Theatre

Author: Daniel Gerould
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1476848807
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 523

Book Description
From Aristotle's Poetics to Vaclav Havel, the debate about the nature and function of theatre has been marked by controversy. Daniel Gerould's landmark work, Theatre/Theory/Theatre, collects history's most influential Eastern and Western dramatic theorists – poets, playwrights, directors and philosophers – whose ideas about theatre continue to shape its future. In complete texts and choice excerpts spanning centuries, we see an ongoing dialogue and exchange of ideas between actors and directors like Craig and Meyerhold, and writers such as Nietzsche and Yeats. Each of Gerould's introductory essays shows fascinating insight into both the life and the theory of the author. From Horace to Soyinka, Corneille to Brecht, this is an indispensable compendium of the greatest dramatic theory ever written.

Theory/Theatre

Author: Mark Fortier
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134523645
Category : Drama
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Book Description
This is a new and enlarged edition of Mark Fortier's very successful and widely used essential text for students. Theory/Theatre provides a unique and engaging introduction to literary theory as it relates to theatre and performance. Fortier lucidly examines current theoretical approaches, from semiotics, poststructuralism, through cultural materialism, postcolonial studies and feminist theory. This new edition includes: * More detailed explanation of key ideas * New 'Putting it into practice' sections at the end of each chapter so you can approach performances from specific theoretical perspectives * Annotated further reading section and glossary. Theory/Theatre is still the only study of its kind and is invaluable reading for beginning students and scholars of performance studies.

Theories of the Theatre

Author: Marvin A. Carlson
Publisher: Ithaca : Cornell University Press
ISBN:
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 544

Book Description
**** Expanded edition of the work originally published by Cornell U. Press in 1984 and endorsed by BCL3. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Playing with Theory in Theatre Practice

Author: Megan Alrutz
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1350316555
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 262

Book Description
Through a collection of original essays and case studies, this innovative book explores theory as an accessible, although complex, tool for theatre practitioners and students. These chapters invite readers to (re)imagine theory as a site of possibility or framework that can shape theatre making, emerge from practice, and foster new ways of seeing, creating, and reflecting. Focusing on the productive tensions and issues that surround creative practice and intellectual processes, the contributing authors present central concepts and questions that frame the role of theory in the theatre. Ultimately, this diverse and exciting collection offers inspiring ideas, raises new questions, and introduces ways to build theoretically-minded, dynamic production work.

World Theories of Theatre

Author: Glenn A. Odom
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 131758628X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 474

Book Description
World Theories of Theatre expands the horizons of theatrical theory beyond the West, providing the tools essential for a truly global approach to theatre. Identifying major debates in theatrical theory from around the world, combining discussions of the key theoretical questions facing theatre studies with extended excerpts from primary materials, specific primary materials, case studies and coverage of Southern Africa, the Caribbean, North Africa and the Middle East, Oceania, Latin America, East Asia, and India. The volume is divided into three sections: Theoretical questions, which applies cross-cultural perspectives to key issues from aesthetics to postcolonialism, interculturalism, and globalization. Cultural and literary theory, which is organised by region, presenting a range of theatrical theories in their historical and cultural context. Practical exercises, which provides a brief series of suggestions for physical exploration of these theoretical concepts. World Theories of Theatre presents fresh, vital ways of thinking about the theatre, highlighting the extraordinary diversity of approaches available to scholars and students of theatre studies. This volume includes theoretical excerpts from: Zeami Motokiyo Bharata Muni Wole Soyinka Femi Osofisan Uptal Dutt Saadallah Wannous Enrique Buenaventura Derek Walcott Werewere Liking Maryrose Casey Augusto Boal Tadashi Suzuki Jiao Juyin Oriza Hirata Gao Xingjian Roma Potiki Poile Sengupta

Reading the Material Theatre

Author: Richard Paul Knowles
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521644167
Category : Drama
Languages : en
Pages : 252

Book Description
Reading the Material Theatre develops and demonstrates a method of theatrical performance analysis that takes into account the entire theatre experience, from production to reception. Beginning with semiotic and cultural materialist theory, Knowles quickly moves into detailed politicized analysis of the ways in which specific aspects of theatrical production, and specific contexts of reception, shape the audience's understanding of what they experience in the theatre. It concludes with five case studies of the cultural work performed by a major Shakespearean repertory theatre, a small nationalist theatre devoted to new play development, a major New York-based avant-garde touring theatre company, a British socialist company dedicated to the work of Shakespeare, and a range of international festivals. This accessible 2004 volume provides a first-step introduction to key terms and areas of performance theory, including reception history, performance analysis, and production analysis.

Studying Musical Theatre

Author: Millie Taylor
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1137270969
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 275

Book Description
This lively textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the history, theory and practice of this popular theatre form. Bringing critical theory and musical theatre together, Millie Taylor and Dominic Symonds explore the musical stage from a broad range of theoretical perspectives. Part 1 focuses on the way we understand musicals as texts and Part 2 then looks at how musical theatre negotiates its position in the wider world. Part 3 recognises the affiliations of various communities with the musical stage, and finally part 4 unravels the musical's relationship with time, space, intertextuality and entertainment. Written by leading experts in Musical Theatre and Drama, Taylor and Symonds utilise their wealth of knowledge to engage and educate the reader on this diverse subject. With its accessible and extensive content, this text is the ideal accompaniment to any study of musical theatre internationally: an essential tool for students of all levels, lecturers, practitioners and enthusiasts alike.

Devising Theatre

Author: Alison Oddey
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136111964
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 269

Book Description
Devising Theatre is a practical handbook that combines a critical analysis of contemporary devised theatre practice with descriptions of selected companies, and suggestions for any group devising theatre from scratch. It is the first book to propose a general theory of devised theatre. After identifying the unique nature of this type of performance, the author examines how devised theatre is perceived by professional practitioners, and provides an historical overview illustrating how it has evolved since the 1960s. Alison Oddey examines the particular working practices and products of a number of professional companies, including a Reminiscence theatre for the elderly and a theatre-in-education group, and offers ideas and exercises for exploration and experimentation.

Creativity in Theatre

Author: Suzanne Burgoyne
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319789287
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 289

Book Description
People who don’t know theatre may think the only creative artist in the field is the playwright--with actors, directors, and designers mere “interpreters” of the dramatist’s vision. Historically, however, creative mastery and power have passed through different hands. Sometimes, the playwright did the staging. In other periods, leading actors demanded plays be changed to fatten their roles. The late 19th and 20th centuries saw “the rise of the director,” in which director and playwright struggled for creative dominance. But no matter where the balance of power rested, good theatre artists of all kinds have created powerful experiences for their audience. The purpose of this volume is to bridge the interdisciplinary abyss between the study of creativity in theatre/drama and in other fields. Sharing theories, research findings, and pedagogical practices, the authors and I hope to stimulate discussion among creativity and theatre scholar/teachers, as well as multidisciplinary research. Theatre educators know from experience that performance classes enhance student creativity. This volume is the first to bring together perspectives from multiple disciplines on how drama pedagogy facilitates learning creativity. Drawing on current findings in cognitive science, as well as drama teachers’ lived experience, the contributors analyze how acting techniques train the imagination, allow students to explore alternate identities, and discover the confidence to take risks. The goal is to stimulate further multidisciplinary investigation of theatre education and creativity, with the intention of benefitting both fields.

Critical Theory and Performance

Author: Janelle G. Reinelt
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
ISBN: 9780472068869
Category : Theater
Languages : en
Pages : 612

Book Description
Updated and enlarged, this groundbreaking collection surveys the major critical currents and approaches in drama, theater, and performance