Art of Acting
This Russian theatre practitioner is known as the Father of Modern Acting (and the “Method”).
Konstantin Stanislavski
This German nobleman is recognized as the first formal director, dating back to the 19th century.
The Duke of Saxe-Meinigen
These designers create the physical environment for a production:
scenic designer
This idea assumes that the audience can objectively judge a work if they are removed from it enough:
Aesthetic distance
In a nutshell, what is a dramaturg?
Historical liaison and literary manager of theatrical presentations
This term refers to the actual movement on stage that the actor takes from the director.
Blocking
In what century can we identify the origin of the director as a legitimate role in theatre?
19th century
These designers create the mood or atmosphere for a production:
lighting designer
How do early theatrical audiences compare to those of today?
Ancient audiences were rowdy and festive. As we’ve moved through history, audiences have become quieter and more passive.
This 18th century German dramatist, philosopher, and critic gave us the universally acknowledged handbook of dramaturgy.
Gotthold Lessing (Hamburg Dramaturgy)
Briefly describe the differences between presentational and representational acting.
Presentational: artificial emotion/gratuitous acting
Representational: showing realistic emotion
List 3 major responsibilities of a stage director:
Choosing the text, interpreting the play, the production concept, coordinating team members, casting, blocking, leading rehearsals (3 of any of these are fine!)
List the 4 major design departments:
Scenic, Costume, Lighting, and Sound
(extra credit for the 2 minor ones, projection and drones!)
What is “empathy” within the context of performers and audience?
Feelings of empathy are utilized to bridge the gap between the audience’s experience and the story being told in the play. It is important to acknowledge how audiences are affected and how they, in turn, respond (or not) to a moment on stage.
List the 2 main forms of dramaturgy:
New Work Dramaturgy (new play development) and production dramaturgy (work on shows already produced)
What was the goal of the original “method” approach to acting? (Stanislavski technique)
Pulling from one’s real life experience to complement character development.
Calling back from a previous unit, how does the role of Richard Wagner's Gesamtkunstwerk pertain to directing for the stage?
Crafting a “total work of art,” incorporating all elements of production to form a cohesive whole
These artists craft the outward appearance of the actors/characters on stage:
costume designers
List 3 types of audience identity:
age, culture, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, education, economic/social status (any 3 of these are fine!)
What is the overarching question a dramaturg must ALWAYS ask when beginning work on a play?
Why This Play Now (WTPN)?
Briefly describe the issue with the present-day American approach to “method” acting.
Stanislavski intended to use real-life experience to add to character development. Today, some actors live and breathe the character’s life to detrimental lengths.
Patriarchal: “microblocking,” micro-managing the process and giving actors minute direction
Organic: coming into rehearsal with less blocking, giving actors more scope for interpreting their roles
List 4 major responsibilities of a theatre designer:
Creating initial designs, interpreting the director’s vision, collaborating with the artistic team, building the world of the show for the audience
Are performers and audience codependent? Why or why not?
This one’s up to you! :)
What are 3 important elements of the play that the dramaturg must examine?
Time period, location/region, dialect, character background, class, conflict/resolution (any 3 of these is fine!)