THEATRE

 the sum of all the arts required for the production of a dramatic or imitative; a
structure in which dramatic performance is given
 theatron – (Greek) a place for seeing
 "the live performance...of a scripted and rehearsed event" – Robert Cohen

THEATRE AND RITUAL ARE SIMILAR IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

Five Functions of Ritual:
1. a form of knowledge
2. didactic
3. influence or control
4. to glorify
5. to entertain and give pleasure
o Theatre and ritual both employ similar means: music, dance, spectacle, masks,
costumes, speech, performers, audience, stage, makeup, etc.
o They have similar themes: pleasure, power, duty
o Theatre and ritual sometimes merge in some cultures and some forms of theatre
(Harry Elam, in his book Taking It to the Streets: The Social Protest Theater of
Luis Valdez and Amiri Baraka[University of Michigan Press, 1996], argues that
part of what made those two social protest theatres unique was, in part, their
merging of ritual and theatre; he had earlier suggested the same for the agit-prop
theatre of the 1930's), but remain separate in most advanced societies.

At first, rituals' concerns were religious; then as man's confidence to believe in his
own powers increased, it turned more secular -- theatrical elements increased.
Eventually, theatre emerged on its own.

WESTERN VS. EASTERN THEATRE

Western
 Myths -- relationship between gods and humans
 Change and Progress are the sense of reality -- constantly changing

~~~ THE THREE BASIC ELEMENTS ~~~

I. The PLAY – is the vehicle on which everything else

depends; it is the starting point of the guide; it is the foundation on
which the entire edifice of theatrical production is concerned

THE MAIN TYPES OF PLAY

1. Comedy – a drama in an which anti-social character is placed in conflict
with one or more characters representing society
Purpose: to comment on life or some aspects of life, in such
a way to amuse most of the people who are likely to see it
Some Types of Comedy
a) Farce – a short comedy with exaggerated effects and incidents
b) Domestic Comedy – usually called : “Sit-coms” which features
members of a family, neighborhood caught in a series of complicated
but amusing situations
 c) Satire – a form of comedy that uses sarcasm or keen wit in denouncing
abuses

2. Drama - it includes almost all plays that approach an audience with serious
treatment of their material
Forms of Drama
a) Tragedy- a drama in which the central character consciously
causes self-downfall as a consequence of attempting to
achieve what is usually a worthwhile objective
Purpose: pity and fear in the audience
Kinds
a) Modern Tragedy- involves ordinary people rather than nobility;
generally written in prose than in verse
b) Traditional Tragedy- chief character are person in stature ;
written in verse

c) Melodrama- a drama where certain actions and violence

are prominent, usually culminating in a happy ending meant to
demonstrate the eventual triumph of good; serious play which does
not attain the heights of tragedy nor have the same purpose as
comedy

OTHER TYPES
 Fantasy- may be essentially comic; fantasy asks an audience to accept a
whimsical situation that could never actually occur and then to contemplate the
results if it should occur
 Topical Documentary or Fact Play- it involves the selection and arrangement
of actual historical events, facts and statement to present particular point of
view.

PLOT STRUCTURE
Plot- the arrangements of events of the story of a play
Three basic conflicts
1) The individual in conflict with another individual
2) The individual in conflict with himself
3) The individual in conflict with an outside force or forces (society, supernatural
agents)

FIVE PART DIVISION OF A PLAY

1) Exposition- that portion of the play in which the playwright sets forth the
information needed by the audience to understand the play and the situation.
It is sometimes called the “Introduction”
2) Rising Action- the complication of the plot leading to the crisis or turning
point
3) Crisis- the point at which the complication of the plot come to head, and
determine the direction of the rest of the play; also called the – demands that
exhibitors sign contracts for film before the films are released”
 4) Falling Action- the period of the play after the crisis or turning point has
reached and the action is flowing to its destined end; also called the “Return”
5) Catastrophe- the final event or conclusion; generally used for the last events,
often deaths, in a tragedy.
 The actor uses himself (body, voice) as the medium through which he
communicates with an audience
 The principal task of an actor is to convince the audience that real things are
happening to real people on the stage ; he must express not only the external
actions and reactions but also the inner life on an individual

The STAGE
Embraces 3 aspects
1) The circumscribed area in which the performance appear
2) The place where audience sits or stands
3) The geographical site of the theater

STAGES AND AUDITORIA

Through time, theatres evolved with different internal layouts according to the type
of productions regularly presented there. They originated from the temporary stages
on the back of the carts of travelling troubadours and mummers, ancient Greek
theatres and Roman amphitheatres and the sixteenth-century courtyard theatres.
Today, the most common types of stage arrangements are:
1. PLATFORM STAGES
These are usually a raised rectangular platform at one end of a room. They can
either have a level or raked (sloping) floor. The audience sits in rows facing it.
Platform stages are often used in multi-purpose halls today in which theatrical
productions are only part of a building’s use. Where the stage is open and without
curtains, they are sometimes known as end stages or open stages.
2. THRUST STAGES
They project or ‘thrust’ into the auditorium with the audience sitting around three
sides. Such stages are often used to increase intimacy between actors and the
audience, especially dramatic performances with just a few actors.
3. PROSCENIUM STAGES
These have a highly-decorative architectural frame, known as the proscenium
arch (not always arch-shaped). Their stages are deep and often raked.
Sometimes the front of the stage extends past the proscenium into the
auditorium and is known as an apron or forestage, to enable a performer to get
closer to the audience.
4. THEATRES IN-THE-ROUND
They have a central performance area enclosed by the audience. Their stages
can either be at ground level surrounded by tiered seating or a raised stage
with seating on a flat floor. The arrangement is rarely ‘round’: more usually
the seating is in a square or polygonal formation. The actors enter through
aisles in the seating. Scenery and

III. The ACTORS

Requirements
a) Must be physically fit
 b) Must have a voice that could be easily understood; free from tension and
unpleasantness
c) Must have a vivid imagination which is indicated by the actors insight into t
role; an understanding of what the play and the character are all about
d) Must possess a spark; a magnetism ; a personality that could win the audience

THE STAFF
PRODUCER – is an individual or organization responsible for initiating
and financing the production
DIRECTOR – takes complete charge of the entire production
STAGE MANAGER – supervises the cast and all production crew during
rehearsals and performances ; serves as a liaison between cast and
director ; has the responsibility to see that all scenery, lights, properties and
sound equipment are ready for use when needed and that all actors are on
time for rehearsals and performances
ASST. STAGE MANAGER – assists the Stage manager in all of his duties
and replaces him in case of necessity
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR – supervises the building
BUILDING CREW – responsible for the construction of all scenery as well
as props
PAINT CREW – responsible for painting all scenery and set props and for
touching up when necessary once the set has been assembled on stage
STAGE CREW – responsible for setting up and striking scenery before
and after the performance; shifting scenery during performance
PROP CREW – responsible for the procurement and handling of all props
used in the production; also responsible for keeping the stage clean
and for protecting the props and furniture from injury
LIGHTING CREW – responsible for hanging and focusing all lights
according to the plan worked out by the Scene Designer or Lighting
Director; responsible for light changes on cue during the course of
performance
COSTUME CREW – responsible for making, renting or borrowing all
costumes, wigs and hairpieces ; responsible in cleaning and
repairing the costumes ; assists actors in getting into and out of
costumes during performance
MAKEUP CREW – responsible for securing all necessary makeup
supplies; applies makeup to all cast members who need assistance supervises
the makeup of others so that it satisfies the director’s; requirements
SOUND CREW – responsible for all sound effects (SFX) needed in the
production
PUBLICITY CREW – responsible for writing and placing newspaper
stories and securing photographs of cast and production; responsible for
preparing and distributing posters and flyers
PROGRAM CREW – responsible for the preparation and layout of the
program; responsible for the arrangements for printing and delivery of printed
programs
TICKET SALES CREW – responsible for ordering, distributing and
 keeping accurate records of all tickets

IMPORTANT TERMS
Antagonist – character in opposition to the main character or protagonist
of the play
Backdrop – large flat surface at the rear of the stage which can be
painted to suggest scenery
Backstage – the area (which the audience can not see) behind the scene
on the stage, where the actors wait to enter and scenery is shifted
Bit Part – very small part in a play, such as servant with one line to
speak. Performers in such roles are called “bit players”
Call – has several definitions:
1) A notification of a working session (e.g. a Rehearsal Call, Band Call,
Photo Call)
2) The period of time to which the above call refers. (e.g. "Your call for
tomorrow night’s show is 6.55pm")
3) A request for an actor to come to the stage because an entrance is
imminent (these are courtesy calls and should not be relied on by
actors – e.g. "This is your call for the finale Mr. & Mrs. Smith")
4) An acknowledgement of applause (e.g. Curtain Call)
5) The Color Call is a list of lighting gel required for the lighting rig.
Control Booth - the place in a theater from which all the sound and
lights are controlled
Downstage – the part of the stage nearest to the audience
Ensemble - a group of actors, singers or dancers who perform together
on stage
Off Book - when the director tells the cast (usually by a certain date)
that they must memorize their lines and can no longer use their scripts in
rehearsal
Overture - the beginning music in musical theater which usually gives
the audience an idea of the music to come and gets them into the feeling of
the show
Playbill or program – sheets or brochures, like small magazines, which
Prompter – person who, during a performance, remains the wings
following the script so that he can give the actors their words if
they forget them
Protagonist – leading character in a play who is the main focus of
audience’s attention
Repertory Theater - a theater group that prepares several plays that
they can perform over time... not just one
Run-through - a rehearsal in which the actors perform the show from
the very beginning to the very end... "Run the show" is another way of saying
the same thing
Set – any arrangement of scenery for a particular scene of a play. Plays
may have a single set or several sets
Stage right, stage left – the sides of the stage from the actors point of
view (which is opposite to that of the audience)
Subtext - the feelings behind the words a character speaks
Understudy - an actor who studies the lines and blocking of a role, and
is able to take over for the original cast member in a role
Upstage – back part of the stage, furthest from the audience
Wings – that part of the backstage area which is at the sides of acting
area and in which actors wait for their entrance