Edward Gordon Craig and Theater Essay

Queen Elizabeth came to be known as one of the greatest rulers of the English empire. Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a more efficient government was created. The church was unified, the English empire was expanded, and language, literature, and theater flourished to a greatness that would be impossible for almost any other period of English history, or any other European empire, for that matter, to match. Although there was a great rise in literature,it was theater that catapulted to greatness during Elizabeth's reign. Out of Elizabeth's era came Elizabethan theater. Elizabethan theater has such a variety of topics, that would make it virtually impossible to talk about in ten pages.

The outstanding component of acting is that it is an aspect that calls for a wide variety of skills. A single person to form a totally different personality from that possessed by the acting person must synchronize these skills. Some of the most common skills necessary for an actor are vocal projection, physical expressiveness, speech clarity, well-developed imagination, emotional facility drama interpretive ability. Also not to forget mentioning other important capabilities that an actor must have are; utilization of accents, body languages, dialects, improvisation, mimicry, emulation, stage combat and observation (Jurkowski and Francis 44). Another fascinating fact about acting is that it combines both talent and special training programs. Due to this fact it offers opportunities to any person who has an interest in becoming a theatre performer. The training has as well availed a chance for the emergence of professional actors who never seize from learning new elements from now and then. These people are among those who undergo training in various sub-disciplines making them diverse and multifunctional. An actor can be good at singing, dancing, partner work, scene work among others. Bundling all these qualities into one single person is a fascinating element which makes them fit for any duty that might be availed to them. Therefore acting as

A discourse community is a group of people with similar ideologies, goals, life experiences and ways of communicating. A lot of us have been in a discourse community without even knowing it. They are so easy to be a part of, you are practically born into one, for your family has a culture and background, which fits the definition of a discourse community. I am actually a part of a few communities myself, and you probably are too. Some examples of mine are my family, being a UTA student, Italian, a woman and a part of UTA’s musical theater program. Which brings me to the most important community I have been a part of, so far in my life, Colleyville Heritage High schools theater department, I am no longer a part of it, but in the short four years I was, my life has changed for the better. In my paper, I will talk to you about my time at Colleyville Heritage High School theater department, and how the community gave me a sense of belonging, taught me how to persevere, by means of loving art and preforming. This will be backed by ethos, logos and pathos, for I have experienced all the emotions of joining a new group, along with the four years of taking acting, and singing lessons and doing shows, paired with real life events to prove everything in this paper is one hundred percent real.

Improv was always an intimidating faction of theater. Though there is no planning or scripting, no matter when or where the show was it always seemed a labor of love. Something that was worked on for an extreme length of time but really it was formed from the performer's mind only a second before the audience saw it. Even though I have done theater and dance in the past, improv always seemed something that I was never good at. From watching performances, tv programs, or improv workshops, it always looked like an art form that I could never learn or use besides the stage. With last week's class, that all seemed to change. I saw that improv could be used in many different factions of life. Providing new life skills and practices that cam

The 20th Century was home to many important events in history, one of the most memorable being The Great Depression. Unemployment was at an all time high, businesses were forced to shut down, and suicide rates were through the roof. New York City was no exception. 213 of it’s 253 theaters were forced to close, putting hundreds of thousands of theater people out of work. In these devastating times, a hopeless yet admirable organization known as the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) was created by request of President Roosevelt. Originally created to preserve music and art, this project consumed government funds, was plagued by censorship, and was blatantly biased in social issues, with the end result being far from it’s original goal.

Warm up your vocal cords because you’re going to want to sing along to this youth theatre company’s musical revue. The performance showcases a wide range of music – from energetic group numbers to stirring ballads that will have you weeping in your hanky. Whether you enjoy new smash hits like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen or classics like A Chorus Line and Hairspray, there’s something sure to please everyone.

Over the course of approximately one-hundred years there has been a discernible metamorphosis within the realm of African-American cinema. African-Americans have overcome the heavy weight of oppression in forms such as of politics, citizenship and most importantly equal human rights. One of the most evident forms that were withheld from African-Americans came in the structure of the performing arts; specifically film. The common population did not allow blacks to drink from the same water fountain let alone share the same television waves or stage. But over time the strength of the expectant black actors and actresses overwhelmed the majority force to stop blacks from appearing on film. For the longest time the performing arts were

The History of Broadway Musicals What Is Broadway theater? Most would believe that it refers to the theaters that are located on Broadway street in New York. Surprisingly however, many Broadway theaters have moved to neighboring streets. In modern times, the definition of a Broadway theater actually refers to how many people the theater holds, as well as how much they pay the cast etc. So as a rule, a theater would be considered a Broadway if it seats at least 500 people.

The Keswick Theater was graced to host the Cindy Lauper, “She Is So Unusual 30th Anniversary Tour,” this Friday Nov. 15th.. Indeed it was a night where “Fans Just Want to have Fun,” was the operative and we certainly did!

The first paragraph of chapter one describes to us readers what theatre is. The word originates from Greece, and means “seeing place.” The author then describes the difference between the “hardware” definition and the “software” definition. Hardware describes the building where the play is taking place, where films are shown, and where wars and surgeries happen. The software definition describes the cast, owners, managers, and technicians. The author gives the example of the Guthrie Theatre saying “we are referring not merely to a building in Minneapolis, but also to the stage artists and administrators who work that building and to the body of plays produced there” (page 7).

Ancient Greek Theater is the first historical record of “drama,” which is the Greek term meaning “to do” or “to act.” Beginning in the 5th century BC, Greek Theater developed into an art that is still used today. During the golden age of the Athenians plays were created, plays that are considered among the greatest works of world drama. Today there are thousands of well-known plays and films based on the re-make of ancient drama.

Drama changed literature and theater into what it is today. I. History of Elizabethan Theater a. forming of theater 1. medieval church 2. mystery and morality b. actors 1. rogues and thieves 2. acting guilds II. Influences and people a. commanding actors 1. Shakespeare 2. Burbage b. other 1. wars of the roses (other historical influences) 2. laws restricting theater III. The theaters a. prices 1. seating 2. stage b. the theater and the globe 1. locations and characteristics 2. Burbage and other accomplishment Elizabethan Drama During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, England underwent a dramatic change in priorities. The importance of art and literature became highly prevalent. The impact of the Elizabethan drama and

     "The arts of the western world have been largely dominated by the artistic standards established by the Greeks of the classical period" (Spreloosel 86). It is from the Greek word theatron, meaning a place for sitting, that we get our word theater. According to James Butler, "The Greeks were the first people to erect special structures to bring audiences and theatrical performers together" (27). "The theaters were normally located near a populated area at the bottom of or cut out of a carefully selected, sloping hillside overlooking a seascape, a plain, or a city" (Butler 30). "They eventually with few exceptions consisted of three distinct parts: theatron

The theater that Cuthbert Burbage built for the Chamberlain's Men had a total capacity of between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators. Because there was no lighting, all performances at the Globe were conducted, weather permitting, during the day (probably most often in the mid-afternoon span between 2 P.M. and 5 P.M.). Because most of the Globe and all of its stage was open air, acoustics were poor and the actors were compelled by circumstances to shout their lines, stress their enunciation, and engage in exaggerated theatrical gestures. What would seem most striking to a modern (Broadway) theatergoer about the productions staged at the Globe is that they were completely devoid of background scenery. Although costumes

“In roughly built playhouses and cobblestone inn yards, an extraordinary development took place in England in the 1500s.” (Yancey, 8). At that time, an opportunity combined to produce literature achievement never before witnessed in the history of drama and theater. The renaissance, helped spark this movement by inspiring scientific and artistic creativity throughout the land. Models began writing dramas that portrayed life in both realistic and imaginative ways. This created work later captured the attention of the world that changed the English drama. The many aspects of Elizabethan theater helped to shape the acting and theater world forever.