Intro to Intro

to Theatre
Professor: Melanie Blood
TA’s: Maggie, Dan, Jason,
Abby, Stephanie

Section 1 MWF 11:30

Dramatic Conflicts and War
 Syllabus
Play texts
Performances
Online readings and lecture notes
2 multiple choice tests, 25% each
Short reading quizzes, 20%
Participation in breakout sections, 15%
Small group projects due at sections,
15%
Extra credit opportunities, 10 pts max
 Origins of Drama
Cave paintings
Combined purpose: ritual
and entertainment
Narrative structure
Conflict
Mimesis
Song and dance
 Cave Paintings
Mesolithic Neolithic
Uzbekistan India
 Why drama?
Create narratives
Enacting makes “real”
Humans learn through drama, as
children and adults
Scopophilia
Mirror identification
Conflicts must be substantial, or
not worthwhile
Dramatic conflict and war
Dramatic conflicts need
substance
War makes consequences of
choices life and death
Justification for war
Construction of “enemy”
Arguments against war
Ethics of wartime actions
Responsibilities of leaders and
individuals
Adjustment to peace, PTSD
Artist, Medium and Process,
Audience paradigm
Compare to other art forms
Individual artist vs. group
Primary and interpretive artists
Actor’s medium is self
Dialogue, representing action
Other media almost infinite
Process of group creation affects
product
Audience is live and collective
 Drama effective art form
for social problems
Representation of
action
Marshall
Conflict required for McLuhan
narrative (1960’s) The
Multiple actors with live Medium is the
presence Message
Live, collective audience
 Real vs. Unreal in Theatre
Real People
Real actions (ok some faking)
Real emotions (usually)
Some real objects
Live presence
Story, characters, situations and
dialogue fictional, rehearsed
Special effects, lights, some scenery
fake
Ritual repetition every night

More is “real” vs. most art forms

 Art and Reality
 Plato’s Cave
 Book VII Republic
 Prisoners chained in a
cave see only shadows
on a wall of objects
passing between them
and a fire. This is real to
them; and they play a
game to name them
quickly.
 One is released. Sees
the objects casting the
shadow, then exits cave.
 Jean Baudrillard’s
Simulacrum
 “Simulacra and
Simulations”
 Copies do not approach the
original; name game not
about “real” but we accept
if for real.
 Eventually we can’t tell
what is real and what a
copy; all are simulations.
 Is there a clear Reality?
Plato had to tell a story to explain his view of
reality. He used allegory. It’s not true. Can we
understand reality without art?

Our senses are flawed. Our experiences are

different. We all understand the world through
narratives and images -- see any religion.

Art can tell new stories. Or old stories in new

ways. Or help us identify with someone different.
Although framed as NOT real, it partakes of same
slippage of simulations Baudrillard discussed.
Live Theatre in US Today
Professional, for Profit: Broadway,
some tours of Broadway shows
Professional, Not-for-Profit: Off-
Broadway, Regional Theatres, many
tours, some Off-off-Broadway
Semi-Professional, NFP: Off-off-
Broadway, smaller regional theatres,
most ethnic, identity-based and
children’s theatre
Educational theatre
Community theatre
Performance
For more on range of
theatre in New York
City, see
www.playbill.com
End of first slideshow