Experiencing Theatre

1. In today's world what is the primary difference between drama and theatre?

Drama is the script or text. Theatre is either (1) the place of performance or (2) the performance of a dramatic work. As one writer put it, drama is on the page and theatre is on the stage.

2. What is the original source language of these two terms?

Greek.

3. What is the rough English translation of the two source terms?

Theatre: To see.
Drama: To do.

4. Is there a difference, besides the spelling, between "theatre" and "theater"?

No. Theatre is the British spelling and theater is the American spelling. In the 1830's, Noah Webster, of dictionary fame, created an American spelling for a number of British words. Colour became color, centre became center, and theatre became theater. Most of those in the acting profession, many of whom were originally British, continued to use the re spelling. Today, both spellings are used in the United States. Those in the profession still generally use the re spelling, the rest of America uses the er spelling. Wilson and Goldfarb chose the er spelling for Theater: The Lively Art because it is "less formal."

5. Who was Aristotle?

Aristotle (384-322 BCE) was an ancient Greek theorist who in The Poetics (335 BCE), outlines the beginnings of drama, develops a structured approach to dramatic analysis and presents a definition of drama.

    What was his definition of drama?

Drama is an imitation of men in action.

6. According to Wilson and Goldfarb, what is the "heart of the theater experience?"

The live relationship between the performer and the audience. "During a stage performance the actress and actors can hear laughter, can sense silence, and can feel tension in the audience. In short, the audience can affect, and in subtle ways change, the performance." (Wilson and Goldfarb, page 7).

7. What are the three categories of art?

Literary, visual, and performing..

8. What are the performing arts?

Theatre, dance, opera and music. Film, according to Wilson and Goldfarb, is an art form in its own right containing elements of both the visual and performing arts.

9. What characteristics do all the performing arts have in common?

They all require a creator, an interpreter, and an audience. They also require that the interpreter and audience occupy the same space at the same time.

10. What are the six major elements of theatre?

Audience, script, performers, director, the theatrical space and the technical aspects of sets, lights, costumes and sound

11. According to Eric Bentley (1916- ), what are the three essentials for a theatrical performance?

An actor (or performer), a character (developed by the playwright in the script), and an audience.

12. Why is theatre not a pure art?

Theatre, in performance, is produced by the collaboration of many theatrical artists: performers, directors, designers, producers, managers, writers...

13. What are the responsibilities of these collaborators?

1. Performer (Actor): Takes the character developed by the playwright and turns him into a living creation on stage.

2. Playwright: Writes the text of the play. He develops the characters, outlines the plot, and presents this creation to the audience through dramatic dialogue.

3. Director: Is responsible for developing a dramatic interpretation of the playwright's script. He spends most of his time working with the performer.

4. Producer: Is the head (boss) of the production company. He chooses the play, or property; and is responsible for raising the funds necessary to mount the show.

5. Scene Designer: Develops the drawings (plans and elevations) necessary to build and paint the sets. Supervises the set and property crews.

6. Costume Designer: Develops the drawings (costume plate) necessary to build the costumes worn by the performers. Supervises the costume, or wardrobe crew

7. Lighting Designer: Develops the drawings (light plot) and charts (hook-up chart and cue sheet) necessary to hang, focus, and cue the lights for a production. Supervises the light, or electric crew.

8. Sound Designer: Develops the drawings and charts necessary to establish the type and location of sound equipment (microphones, speakers, amplifiers, mixing consoles) needed for a show. Supervises the sound crew.

9. Managers are middle management. They organize, and supervise, the work of the actors, production crew, and house staff. The stage manager, for example, is the back stage boss. He keeps a written record of the play's interpretation (prompt book), calls all of the technical cues (lights, scenery) during performance, and in the commercial theatre is responsible for maintaining the "integrity" of the production once it has opened.