I have gone to several plays throughout my life, whether it was on Broadway or a theater in London. Other than those plays that I was brought to by grandparents I have never been too interested in theater. My younger sister is compelled in theater and enjoys going to acting class and being in plays, for me acting in front of an audience is scary. I admire the people that can go up on a stage and take on a different role for the length of the play. Being an actor in a theater must be more difficult than any other acting because there is a live audience.
Many plays that I have seen and read in my classes have always been historic stories, or old plays that do not interest me to the extent that some stories do. The dramatic tragedies often seem difficult to relate to and therefore I cannot make a connection with the plot occurring. After reading this chapter it gives me insight on how to experience a play to fully get its meaning. I can now use this the next time I go to one of my sisters theater group’s makeshift play.
The book also explained that theater is a way to see the deeper meaning in all real life situations. I agree that it gets the viewer to think more about what is happening in that play but that does not always relate to the real world. I think to say that every event that happens in the world has a deeper meaning is far fetched because many times it is almost impossible that they do. I could be personally reading into this claim too much if they are just saying the play makes you look again at situations that happened in the past. Many plays are historical fiction or something similar to that genre, which does not give the audience a reason to look closer at the meaning of life in those situations.
Theater includes a lot of emotion; everything in theater is dramatized in order to allow the audience to read the emotions of each character throughout the play. I think this emotion that each character shows and that each scene includes is why theater is considered an art. The actors need to have talent in order to be on the stage performing and the script and storyline has to include emotion and a dramatic plot so that an audience can view it and understand the emotion being portrayed.
This section of the book was uninteresting to me; I do not think it portrayed theater in an interesting way that I can relate to. Theater is an art I wish I knew more about and learned more on its history but this chapter did not help me learn new material on theater. Anyone that I have ever met that is interested in theater has full devotion to it and understands its beauty; I think the writer did not look into the art of theater. Although there were many different theatrical terms I did not know before reading this chapter, now I can understand the different elements to theater.
I never thought of theater or acting as a form of “art” and I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe because to me, it just didn’t fall into the category of what I felt art should be. I think that art should have a deeper meaning that should be figured out simply by studying it. It’s easy to understand the meaning behind something when you don’t have to think about it much, its just there on the surface. But after just reading the first page, my viewpoint on theater changed. Just like a painting, theater presents a story. It just presents a story in a more literal way than other forms of art and I definitely think that it takes a lot of talent to be in the theater. I guess you could say that emotion is art, or portraying emotion is artistic. Like the book said, “[it’s] lying with utter credibility” I never thought of acting in that way. Theater falls under performing arts which also involves dance and singing.
I went to see a lot of plays when I was younger. My brother was in an acting program and I went to see him perform a lot. Two of my best friends growing up also did a lot of acting and I always went to their shows to watch them. I was always more interested in the costumes and the set design. I was never into acting or being on stage because I didn’t like being in front of people and that’s why I am most comfortable showing who I am on a piece of paper or through a camera lens. I worked as a set designer during school so that was the only connection I had to theater.
There are actually more similarities between what kind of art I prefer and theater than I thought. The structural development of a play, the positions on the stage like forth wall and upstage, downstage, those things are similar to composition. Its all about perspective. I see theater as giant painting, only you get to move it around and change it up. Like Tony Kushners play, Angels in American, Art should leave you feeling something and theater definitely does that. I had no idea that there were different theater degrees and I think that’s pretty cool. I definitely enjoy watching performances but I’m still not sure if I really consider it to be art.
Chandler CobbTheater in particular has never sparked any interest in me. The idea of being on a stage and having everyone stare at you while you’re reciting lines that you’ve memorized that you would forget at any moment scares me. I hate everything about being in front of a crowd and having to speak from memory. Whenever I have a school project that requires me to speak in front of the class it always scares me. People who have the ability to act in plays and never lose their character amaze me because its something I would never be able to do. I have been to only about two plays in my life. One was on Broadway, but it was a production of Junk Rock so there wasn’t really a plot with a tragedy so I’m not quite sure it would count as seeing a play like discussed in this chapter. The plays discussed in this chapter talk about epic tragedy and conflict and romance and when I think of that I think of Romeo and Juliet. I think of the huge hair and extravagant dresses; I think of old love stories. Old plays such as Romeo and Juliet have no appeal to me. It’s just not something I could see myself choosing to go see. When I read a book I like to be able to picture myself within the story and think of it as if the book is my world. If I could do that with plays maybe I would feel different, but its just not something I can personally relate to. I understand how if you’re extremely interested in theater that you can see it as a very important form of art. As an actor they entirely indulge themselves into a character between the constant line rehearsal, the wardrobe; its almost like they become their character and leave behind their own identity while on stage. I admire them for that and I praise they’re ability to become so involved in learned their character and what their character would do in each situation. I agree that theater is a very important art form in its own, but to me its just not an art that interests me.
Theater is something that my best friend had me consider for years. He always has been apart of it for as long as I could remember and has been very talented at the art form. My friend would always tell me that I would be amazing at acting because of my personality, but I was and still am always too afraid to perform in front of a large audience. Watching him though was like seeing a different person. He would put on a persona that was very believable (if you didn't actually know him). The same goes for many other actors in theater, all playing convincing roles as characters that they really are not. I've seen many plays growing up, from comedies like Book of Mormon to dramas like Wicked on Broadway, to small school plays and local town performances all telling a different story. This chapter I believe did a very, very poor job at describing what theater is like. It opens with an uninteresting story, talks about elements of one type of genre, reminds us of things we really already know, and then tells us another uninteresting/not relate-able story/play. I think that the "Real Encounter" section should be one that the reader can connect to. Maybe the use of a Shakespeare play or one that was famous on Broadway could of been of use and interesting to read. The chapter like the others also continues to inform us about the ways we should observe theater, but I noticed that they've stopped giving us those examples of "Extreme Art." Those were always good at grabbing attention, but it seems that the author just stopped incorporating those into the chapters. And it's not that theater isn't interesting, it's because today's society doesn't really demand it. With having television and movies, theater and plays have really been on the decline for demand to see. Back in the day when there weren't televisions in everyone's house, you would have to go out to watch entertainment, and the only way was through theater. A lot of people today would rather go out and see a movie with friends instead of going out to see a play with friends. There's a lot more going on in a movie and because of this, our standards for entertainment are higher than that of a play, granted that the story's plot has a role with the overall enjoyment.
Nicole Marmo Theater I personally don’t know much about theater because I was never really into acting like some other kids in school. However, in middle school and high school I did have friends who participated in school plays. For me I thought it was kind of weird to be in the plays mostly because of the singing; most of the kids in my school didn’t have singing talents and they were just hard to listen to. It would also be really embarrassing if you messed something up like a line, a song or a dance. Another problem I had with drama in high school is that it took up too much time and I played sports, so even if I wanted to participate I wouldn’t be able to. I’m not really a fan of theater, but I am a fan of many TV shows, so I don’t believe that acting is a waste. Acting isn’t as easy as it appears. I like to watch some big dramas like Law and Order and NCIS. These shows require actual acting skills. The ways some of these actors play their roles are impressive, especially Law and Order because many of the actors have to cry or scream and that’s not easy to d. It’s also hard to sell, for example, in some movies the actors are so bad that you may not be able to understand what’s going on. You may not be convinced of what’s happening. If something scary happens on screen you should be able to tell by the expressions and tones of the actor and you can tell what is and isn’t genuine. Something that surprised me in this chapter is how they explained that the cavemen were the first to “pretend/act” by acting out hunting battles with the animal’s skinned remains. I never really thought of this as a connection to theater. I always thought that the first theaters were from Ancient Greece and there were rows of seats and giant masks with clear expressions drawn on them. The biggest surprise this chapter was the description of “An Angel Over America.” I was surprised by the fact that there’s a play with two homophobic men with AIDs, just in general. I was also surprised by the fact that it was a religious play that gave the angels perspective on the situation between the two men. Overall, theater isn’t my favorite form of art, but I do know many people who go see Broadway plays all of the time. I’m personally not one of those people because it’s expensive and requires a lot of effort and travel to get to.
I have been to three regional theatre plays: The Nutcracker, The Lion King, and one other that I don’t even remember the name of. I went to all three when I was a lot younger, and the only thing I remember from any of them is the lion from Lion King running up and down the aisle. I think this says a lot about the set designer, and his success in creating a memorable, mobile, set. Instead of using just the stage for the play, the set designer used the entire theatre for the set. I think this is a great tactic that the designer used. I was able to clearly remember this one part of the play, due to the set designer. I really liked how this chapter, instead of just talking about plays, discussed all the different types of plays and the ideas and people behind them. The beginning of the chapter, where it talked about script, plot, etc, reminded me a lot of my high school AP Literature class. We spent a majority of that class reading Hamlet. While we read it, we would also act out different parts of it. In our class, we would create an improtu stage and props and put on a play for the rest of our class. We would also watch a video of a play for some of the scenes. This made learning about Hamlet a lot more fun and involving. Also at the beginning of this chapter, the writer talks about the audience as being a major part of the drama. I have never thought about it this way. Yes, a play needs an audience in order to be successful and worth putting on, but I never realized how important that audience is until now. Without the audience, there would be no play to put on and therefore no need for any characters, set designers, or anything. I liked how on page 69, the author talks about the different types of theatre’s. I’ve always seen a play as a play, either it’s Broadway or it’s not, but now I understand the different types a little bit better. When I was younger, my brother and I both took part in a community play of A Christmas Carol. I always just referred to it as a play, not knowing the degree of play that it is. Multiple shows were put on, on many different nights. For this reason, the plays that I took part in would be called “repertory theatre” (pg. 70) because it was put on for many nights in a row, by the same actors and crew. After reading this chapter, I now see theatre as a less broad topic, and more of a topic made up of many different ideas and people.
John Yusza Chapter 5 In my life I have had very little experience with acting/theater. In my early life I have experienced all the school plays just because they forced us to. I feel like there is a little more to acting when you know who the actor actually is, because I have been to a few plays in New York with my family but I always found them boring. Whereas the plays in school I always found a little more interesting despite their mediocrity. I cannot remember the names of any of the plays now because it has been so long since I have seen them. I think it is just easier to connect to the play if you actually know who the actors are but not like oh I know their names but know them as a person. When I watch a play I don’t really look for the power of the symbols. I look more at the quality of the story and the acting. Also the set designs can be cool too but I don’t look for the deeper meaning of things in the literature of the story. I feel that in general I do not have quite as much as an emotional connection with theater as I do with music. If theater is considered acting then I have a personal experience I think might relate. I was a boy scout and around the campfire we would always do these little skits, which for the most part were always meant to be humorous. So anyways I would always be a part of it even though I hated it but I would read my lines so that the whole thing could come together. I feel like that relates to theater because we had props and stuff, even though we didn’t have a stage or a huge audience. The main things that come to mind when I think theater are really old Shakespearian plays and like a broad way show. Theater just always seems like a rich old person’s thing but yet we give them the credibility that they are more culturally refined to appreciate good theater. I don’t really know how I feel about theater but my gut just tells me it isn’t interesting or fun at all. Yes I can appreciate the effort that goes into performing in theater, all the different components that must come together for it to work. However it just doesn’t peak my interest. I see myself as the type of person to fall asleep during a play.
After reading this chapter, I realized that Theater is one of the most precise forms of art. Everything in the play, movie or show is set up and practiced to perform to the audience a certain scene and create an emotion for them. I think it’s interesting because people must have skill and practice to perform. Also, the show can get you to like or dislike a character based on the way they’re portraying the character. I liked how in this chapter it tells you all about how so many people are putting effort into plays. Such as the actors, director, producer, designers etc. I think for some people they can use theater as an escape. They for a while are someone else and can escape reality. I also liked how in this chapter, the author says, “the play is both pretense and deadly serious.” This to me means for a while the actor can appear to be someone else. What I also liked about this chapter is how it explained everything about how the stage is set up. It’s interesting to know about “behind the scenes” and everything that was used to make this play seem so real. Personally, I have only been to a few plays and am not as interested in this topic as I was with the other chapters, but I do enjoy some of the information in this chapter that gives away more information about the play itself. I think the most important part of theater is the effort and practice put into it. The times I went to plays are when my friend has been in them. Those are more interesting for me because I actually know how he acts in real life, and seeing the art of him act was amazing to see! For people who enjoy going to plays and acting, I think it must be extremely amusing; every part about it because now I can understand how much really goes into these. But for me, I am more interested in the set and the effort that goes into theater.
Theater has never really been a big part of my life. When I was young I liked to play pretend, but it never grew into a passion for me. I do love to watch plays and musicals, but I have never really been into participating in them. I think theater is a lot like painting or sculpture. Paintings and sculptures can point out the problems in the world, and give people an outlet to realize those problems. Theater relates to this because a performance can be dramatic or ironic, to point out different things, whether they be political, religious, or any big problem in the world. It makes people realize the problems in the world by making them sound funny, ironic, or dramatic. Actors are a big part of theater. An actor that fits the part perfectly can make the performance, and oppositely for an actor that doesn’t fit the part. Acting sounds really difficult. Actors really have to understand their character and put aside their habits and decisions for what they think their character’s habits and decisions would be. I love when the actor fits the part perfectly. Instead of focusing on the flaws in the play, you can really believe the characters and enjoy the play. My sister and brother were both in musicals. It really is an art. I got to see what went on behind the scenes. A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes and I really got to see that theater is an art. The set designs, the costuming, the staging, everything that goes into making a production, is truly an art form in itself. I love all the, for lack of a better word, drama that is involved with the theater. First of all, the theater itself is usually insanely beautiful. It’s so elegant, decadent, and dramatic. I think theater has the ability to do this because it is not something that people go to everyday. It is a special occasion type of thing, like going to the museum, or seeing a famous painting, it’s special. People get dressed up and enjoy a play that takes them on a journey for a night. The same this can happen with other art forms. Although you don’t have to get dressed up, a painting with lots of emotion or a sculpture can take you to a different place and make you feel different emotions. To me, theater is a living art or a performance art. I think it is really cool, that overtime it can adapt and change. Different interpretations can be taken from it by the way it is performed or what is happening in that certain time during which it’s performed. Unlike a piece of art on a canvas, it can adapt to better fit the time period and it can be made into different versions. I think that is a really cool feature of this art form.
Abigail Lisee Aesthetics Theatre When I think about theatre I think about my high school drama department and the plays I would go watch on weekends to support my friends. I also think about my first play that my grandma took me to see when I was younger, Annie. One thing I’ve always wanted to do is to go see The Lion King on Broadway but I haven’t had that chance yet. I don’t know too much about theatre but a part of me holds a place in my heart for it because of the fact that I was able to experience it with my grandma who is one of my best friends. I’d like to think I am somewhat familiar with certain parts of theatre such as: the actors/actresses, the audience, the backstage crew, and the director/producer. I respect the fact that these performers are able to put on a production that is completely live. Therefore they don’t have the ability to have revisions. They under extreme pressure to get their lines right the very first time and that is a lot different than actors in movies or television shows and for me I think that makes theatre more respectable in the my opinion. I am not really interested in the classical theatre such as Hamlet or that sort of think however I think nowadays performing arts has become a lot more open to different kind of audiences. I think that is essential to the survival or theatre. I have recently become interested in the idea of taking an acting class or something like that because I think it would be fun to pretend to be someone else for a little while and that's probably my favorite part of being able to act professionally. Their job is literally to be someone else. Who wouldn't want to be someone else for a little while?
Anna Strang Chapter five is all about the theater. Growing up in Westchester, NY, which is only a forty minute train ride away from New York City, theater is a big part of my life. New York City is known for a lot of things, but one of the major things NYC is known for is Broadway. Hundreds of plays have been on Broadway and I am very lucky to be so close to the city and have parents that love going to see Broadway plays because of I have seen over ten Broadway plays on Broadway. I love going to the huge theater and watching the lights go down. My favorite plays are those that are musicals. The voices of the actors are so strong and beautiful that I always get the shivers. The theater is such a beautiful way to express feelings and ideas, which is why the theater is one of my favorite types of art.
Broadway is not the only place where I love to see plays. I also go to our local theater, The Westchester Dinner Theater. The Westchester Dinner Theater is a theater that my family goes to, to celebrate family birthdays, anniversaries, and sometimes we just all meet there because we have not see everyone in a while. Even though these plays are put on by local actors the experience is spectacular. The theater allows for my family to come together and appreciate the art of plays and actors.
When I was in Middle School I was in a class called MOVAPA, Music of Vocal Art and Performing Art, which is a class that put on musicals. For my eighth grade play we put on the Sound of Music. I only had a tiny part, but I can still appreciate all the time and effort that goes into putting on a play. Especially one that is so large. I applaud those that have the memory to memorize a whole script.
Theater is something that unites people and allows messages and ideas to be expressed in a beautiful art form, which is why I believe everyone should go and watch a play at the theater.
When I first thought of theater I only thought about entertainment, considering I have only been to maybe one or two different plays I guess before I began taking this class and reading this chapter my prior knowledge about theater would be different now if I had to considered theater a type of art. Since after exploring multiple different kinds of art styles I can now see that the process of the script, costumes, and plot are just another way to express a kind of emotion that only artists would understand. The section called the experience goes into explaining what you might feel and see at your first experience at the theater. It starts out by taking in your surroundings after taking your seat observing all the different lights, the colors, and the people that surround you. Then you look in front of you where the stage is located when the curtain is raised take a moment to take in all the different characters, costumes, and the setting to make some kind of interpretations about what might happen. To have a successful experience at the play you should look at the character development through each act, observe the changes on the stage like backdrop and lighting, and last you should engage in all the audience participation parts. After reading this chapter I have the same feelings that I feel everytime I read a chapter, my thoughts about the chapter don’t change the basic theme of the chapter is to look at certain aspects of some kind of art and take things like costumes, and plot from this chapter and find the emotions and feelings that the creator was thinking about while creating their form of art. Hopefully the next time I go to the theater I can use what the chapter has taught me too see something that I originally wouldn’t have seen in the first place. I will look more in depth to my surroundings, try to spot differences between characters and the setting as the acts begin and end, and really try to interact with the audience because my thoughts might change after I experience the theater like the chapter would want me too.
Even though I am not somebody who likes to act and put on a performance, I do enjoy a good show whether it be on Broadway or at a local theater. 6-7 years ago, I went to go see The Lion King on Broadway with my family for my parent’s anniversary. Going to see a play on Broadway for the first time made me very excited and at the same time, overwhelmed. I am not sure how we managed it but I remember sitting in the front row and having the performers come down from the stage and surround our area with song and dance. Seeing a performance like this live was probably one of the most incredible experiences I have had (in the department of the arts). Besides seeing this show on Broadway, every year, my high school would put on a different show during the fall and spring. Although the fall performances weren’t that popular, everyone made it their business to go to the spring concert. Some of the shows they put on were Les Misérables and Legally Blonde- and they were fabulous.
Regarding this chapter, there were many things that I found interesting about the theater. In the first paragraph I thought it was fascinating that the author pointed out that we are the only animals that pretend to be someone that we’re not for fun. Another aspect of theater that I enjoy is learning about the different plots, play wrights and genres that the creators come up with and how they are able to create a story solely from dialogue. I know that it takes a lot of people to perform a beautiful play but I never realized how many people are actually involved behind the scenes of a production.
This chapter caught my attention because after seeing the movie Birdman, I had a better insight of the theater and what goes on behind the scenes between the actors and the amount of stress everyone is under. There’s more to the theater than just the different people that make the play possible. The friendships made and the relationship between the characters are what truly make the show possible and make it as magical as it is.
Kristin Portsmouth Aesthetics Response 5 September 28, 2015
When I think about theater the first thing that pops into my head is my cousin Cami. Growing up she was always the most talented in our family with her singing and acting. She was in countless plays in high school and she even majored in theater in college. She always loved acting because it was a way to see the world through someone else’s eyes. It is extremely hard to act in a play; you have to remember so many things such as your lines, maybe some songs, where to stand, when to come on stage or when to leave, and when to change. Acting takes a lot of work and practice, that is why I admire my cousin so much.
Now that I am thinking back, theater has always been in my life. Although I was not participating I was always attending some sort of musical or play. Living so close to New York City my schools always had a trip to see a Broadway show. My favorite was when we went to see Tarzan on Broadway in fourth grade. I remember being so excited and when we finally got there my jaw dropped. As a small fourth grader looking into that enormous room it was breathtaking. It got even better when the show started because there were so many lights and the music was so loud and amazing. My favorite part though was seeing the actors fly around the stage on their “vines” because at the time I thought they were actually flying.
What I took away from this chapter is that I am much more of an admirer of theater rather than someone who’s willing to jump on stage and started belting out the high notes. Theater always puzzles me because I think it’s truly mind-blowing how someone can memorize probably a fifty-page script or more then recite it without even looking. That’s why I think theater is definitely a form of art. Not only can you express yourself through the actions of someone else but you also challenge yourself to remember everything in the script in order to have a clean running show. Acting is very unique also because there can be multiple actors playing the same character but each actor can interpret that character differently and it can give you a unique show each time. I think that’s incredible because no two shows will be the same if you switch the actors around, no other form of art is like that.
To be honest, the art form that I am the least interested in from this book is theater. I tried acting multiple times when I was younger and I would rather do anything else, really. I was never interested in doing stage crew, it seemed to stressful. For me, creating art is something that relaxes me and gives me time to think. I enjoy painting, drawing, sculpting, playing and listening to music. Working behind stage looks like a whole lot of running around and yelling at people to get into place and scrambling to find props and outfits. Most of the plays that I have seen have been filmed, not live performances. Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are the two I remember the most. Probably why I disliked them so much is because of the difference in language from the time it was written and present day. I wasn’t there in the audience looking at the physical stage to really appreciate the acting and the scenery. I went to see the play Annie when I was younger. This was the only play I remember watching and actually liking. I paid attention to everything that was going on; the characters, the props, the music, the scene. Everything (except for the musical aspect) seemed realistic. Looking at the picture in the chapter of the box set on stage by Designer Michael Shugg, I get a different image. This set up looks more artistic to me. He has incorporated aspect of nature with aspects of the home to create a rustic and natural feel on stage. This style interests me, the amount of creativity and imagination it takes to create something so big for such a specific purpose is forever beyond me. I would be interested in maybe some day helping out to create a set for a play. I can imagine when the designer is done and takes a step back to admire the work of art. It is like creating a massive sculpture.
When I thought about theater before reading this chapter, I only thought of the actors as the “artists”. When I read the section in the chapter titles “Who Makes the Play?” I realized that I lot more people contribute artistically to the performance: the playwright, director, designers, stage manager, and the backstage crew. WIthout them, the play wouldn’t exist. Although I said I do not like watching plays or participating in them, I have great respect and appreciation for everyone involved. This chapter has educated me on many different aspects of the plays and has motivated me to reinvent my views on theater.
Shannon Smith Chapter 5 review 9/23/15 The latest chapter in our A Beginner’s Guide to the Humanities outlines the world of theatrical arts. The chapter reveals many of the aspects that go into a performance and how to process the performance itself. I found this chapter not only relatable (because of my past working in a play performance) but also informative. At a very young age my mother decided to enroll myself and my sister in the school play. I was extremely nervous during the casting process however, I landed the roll of the wicked witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. I was thrilled with the outcome of my audition but soon realized I had a vast amount of lines to remember and began to become nervous once again. After this performance I realized there is much more to theatre than what meets the eye. Not only did I have to memorize my lines and portray a convincing witch like voice, I also had to help set up the stage with props, keep my costume in check, and on top of all this convince the audience I truly was the wicked witch. During the performance in our tightly packed and extremely hot town hall my clay witches nose proceeded to melt off my face. When I look back on the dilemma I now laugh at my nervousness and anxiety I felt as my nose slowly dripped off my face. Luckily I improvised and used the melting nose as an attribute to my “melting scene”. This small encounter with the art of theatre has actually put into perspective the difficulty of directing, casting, setting up, and acting out an entire play (especially with a bunch of third graders). After reading the section regarding how one should properly watch a play I learned a lot about what I should be paying attention to. The obvious instinct one has when watching a play is to focus mainly on the actors rather than the script and even the staging of the set. I wish that I could have read this section before viewing the play Wicked a few years ago. Wicked is a powerful story that mirrors the Wizard of Oz, yet adds a new twist. The play uses a different point of view which ultimately forces the audience to side with the wicked witch. When watching the play I mainly focused on the characters actions, and what they were saying. I neglected to notice much of the set or the hard work that must have gone into setting up the various scenes. This chapter informed me of various theatre terminology, techniques, and many other aspects that I was previously unaware of. Reading this has now familiarized me with aspects of theatre I was unaware of.
Reading this chapter, much like reading the previous one really sparked my interest. I acted in all of my high school career. I am a very dramatic person so when I started acting I knew it was something I would enjoy. I mostly performed in the musicals but my senior year I was the student director.
The process was much like the book reads. There was an extensive audition process where students had to preform a monologue to show off their skills. From there we select a few people to come back for a callback. At the callback the students performed with each other actual scenes from the play.
Once we casted the parts, we then began to think about the set. As we read through the show we came up with interesting ideas for the background scenery as well as props and furniture. With not having a large budget we would use our supplies from home.
The performance, just like the book says, was in three acts. The beginning usually confusing while introducing the characters. The second act sets up the stage for when the climax happens. Finally in the third act the climax happens and then the resolution and ending happen. That is usually when the whole play comes together and you can figure out exactly what has happened throughout the show.
Being on the other side of theatre, like backstage was an amazing experience. I’m a very controlling person, which is one hundred percent why I prefer to be on the stage rather than behind it.
It was interesting to read the definitions in the book such as wings, box set and scrim. These are words I’ve just grown up knowing and im sure plenty of students in the class and most people who read the book are learning something new.
I wouldn’t say I have a lot of experience with what theater is like but I have been to a few plays throughout my life. Because I enjoy music very much I have been to much more musical plays than “normal plays”. All the plays I have attended have been through my schools. In elementary school I remember going to 3 one I remember perfectly which was the nutcracker. In middle school I remember going to two and in high school I can remember going to three. One was the crucible. Even though it was for a class surprisingly it was not that bad. I actually enjoyed it besides the seating which was horrible. In college I have been to the Lion King musical in NYC and one that was hosted at RWU by students. I loved the Lion King performance, it was literally amazing. I enjoyed every minute of it. I find plays to be very entertaining. The book says that theater has deeper meanings . Which is does every theater performance I have ever been to I sense the emotion and meaning behind everything. Every actor in every play I have been to has put all there emotion to their part which is really what makes the performance magical. I think it is truly art. In my opinion not only is it art because it has meaning behind it all but because not every piece of a performance is literally magical and beautiful. Plus its not something that just any one can do. I also find that one really does apply plays to real world situations. I personally have found my self thinking how a play connects to something in the world. But then again I naturally do that with just about everything. I think theater is amazing especially because there is so many components that come in to place to make it art. There is just so much hard work that goes into theater. I knew theater was amazing but this chapter made me realize just what magical and wonderful art it truly is.
Max Kraimer Aesthetics: The Artistic Impulse September 28, 2015
Chapter five of Beginners Guide to the Humanities it was all about Theater. Throughout my whole life I have never really liked performance art so naturally I wasn’t in any and I only went to them if my mother forced me. Farcically they put me to sleep. But I also do see the importance of them. Plays were the first form of movies, in ancient Athens many were performed on a hillside, this formed even todays Modern Greek theaters.
In Figure 5.3. a theater designer named Michael Shuggs designed a mortified box set of a house in the woods. I thought this design was very cool. There are so many accept to this setting, on either side of the building two lives like trees hold up the structure. I find it interesting how important the theater plans into the actually role of the play. The play is almost determined on the structure and set up of the theater. A poor designed theater can make or break a show.
One reason I didn’t like this reading is because it throw a lot of knowledge at me that I wont remember. For example, a section was labeled “A Theater Glossary” and talked about “terms for the division and subdivision of dramatic actions”. This whole page seemed like a waste. All the terms seemed to not fully relate to the topic of theater.
Theater is a form of art that I personally have never been involved in, been attracted to, or tied into by any means, so in this chapter I wanted to see what theater is, and how I can tie my life into it, and how to appreciate it as art. The first paragraph I found interesting, it was a very valid statement by the author expressing the nature of theater. How only we, as humans, can put a mask on and become someone else; theater tests reality, but at the same time goes into deeper meaning of it, it is a pretty crazy idea to think about. The elements of drama are obviously not just attested to theater, they are in books, movies (which can be theater), and anything that is written. The same goes for who makes the play in movies, obviously there are more people in movies, editors, producers, directors, etc., but the base of theater is extremely similar to that of a tv show or movie. I really struggled to understand the piece the author talk about Kushner's play, I just really did not understand what the point of the anecdote was. I also did not understand the point that he was trying to get across. The information about the theater was pretty interesting though, I enjoyed the different types of theaters, what they were for, when they were used, and I thought the figure 5.3 was an interesting piece of work. Also what goes into making the set was interesting, the scrim was specifically a piece that I could see playing a huge role in a theatrical play. I learned a few new words throughout the rest of the chapter but nothing really I could enjoy thoroughly. Overall this chapter was interesting in my opinion, but did not change my opinion on theater, I do not think the author did a very good job in talking about the art in theater, he really just had that one anecdote that listed everything that goes on in theater.
I personally have no connection to theater. I considered trying out for the school musical in 7th grade, but I decided that it was just not for me. That being said, I have very little ground to base any argument regarding theater on. Even though I am not a theater person myself, I have great respect for those involved in it. My great grandfather was a professional actor and I have many friends who are involved in performing arts.
Plays and theatrical productions have been around forever. Though today, they are mainly for entertainment, there was a time in which plays were a way of communicating ideas and stories. There are many components to putting on a production and each piece requires expertise and practice.
Theater is definitely a form of art because it allows for emotion and expression. We always sit down and argue about what makes something art. Over and over, I feel as though the ideas of emotion and expression come up. This is making me feels as though art is something that ties into those concepts. Theater is art, just as a drawing, and song, a symphony, and a sculpture might be.
I have gone to several plays throughout my life, whether it was on Broadway or a theater in London. Other than those plays that I was brought to by grandparents I have never been too interested in theater. My younger sister is compelled in theater and enjoys going to acting class and being in plays, for me acting in front of an audience is scary. I admire the people that can go up on a stage and take on a different role for the length of the play. Being an actor in a theater must be more difficult than any other acting because there is a live audience.
ReplyDeleteMany plays that I have seen and read in my classes have always been historic stories, or old plays that do not interest me to the extent that some stories do. The dramatic tragedies often seem difficult to relate to and therefore I cannot make a connection with the plot occurring. After reading this chapter it gives me insight on how to experience a play to fully get its meaning. I can now use this the next time I go to one of my sisters theater group’s makeshift play.
The book also explained that theater is a way to see the deeper meaning in all real life situations. I agree that it gets the viewer to think more about what is happening in that play but that does not always relate to the real world. I think to say that every event that happens in the world has a deeper meaning is far fetched because many times it is almost impossible that they do. I could be personally reading into this claim too much if they are just saying the play makes you look again at situations that happened in the past. Many plays are historical fiction or something similar to that genre, which does not give the audience a reason to look closer at the meaning of life in those situations.
Theater includes a lot of emotion; everything in theater is dramatized in order to allow the audience to read the emotions of each character throughout the play. I think this emotion that each character shows and that each scene includes is why theater is considered an art. The actors need to have talent in order to be on the stage performing and the script and storyline has to include emotion and a dramatic plot so that an audience can view it and understand the emotion being portrayed.
This section of the book was uninteresting to me; I do not think it portrayed theater in an interesting way that I can relate to. Theater is an art I wish I knew more about and learned more on its history but this chapter did not help me learn new material on theater. Anyone that I have ever met that is interested in theater has full devotion to it and understands its beauty; I think the writer did not look into the art of theater. Although there were many different theatrical terms I did not know before reading this chapter, now I can understand the different elements to theater.
I never thought of theater or acting as a form of “art” and I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe because to me, it just didn’t fall into the category of what I felt art should be. I think that art should have a deeper meaning that should be figured out simply by studying it. It’s easy to understand the meaning behind something when you don’t have to think about it much, its just there on the surface. But after just reading the first page, my viewpoint on theater changed. Just like a painting, theater presents a story. It just presents a story in a more literal way than other forms of art and I definitely think that it takes a lot of talent to be in the theater. I guess you could say that emotion is art, or portraying emotion is artistic. Like the book said, “[it’s] lying with utter credibility” I never thought of acting in that way. Theater falls under performing arts which also involves dance and singing.
ReplyDeleteI went to see a lot of plays when I was younger. My brother was in an acting program and I went to see him perform a lot. Two of my best friends growing up also did a lot of acting and I always went to their shows to watch them. I was always more interested in the costumes and the set design. I was never into acting or being on stage because I didn’t like being in front of people and that’s why I am most comfortable showing who I am on a piece of paper or through a camera lens. I worked as a set designer during school so that was the only connection I had to theater.
There are actually more similarities between what kind of art I prefer and theater than I thought. The structural development of a play, the positions on the stage like forth wall and upstage, downstage, those things are similar to composition. Its all about perspective. I see theater as giant painting, only you get to move it around and change it up. Like Tony Kushners play, Angels in American, Art should leave you feeling something and theater definitely does that. I had no idea that there were different theater degrees and I think that’s pretty cool. I definitely enjoy watching performances but I’m still not sure if I really consider it to be art.
Chandler CobbTheater in particular has never sparked any interest in me. The idea of being on a stage and having everyone stare at you while you’re reciting lines that you’ve memorized that you would forget at any moment scares me. I hate everything about being in front of a crowd and having to speak from memory. Whenever I have a school project that requires me to speak in front of the class it always scares me. People who have the ability to act in plays and never lose their character amaze me because its something I would never be able to do.
ReplyDeleteI have been to only about two plays in my life. One was on Broadway, but it was a production of Junk Rock so there wasn’t really a plot with a tragedy so I’m not quite sure it would count as seeing a play like discussed in this chapter. The plays discussed in this chapter talk about epic tragedy and conflict and romance and when I think of that I think of Romeo and Juliet. I think of the huge hair and extravagant dresses; I think of old love stories. Old plays such as Romeo and Juliet have no appeal to me. It’s just not something I could see myself choosing to go see. When I read a book I like to be able to picture myself within the story and think of it as if the book is my world. If I could do that with plays maybe I would feel different, but its just not something I can personally relate to.
I understand how if you’re extremely interested in theater that you can see it as a very important form of art. As an actor they entirely indulge themselves into a character between the constant line rehearsal, the wardrobe; its almost like they become their character and leave behind their own identity while on stage. I admire them for that and I praise they’re ability to become so involved in learned their character and what their character would do in each situation. I agree that theater is a very important art form in its own, but to me its just not an art that interests me.
Theater is something that my best friend had me consider for years. He always has been apart of it for as long as I could remember and has been very talented at the art form. My friend would always tell me that I would be amazing at acting because of my personality, but I was and still am always too afraid to perform in front of a large audience. Watching him though was like seeing a different person. He would put on a persona that was very believable (if you didn't actually know him). The same goes for many other actors in theater, all playing convincing roles as characters that they really are not. I've seen many plays growing up, from comedies like Book of Mormon to dramas like Wicked on Broadway, to small school plays and local town performances all telling a different story.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter I believe did a very, very poor job at describing what theater is like. It opens with an uninteresting story, talks about elements of one type of genre, reminds us of things we really already know, and then tells us another uninteresting/not relate-able story/play. I think that the "Real Encounter" section should be one that the reader can connect to. Maybe the use of a Shakespeare play or one that was famous on Broadway could of been of use and interesting to read. The chapter like the others also continues to inform us about the ways we should observe theater, but I noticed that they've stopped giving us those examples of "Extreme Art." Those were always good at grabbing attention, but it seems that the author just stopped incorporating those into the chapters. And it's not that theater isn't interesting, it's because today's society doesn't really demand it.
With having television and movies, theater and plays have really been on the decline for demand to see. Back in the day when there weren't televisions in everyone's house, you would have to go out to watch entertainment, and the only way was through theater. A lot of people today would rather go out and see a movie with friends instead of going out to see a play with friends. There's a lot more going on in a movie and because of this, our standards for entertainment are higher than that of a play, granted that the story's plot has a role with the overall enjoyment.
Nicole Marmo
ReplyDeleteTheater
I personally don’t know much about theater because I was never really into acting like some other kids in school. However, in middle school and high school I did have friends who participated in school plays. For me I thought it was kind of weird to be in the plays mostly because of the singing; most of the kids in my school didn’t have singing talents and they were just hard to listen to. It would also be really embarrassing if you messed something up like a line, a song or a dance. Another problem I had with drama in high school is that it took up too much time and I played sports, so even if I wanted to participate I wouldn’t be able to. I’m not really a fan of theater, but I am a fan of many TV shows, so I don’t believe that acting is a waste.
Acting isn’t as easy as it appears. I like to watch some big dramas like Law and Order and NCIS. These shows require actual acting skills. The ways some of these actors play their roles are impressive, especially Law and Order because many of the actors have to cry or scream and that’s not easy to d. It’s also hard to sell, for example, in some movies the actors are so bad that you may not be able to understand what’s going on. You may not be convinced of what’s happening. If something scary happens on screen you should be able to tell by the expressions and tones of the actor and you can tell what is and isn’t genuine.
Something that surprised me in this chapter is how they explained that the cavemen were the first to “pretend/act” by acting out hunting battles with the animal’s skinned remains. I never really thought of this as a connection to theater. I always thought that the first theaters were from Ancient Greece and there were rows of seats and giant masks with clear expressions drawn on them. The biggest surprise this chapter was the description of “An Angel Over America.” I was surprised by the fact that there’s a play with two homophobic men with AIDs, just in general. I was also surprised by the fact that it was a religious play that gave the angels perspective on the situation between the two men.
Overall, theater isn’t my favorite form of art, but I do know many people who go see Broadway plays all of the time. I’m personally not one of those people because it’s expensive and requires a lot of effort and travel to get to.
ReplyDeleteI have been to three regional theatre plays: The Nutcracker, The Lion King, and one other that I don’t even remember the name of. I went to all three when I was a lot younger, and the only thing I remember from any of them is the lion from Lion King running up and down the aisle. I think this says a lot about the set designer, and his success in creating a memorable, mobile, set. Instead of using just the stage for the play, the set designer used the entire theatre for the set. I think this is a great tactic that the designer used. I was able to clearly remember this one part of the play, due to the set designer.
I really liked how this chapter, instead of just talking about plays, discussed all the different types of plays and the ideas and people behind them. The beginning of the chapter, where it talked about script, plot, etc, reminded me a lot of my high school AP Literature class. We spent a majority of that class reading Hamlet. While we read it, we would also act out different parts of it. In our class, we would create an improtu stage and props and put on a play for the rest of our class. We would also watch a video of a play for some of the scenes. This made learning about Hamlet a lot more fun and involving. Also at the beginning of this chapter, the writer talks about the audience as being a major part of the drama. I have never thought about it this way. Yes, a play needs an audience in order to be successful and worth putting on, but I never realized how important that audience is until now. Without the audience, there would be no play to put on and therefore no need for any characters, set designers, or anything.
I liked how on page 69, the author talks about the different types of theatre’s. I’ve always seen a play as a play, either it’s Broadway or it’s not, but now I understand the different types a little bit better. When I was younger, my brother and I both took part in a community play of A Christmas Carol. I always just referred to it as a play, not knowing the degree of play that it is. Multiple shows were put on, on many different nights. For this reason, the plays that I took part in would be called “repertory theatre” (pg. 70) because it was put on for many nights in a row, by the same actors and crew. After reading this chapter, I now see theatre as a less broad topic, and more of a topic made up of many different ideas and people.
John Yusza
ReplyDeleteChapter 5
In my life I have had very little experience with acting/theater. In my early life I have experienced all the school plays just because they forced us to. I feel like there is a little more to acting when you know who the actor actually is, because I have been to a few plays in New York with my family but I always found them boring. Whereas the plays in school I always found a little more interesting despite their mediocrity. I cannot remember the names of any of the plays now because it has been so long since I have seen them.
I think it is just easier to connect to the play if you actually know who the actors are but not like oh I know their names but know them as a person. When I watch a play I don’t really look for the power of the symbols. I look more at the quality of the story and the acting. Also the set designs can be cool too but I don’t look for the deeper meaning of things in the literature of the story. I feel that in general I do not have quite as much as an emotional connection with theater as I do with music. If theater is considered acting then I have a personal experience I think might relate. I was a boy scout and around the campfire we would always do these little skits, which for the most part were always meant to be humorous. So anyways I would always be a part of it even though I hated it but I would read my lines so that the whole thing could come together. I feel like that relates to theater because we had props and stuff, even though we didn’t have a stage or a huge audience. The main things that come to mind when I think theater are really old Shakespearian plays and like a broad way show. Theater just always seems like a rich old person’s thing but yet we give them the credibility that they are more culturally refined to appreciate good theater.
I don’t really know how I feel about theater but my gut just tells me it isn’t interesting or fun at all. Yes I can appreciate the effort that goes into performing in theater, all the different components that must come together for it to work. However it just doesn’t peak my interest. I see myself as the type of person to fall asleep during a play.
After reading this chapter, I realized that Theater is one of the most precise forms of art. Everything in the play, movie or show is set up and practiced to perform to the audience a certain scene and create an emotion for them. I think it’s interesting because people must have skill and practice to perform. Also, the show can get you to like or dislike a character based on the way they’re portraying the character. I liked how in this chapter it tells you all about how so many people are putting effort into plays. Such as the actors, director, producer, designers etc. I think for some people they can use theater as an escape. They for a while are someone else and can escape reality. I also liked how in this chapter, the author says, “the play is both pretense and deadly serious.” This to me means for a while the actor can appear to be someone else.
ReplyDeleteWhat I also liked about this chapter is how it explained everything about how the stage is set up. It’s interesting to know about “behind the scenes” and everything that was used to make this play seem so real. Personally, I have only been to a few plays and am not as interested in this topic as I was with the other chapters, but I do enjoy some of the information in this chapter that gives away more information about the play itself. I think the most important part of theater is the effort and practice put into it. The times I went to plays are when my friend has been in them. Those are more interesting for me because I actually know how he acts in real life, and seeing the art of him act was amazing to see!
For people who enjoy going to plays and acting, I think it must be extremely amusing; every part about it because now I can understand how much really goes into these. But for me, I am more interested in the set and the effort that goes into theater.
Theater has never really been a big part of my life. When I was young I liked to play pretend, but it never grew into a passion for me. I do love to watch plays and musicals, but I have never really been into participating in them. I think theater is a lot like painting or sculpture. Paintings and sculptures can point out the problems in the world, and give people an outlet to realize those problems. Theater relates to this because a performance can be dramatic or ironic, to point out different things, whether they be political, religious, or any big problem in the world. It makes people realize the problems in the world by making them sound funny, ironic, or dramatic.
ReplyDeleteActors are a big part of theater. An actor that fits the part perfectly can make the performance, and oppositely for an actor that doesn’t fit the part. Acting sounds really difficult. Actors really have to understand their character and put aside their habits and decisions for what they think their character’s habits and decisions would be. I love when the actor fits the part perfectly. Instead of focusing on the flaws in the play, you can really believe the characters and enjoy the play.
My sister and brother were both in musicals. It really is an art. I got to see what went on behind the scenes. A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes and I really got to see that theater is an art. The set designs, the costuming, the staging, everything that goes into making a production, is truly an art form in itself.
I love all the, for lack of a better word, drama that is involved with the theater. First of all, the theater itself is usually insanely beautiful. It’s so elegant, decadent, and dramatic. I think theater has the ability to do this because it is not something that people go to everyday. It is a special occasion type of thing, like going to the museum, or seeing a famous painting, it’s special. People get dressed up and enjoy a play that takes them on a journey for a night. The same this can happen with other art forms. Although you don’t have to get dressed up, a painting with lots of emotion or a sculpture can take you to a different place and make you feel different emotions.
To me, theater is a living art or a performance art. I think it is really cool, that overtime it can adapt and change. Different interpretations can be taken from it by the way it is performed or what is happening in that certain time during which it’s performed. Unlike a piece of art on a canvas, it can adapt to better fit the time period and it can be made into different versions. I think that is a really cool feature of this art form.
Abigail Lisee
ReplyDeleteAesthetics
Theatre
When I think about theatre I think about my high school drama department and the plays I would go watch on weekends to support my friends. I also think about my first play that my grandma took me to see when I was younger, Annie. One thing I’ve always wanted to do is to go see The Lion King on Broadway but I haven’t had that chance yet. I don’t know too much about theatre but a part of me holds a place in my heart for it because of the fact that I was able to experience it with my grandma who is one of my best friends.
I’d like to think I am somewhat familiar with certain parts of theatre such as: the actors/actresses, the audience, the backstage crew, and the director/producer. I respect the fact that these performers are able to put on a production that is completely live. Therefore they don’t have the ability to have revisions. They under extreme pressure to get their lines right the very first time and that is a lot different than actors in movies or television shows and for me I think that makes theatre more respectable in the my opinion. I am not really interested in the classical theatre such as Hamlet or that sort of think however I think nowadays performing arts has become a lot more open to different kind of audiences. I think that is essential to the survival or theatre. I have recently become interested in the idea of taking an acting class or something like that because I think it would be fun to pretend to be someone else for a little while and that's probably my favorite part of being able to act professionally. Their job is literally to be someone else. Who wouldn't want to be someone else for a little while?
Anna Strang
ReplyDeleteChapter five is all about the theater. Growing up in Westchester, NY, which is only a forty minute train ride away from New York City, theater is a big part of my life. New York City is known for a lot of things, but one of the major things NYC is known for is Broadway. Hundreds of plays have been on Broadway and I am very lucky to be so close to the city and have parents that love going to see Broadway plays because of I have seen over ten Broadway plays on Broadway. I love going to the huge theater and watching the lights go down. My favorite plays are those that are musicals. The voices of the actors are so strong and beautiful that I always get the shivers. The theater is such a beautiful way to express feelings and ideas, which is why the theater is one of my favorite types of art.
Broadway is not the only place where I love to see plays. I also go to our local theater, The Westchester Dinner Theater. The Westchester Dinner Theater is a theater that my family goes to, to celebrate family birthdays, anniversaries, and sometimes we just all meet there because we have not see everyone in a while. Even though these plays are put on by local actors the experience is spectacular. The theater allows for my family to come together and appreciate the art of plays and actors.
When I was in Middle School I was in a class called MOVAPA, Music of Vocal Art and Performing Art, which is a class that put on musicals. For my eighth grade play we put on the Sound of Music. I only had a tiny part, but I can still appreciate all the time and effort that goes into putting on a play. Especially one that is so large. I applaud those that have the memory to memorize a whole script.
Theater is something that unites people and allows messages and ideas to be expressed in a beautiful art form, which is why I believe everyone should go and watch a play at the theater.
Chapter 5 Theater
ReplyDeleteWhen I first thought of theater I only thought about entertainment, considering I have only been to maybe one or two different plays I guess before I began taking this class and reading this chapter my prior knowledge about theater would be different now if I had to considered theater a type of art. Since after exploring multiple different kinds of art styles I can now see that the process of the script, costumes, and plot are just another way to express a kind of emotion that only artists would understand.
The section called the experience goes into explaining what you might feel and see at your first experience at the theater. It starts out by taking in your surroundings after taking your seat observing all the different lights, the colors, and the people that surround you. Then you look in front of you where the stage is located when the curtain is raised take a moment to take in all the different characters, costumes, and the setting to make some kind of interpretations about what might happen. To have a successful experience at the play you should look at the character development through each act, observe the changes on the stage like backdrop and lighting, and last you should engage in all the audience participation parts.
After reading this chapter I have the same feelings that I feel everytime I read a chapter, my thoughts about the chapter don’t change the basic theme of the chapter is to look at certain aspects of some kind of art and take things like costumes, and plot from this chapter and find the emotions and feelings that the creator was thinking about while creating their form of art. Hopefully the next time I go to the theater I can use what the chapter has taught me too see something that I originally wouldn’t have seen in the first place. I will look more in depth to my surroundings, try to spot differences between characters and the setting as the acts begin and end, and really try to interact with the audience because my thoughts might change after I experience the theater like the chapter would want me too.
Even though I am not somebody who likes to act and put on a performance, I do enjoy a good show whether it be on Broadway or at a local theater. 6-7 years ago, I went to go see The Lion King on Broadway with my family for my parent’s anniversary. Going to see a play on Broadway for the first time made me very excited and at the same time, overwhelmed. I am not sure how we managed it but I remember sitting in the front row and having the performers come down from the stage and surround our area with song and dance. Seeing a performance like this live was probably one of the most incredible experiences I have had (in the department of the arts). Besides seeing this show on Broadway, every year, my high school would put on a different show during the fall and spring. Although the fall performances weren’t that popular, everyone made it their business to go to the spring concert. Some of the shows they put on were Les Misérables and Legally Blonde- and they were fabulous.
ReplyDeleteRegarding this chapter, there were many things that I found interesting about the theater. In the first paragraph I thought it was fascinating that the author pointed out that we are the only animals that pretend to be someone that we’re not for fun. Another aspect of theater that I enjoy is learning about the different plots, play wrights and genres that the creators come up with and how they are able to create a story solely from dialogue. I know that it takes a lot of people to perform a beautiful play but I never realized how many people are actually involved behind the scenes of a production.
This chapter caught my attention because after seeing the movie Birdman, I had a better insight of the theater and what goes on behind the scenes between the actors and the amount of stress everyone is under. There’s more to the theater than just the different people that make the play possible. The friendships made and the relationship between the characters are what truly make the show possible and make it as magical as it is.
Kristin Portsmouth
ReplyDeleteAesthetics Response 5
September 28, 2015
When I think about theater the first thing that pops into my head is my cousin Cami. Growing up she was always the most talented in our family with her singing and acting. She was in countless plays in high school and she even majored in theater in college. She always loved acting because it was a way to see the world through someone else’s eyes. It is extremely hard to act in a play; you have to remember so many things such as your lines, maybe some songs, where to stand, when to come on stage or when to leave, and when to change. Acting takes a lot of work and practice, that is why I admire my cousin so much.
Now that I am thinking back, theater has always been in my life. Although I was not participating I was always attending some sort of musical or play. Living so close to New York City my schools always had a trip to see a Broadway show. My favorite was when we went to see Tarzan on Broadway in fourth grade. I remember being so excited and when we finally got there my jaw dropped. As a small fourth grader looking into that enormous room it was breathtaking. It got even better when the show started because there were so many lights and the music was so loud and amazing. My favorite part though was seeing the actors fly around the stage on their “vines” because at the time I thought they were actually flying.
What I took away from this chapter is that I am much more of an admirer of theater rather than someone who’s willing to jump on stage and started belting out the high notes. Theater always puzzles me because I think it’s truly mind-blowing how someone can memorize probably a fifty-page script or more then recite it without even looking. That’s why I think theater is definitely a form of art. Not only can you express yourself through the actions of someone else but you also challenge yourself to remember everything in the script in order to have a clean running show. Acting is very unique also because there can be multiple actors playing the same character but each actor can interpret that character differently and it can give you a unique show each time. I think that’s incredible because no two shows will be the same if you switch the actors around, no other form of art is like that.
To be honest, the art form that I am the least interested in from this book is theater. I tried acting multiple times when I was younger and I would rather do anything else, really. I was never interested in doing stage crew, it seemed to stressful. For me, creating art is something that relaxes me and gives me time to think. I enjoy painting, drawing, sculpting, playing and listening to music. Working behind stage looks like a whole lot of running around and yelling at people to get into place and scrambling to find props and outfits. Most of the plays that I have seen have been filmed, not live performances. Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are the two I remember the most. Probably why I disliked them so much is because of the difference in language from the time it was written and present day. I wasn’t there in the audience looking at the physical stage to really appreciate the acting and the scenery. I went to see the play Annie when I was younger. This was the only play I remember watching and actually liking. I paid attention to everything that was going on; the characters, the props, the music, the scene. Everything (except for the musical aspect) seemed realistic. Looking at the picture in the chapter of the box set on stage by Designer Michael Shugg, I get a different image. This set up looks more artistic to me. He has incorporated aspect of nature with aspects of the home to create a rustic and natural feel on stage. This style interests me, the amount of creativity and imagination it takes to create something so big for such a specific purpose is forever beyond me. I would be interested in maybe some day helping out to create a set for a play. I can imagine when the designer is done and takes a step back to admire the work of art. It is like creating a massive sculpture.
ReplyDeleteWhen I thought about theater before reading this chapter, I only thought of the actors as the “artists”. When I read the section in the chapter titles “Who Makes the Play?” I realized that I lot more people contribute artistically to the performance: the playwright, director, designers, stage manager, and the backstage crew. WIthout them, the play wouldn’t exist. Although I said I do not like watching plays or participating in them, I have great respect and appreciation for everyone involved. This chapter has educated me on many different aspects of the plays and has motivated me to reinvent my views on theater.
Shannon Smith
ReplyDeleteChapter 5 review
9/23/15
The latest chapter in our A Beginner’s Guide to the Humanities outlines the world of theatrical arts. The chapter reveals many of the aspects that go into a performance and how to process the performance itself. I found this chapter not only relatable (because of my past working in a play performance) but also informative.
At a very young age my mother decided to enroll myself and my sister in the school play. I was extremely nervous during the casting process however, I landed the roll of the wicked witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. I was thrilled with the outcome of my audition but soon realized I had a vast amount of lines to remember and began to become nervous once again. After this performance I realized there is much more to theatre than what meets the eye. Not only did I have to memorize my lines and portray a convincing witch like voice, I also had to help set up the stage with props, keep my costume in check, and on top of all this convince the audience I truly was the wicked witch. During the performance in our tightly packed and extremely hot town hall my clay witches nose proceeded to melt off my face. When I look back on the dilemma I now laugh at my nervousness and anxiety I felt as my nose slowly dripped off my face. Luckily I improvised and used the melting nose as an attribute to my “melting scene”. This small encounter with the art of theatre has actually put into perspective the difficulty of directing, casting, setting up, and acting out an entire play (especially with a bunch of third graders).
After reading the section regarding how one should properly watch a play I learned a lot about what I should be paying attention to. The obvious instinct one has when watching a play is to focus mainly on the actors rather than the script and even the staging of the set. I wish that I could have read this section before viewing the play Wicked a few years ago. Wicked is a powerful story that mirrors the Wizard of Oz, yet adds a new twist. The play uses a different point of view which ultimately forces the audience to side with the wicked witch. When watching the play I mainly focused on the characters actions, and what they were saying. I neglected to notice much of the set or the hard work that must have gone into setting up the various scenes.
This chapter informed me of various theatre terminology, techniques, and many other aspects that I was previously unaware of. Reading this has now familiarized me with aspects of theatre I was unaware of.
Marisa Siino
ReplyDeleteReading this chapter, much like reading the previous one really sparked my interest. I acted in all of my high school career. I am a very dramatic person so when I started acting I knew it was something I would enjoy. I mostly performed in the musicals but my senior year I was the student director.
The process was much like the book reads. There was an extensive audition process where students had to preform a monologue to show off their skills. From there we select a few people to come back for a callback. At the callback the students performed with each other actual scenes from the play.
Once we casted the parts, we then began to think about the set. As we read through the show we came up with interesting ideas for the background scenery as well as props and furniture. With not having a large budget we would use our supplies from home.
The performance, just like the book says, was in three acts. The beginning usually confusing while introducing the characters. The second act sets up the stage for when the climax happens. Finally in the third act the climax happens and then the resolution and ending happen. That is usually when the whole play comes together and you can figure out exactly what has happened throughout the show.
Being on the other side of theatre, like backstage was an amazing experience. I’m a very controlling person, which is one hundred percent why I prefer to be on the stage rather than behind it.
It was interesting to read the definitions in the book such as wings, box set and scrim. These are words I’ve just grown up knowing and im sure plenty of students in the class and most people who read the book are learning something new.
I wouldn’t say I have a lot of experience with what theater is like but I have been to a few plays throughout my life. Because I enjoy music very much I have been to much more musical plays than “normal plays”. All the plays I have attended have been through my schools. In elementary school I remember going to 3 one I remember perfectly which was the nutcracker. In middle school I remember going to two and in high school I can remember going to three. One was the crucible. Even though it was for a class surprisingly it was not that bad. I actually enjoyed it besides the seating which was horrible. In college I have been to the Lion King musical in NYC and one that was hosted at RWU by students. I loved the Lion King performance, it was literally amazing. I enjoyed every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteI find plays to be very entertaining. The book says that theater has deeper meanings . Which is does every theater performance I have ever been to I sense the emotion and meaning behind everything. Every actor in every play I have been to has put all there emotion to their part which is really what makes the performance magical. I think it is truly art. In my opinion not only is it art because it has meaning behind it all but because not every piece of a performance is literally magical and beautiful. Plus its not something that just any one can do.
I also find that one really does apply plays to real world situations. I personally have found my self thinking how a play connects to something in the world. But then again I naturally do that with just about everything.
I think theater is amazing especially because there is so many components that come in to place to make it art. There is just so much hard work that goes into theater. I knew theater was amazing but this chapter made me realize just what magical and wonderful art it truly is.
Max Kraimer
ReplyDeleteAesthetics: The Artistic Impulse
September 28, 2015
Chapter five of Beginners Guide to the Humanities it was all about Theater. Throughout my whole life I have never really liked performance art so naturally I wasn’t in any and I only went to them if my mother forced me. Farcically they put me to sleep. But I also do see the importance of them. Plays were the first form of movies, in ancient Athens many were performed on a hillside, this formed even todays Modern Greek theaters.
In Figure 5.3. a theater designer named Michael Shuggs designed a mortified box set of a house in the woods. I thought this design was very cool. There are so many accept to this setting, on either side of the building two lives like trees hold up the structure. I find it interesting how important the theater plans into the actually role of the play. The play is almost determined on the structure and set up of the theater. A poor designed theater can make or break a show.
One reason I didn’t like this reading is because it throw a lot of knowledge at me that I wont remember. For example, a section was labeled “A Theater Glossary” and talked about “terms for the division and subdivision of dramatic actions”. This whole page seemed like a waste. All the terms seemed to not fully relate to the topic of theater.
Theater is a form of art that I personally have never been involved in, been attracted to, or tied into by any means, so in this chapter I wanted to see what theater is, and how I can tie my life into it, and how to appreciate it as art. The first paragraph I found interesting, it was a very valid statement by the author expressing the nature of theater. How only we, as humans, can put a mask on and become someone else; theater tests reality, but at the same time goes into deeper meaning of it, it is a pretty crazy idea to think about. The elements of drama are obviously not just attested to theater, they are in books, movies (which can be theater), and anything that is written. The same goes for who makes the play in movies, obviously there are more people in movies, editors, producers, directors, etc., but the base of theater is extremely similar to that of a tv show or movie. I really struggled to understand the piece the author talk about Kushner's play, I just really did not understand what the point of the anecdote was. I also did not understand the point that he was trying to get across. The information about the theater was pretty interesting though, I enjoyed the different types of theaters, what they were for, when they were used, and I thought the figure 5.3 was an interesting piece of work. Also what goes into making the set was interesting, the scrim was specifically a piece that I could see playing a huge role in a theatrical play. I learned a few new words throughout the rest of the chapter but nothing really I could enjoy thoroughly. Overall this chapter was interesting in my opinion, but did not change my opinion on theater, I do not think the author did a very good job in talking about the art in theater, he really just had that one anecdote that listed everything that goes on in theater.
ReplyDeleteKirsten Hansen
ReplyDeleteI personally have no connection to theater. I considered trying out for the school musical in 7th grade, but I decided that it was just not for me. That being said, I have very little ground to base any argument regarding theater on. Even though I am not a theater person myself, I have great respect for those involved in it. My great grandfather was a professional actor and I have many friends who are involved in performing arts.
Plays and theatrical productions have been around forever. Though today, they are mainly for entertainment, there was a time in which plays were a way of communicating ideas and stories.
There are many components to putting on a production and each piece requires expertise and practice.
Theater is definitely a form of art because it allows for emotion and expression.
We always sit down and argue about what makes something art. Over and over, I feel as though the ideas of emotion and expression come up. This is making me feels as though art is something that ties into those concepts. Theater is art, just as a drawing, and song, a symphony, and a sculpture might be.