting to suggest the setting and the mood of the play. In a theater with a thrust stage, the audience sits on three sides of the stage. The fourth side is placed against a wall or an opening through which the audience can see the scenery. With this kind of stage, larger pieces of scenery can be used. The proscenium stage is usually in a fan-shaped auditorium, with the stage at the narrow end of the fan. The audience is separated from the stage by a wall with an opening in it, called the proscenium arch, which frames the stage and supports the curtain.
In front of the stage—the part of the theater where audience sits is called an auditorium. The first floor of a proscenium theater is called the orchestra. Musicians sit in the orchestra pit, which is usually located slightly below the front of the stage. Sound-control equipment is often located at the rear of the orchestra. Above the orchestra floor and extending over part of it is the balcony. This level is often called the mezzanine. Lighting control equipment is sometimes placed here. Some theaters have another level, called the second balcony.
In the back of and above the stage—“Backstage” is the term used for the space behind the stage. Here are the dressing rooms, the sound and lighting boards, (if they are not located in the auditorium), and the scenery and the properties. In the dressing rooms, actors apply make-up and change into the clothes they wear on stage. Properties or props, may be kept in a special room called the prop room. Big props are the tables, chairs, and pictures that “dress” the stage. Smaller props are books, letters, and swords—which actors can carry on the stage, are called hand props. Above the stage are the flies, the space from which scenery is lowered, or “flown” down, and where it is often stored when not in use.
People of the theater
Actors—are either amateurs or professional. An amateur actor receives no pay for performing and often holds another job in a different field. A professional actor, on the other hand, is paid and worked as an actor full-time.
Acting is an ancient tradition. Thousands of years ago, the first actors danced, chanted, and sang in religious ceremonies. Over time, acting became a recognized craft requiring discipline and a great deal of hard work. Actors study voice and speech so that their enunciation (pronunciation of words) is clear and their voices can project to the last row of a theater. They study characterization in order to understand the parts they play. And they study body movement or dance so that they know how to move on stage. The study of acting is a lifetime job.
Actors use make-up on stage. Straight make-up brings out the actor’s own features. Character make-up changes normal features. Everyone has seen an actor transformed into a clown or witch through character make-up.
Playwright—they are sometimes called the dramatist, writes the play. It is called a straight play if it is performed without music and a “book” if it is a musical. Through the characters, the playwright comments on or portrays the life and people of the time in which the play is set.
Director— brings the playwright’s words to life. The directors work with the actors, staging the play and interpreting the playwright’s intentions. The director selects the actor and co-ordinates the task of everybody involved in the production, including the scenic costume, lighting and sound designers. In England the director is usually called the producer, in Europe the régisseur.
Producer—in the United States the producer is responsible for the entire process of presenting the play. In commercial theater the producers’ raises the money needed to put on the show. The producer either selects a play or musical (usually called a property) that has already been written or develops one for production. The producer selects the director, rents the theater, and pays salaries and bills. in an amateur and not-for-profit theaters, the producer often directs as well and may be called an artistic director. In England producer is called the manager.
Scenic designer—they are sometimes called the set designer, plans, and designs the scenery. The designer makes a drawing of the proposed setting and builds a miniature set with every piece of furniture or scenery in place. The setting may be realistic, such as a living room that looks just like one in a real home, or it may nonrealistic, merely suggesting a living room.
Lighting designer—in addition to making sure that the audience can see the action on stage, the lighting designer helps create the mood of the play. Different lighting would be used for a grim murder scene, for instance, than for a happy party scene.
Costume designer—they design the clothes worn by the actors on stage. The costumes are either purchased, rented, or constructed in special costume shops. In addition to making sure that costumes are historically correct, the designer must make sure that the actors can make quick changes when necessary and move easily when in costume.
Sound designer—it is only in the last few years that sound design has become a regular part of the theater production. In addition to amplification (projecting the sound more loudly), sound designers create a balance between the actors’ voices and musical instruments, emphasize certain sound elements, and create special sound effects.
Stage manager—they assists the director at rehearsals and is in charge backstage after the play opens. The stage manager gives cues (signals) for changes in lighting, for opening and closing the curtain, and for sound effects. Either the stage manager or an assistant also follows up the play script during the performance and prompts any actor who forgets a line.
Back stage crew—“backstage crew” is the general name for the people who work at the back of the stage. They include the stage hands, who carry scenery and furniture on and off the stage and who operate the curtain; the electricians, who control the lighting on the stage and in the auditorium; and the person in charge of props.
Every country in the world has some form of theater. Like music and painting, it is an art and part of a nation’s culture. Because it is an art, theater is international. The same play, in different translations, may be presented in France, England, Japan and the United States, or any other country.
Subsidized theater—most countries have theaters subsidized, or financed, by their governments. Some theaters are supported by a combination of government funds and private donations. These theaters do not exist to make money and are therefore called not-for-profit. Often a resident group of actors, directors, and designers work on all the productions presented by the theater. Some not-for-profit theaters are repertory companies, which present a series of different plays. The actors play a variety of parts during a season. Both new works and classic plays may be presented.
Commercial theater—an individual, a group of people, or a business organization raises the money to produce a play in a commercial theater. The production continues only as long as it makes a profit. After salaries, rent, and other bills are paid, the profits are distributed among the people who invested in the show.
Festivals—almost every country has theater festivals, usually held in the summer so that tourists and vacationers can attend. Some are world famous, notably Scotland’s Edinburgh Festival; the festival of Greek classics at Epidaurus, Greece; and the Théâtre des Nations (Theater of the Nations) held annually in Paris. In the United States, the Williamstown Theater Festival, in Massachusetts, is well known. In Canada, an important event is the Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario.
The United States had a government-subsidized theater from 1935 to 1939, when the Federal Theater Project was created by an act of Congress to give work to the theater people during the Depression. During its existence, it brought living theater to almost every part of the nation and employed more than 10,000 actors, playwrights, directors and designers.
In 1964, Congress created the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a federal agency that promotes and supports the arts. Funds from NEA helped build and support the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. NEA and state arts councils award monetary grants to not-for-profit theaters. This has spurred the development of more than 100 regional professional theaters throughout the nation. These theaters present new works, revivals, and the classics. They are financed by a combination of government funds, foundation grants, and private contributions.
New York City’s theater district is concerned in a Manhattan area called Broadway. Scattered throughout the city are off-Broadway theaters. Many towns have amateur community theater. Before the start of a resident theater movement, Community Theater in the United States provides a place for playwrights to stage new plays. Many well-known modern playwrights, including Tennessee Williams, William Inge, and William Gibson, staged their first works in these small theaters. Eugene O’Niell, one of America’s greatest dramatist, had his first plays performed by an amateur group in Massachusetts. This group later became the famous Provincetown Players.
The United States has more University theaters than any other country because of its many college and university drama departments. University theaters are non professional because their cast and crews are students.
Assessment:
Write the correct word for each blank.
1. __________ theater is financed by government.
2. __________ it could be amateur or professional.
3. __________ he is responsible for the entire process of presenting the play. In England he is the manager.
4. __________ also called a dramatist, who writes the play.
5. __________ is a place where people, who are called actors, perform for an audience.
6. __________ the audience sits around the performers.
7. __________ it is usually a fan-shaped auditorium.
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