Theatre Final Concept Map 👥
MESSAGING
STYLE THEORY AND IMAGERY
Oklahoma / Long Days Journey--------Long Days Journey was written in 1941, published first in 1956 while Oklahoma first opened in 1943. Since both the play and musical were written around the same time, similar theme and tone emerge. However, while opened in 1943, Oklahoma is set earlier, in 1906. The two plays center around simple families, but Oklahoma is a romance while Long Days Journey is a family drama. They both also represent the respective beginnings of American Musical Theatre and American Playwriting. The stories they tell are not particularly outlandish, in fact it is the opposite, which is what makes the two stories relatable not only in the times they were publish but in modern day as well.
theatre of the oppressed/ performance art/ mr burns -- Although Mr Burns is not performance art, it is radical both in conception and in production. The play stands to make us question our beliefs, and the possibility of our future in a post apocalyptic world. In this way, it can be compared to theatre of the oppressed. It uses the assumed knowledge an audience would have with the simpsons and pop culture to interact with them and create a message. As well, the transformation of the characters into the simpsons monsters at the end feels performance art esque. The last act is less like a normal play and more like a concert, or a piece of performance art.
Mr Burns and Musicality -- : While Mr. Burns is not a musical, it does act like one in some ways. Just like In The Heights or Oklahoma, the music in Mr. Burns furthers the plot of the play, supplementing the actors in their choices and adding to the subtext and conversation surrounding the piece
Theatre of the Oppressed vs Performance Art -- while not the exact same thing there is crossover between theatre of the oppressed and performance art. Both strive to create a message, and to do it in an unconventional way.
Sila vs Couple in the Cage - Sila and Couple and the cage tell very different stories in different ways. However, they both do this using preconceived perceptions of their culture and both intend to inform the audience about a societal issue. For Sila, this is environmentalism, for Couple in the Cage this is the treatment of indigenous people. There is also the connection between the two culturally in that they both tell the stories of indigenous people, albeit in different places
PRODUCTION
ACTING
Notes from the Field and Fences -- an interesting idea that appears in both Notes From the Field and Fences is the idea of the American Dream, and in particular the American Dream from the perspective of a minority group. In Fences, this comes through in through in familial connection, the idea of the dream is more personal, as Troy and represents the generation who had lost opportunity because they had lived in segregation. In Notes From the Field, we see this similar lost opportunity which comes as a result of many of the subjects upbringing and less than privileged circumstance
Fences, August Wilson, and Black Bodies White Writers --- Fences is the unique famous play that is about the black experience and written as well by a black playwright (August Wilson).Wilson believed that there was a need for black theatre to exist and represent the black plight and culture in America and that it is the duty of black playwrights to confer with one another and uplift black voices. He believed people could meet on the common ground of American theatre, and the common methods of playwriting, staging etc, to better understand one another's struggles. To him he saw theatre as a unique way of educating people and embracing truth in a setting that can start dialogue with people of different backgrounds. The Piece black bodies white writers discusses the issue people have in understanding the black experience. Phillips white coworkers failed to comment on the racial undertones of the play they had all seen. No one addressed the obvious racial tensions but instead focused on other issues-ignoring the racial issues that were even reflected in their daily life. Just as playwriting is white male dominated, so is the world of theatre criticism.
Becoming a Character vs Respect for Acting --- Zarilli explains that non-western actors approach acting differently than western actors. The preparation for their roles is more transformational, or at least they are approaching their characters as a transformation. The preparation is spiritual, in mind and body, and consists of ritual and practice.Aside from the ritual aspects, Hagen also describes her idea of acting as similarly merging the mind and body, albeit in a more rigid way. Both are valid ways to approach art, and reflect the different needs of performers in different cultures and traditions.
SCENOGRAPHY
In The Heights vs Sila - both Sila and In the Heights have similar stylistic sets. The two have opposite settings BUT they both have sets that are realistic, and just detailed enough to feel real but also be versatile when changing from one place to another. Their sets both add to the magic of the piece as a whole -- in particular the puppets in Sila.
Fefu and her Friends / My Lingerie Play-- while these plays are entirely different, they both interrogate femininity and personhood - Fefu has an all female cast. Fefu is also approached as if the women are real, and of course the main lead of Lingerie Play, Diana Oh is a real person who is interrogating mostly the different standards women face especially when it comes to assault and harassment.
Fefu and Her Friends and Long Days Journey while this is an obvious connection, it is important to point out that both these plays occur over the span of one day. However, time works very very differently in the both of them. This is especially true when it comes to production as Fefu is seen in a different order depending on the group you are in, splitting up the timeline, while Long Days is a more traditional play
Pina and In the Heights - Pina and In the Heights are both music and dance heavy productions. however, of course they differ in that In the Heights has a story that tracks throughout and Pina is more about how each dance speaks for itself. That being said, they both use movement of the body to evoke emotion, much of the dance in In the Heights serves to show the joy and culture of the people of the Heights, as the dances in Pina represent culture similarly and a wide range of emotion
"I believe that race matters—that is the largest, most identifiable and most important part of our personality. It is the largest category of identification because it is the one that most influences your perception of yourself, and it is the one to which others in the world of men most respond. "
"Critics have an informed opinion. Sometimes it may be necessary for them to gather more information to become more informed. As playwrights grow and develop, as the theatre changes, the critic has an important responsibility to guide and encourage that growth."
"The lack of diversity in theatre criticism not only does a disservice to the field and the readers, but also to the playwrights and productions."
Sila and Wayang Puppet Theatre -- although this connection is a bit of a reach, I can't help but notice the different ways cultures across the world use puppetry. The puppets in sila bring emotion and feeling to the Polar Bears, making the audience feel for them. The practice of Wayan Puppet Theatre does the same but with entirely puppets.
Respect for Acting - Notes from the Field ------ Of all the performances we watched and read about, I feel the acting in Notes from the field is the most impressive. Just as Uta Hagen speaks about in respect for acting, Anna Deveare Smith uses her authenticity to portray various characters but keep the same soul in them. Her mannerisms for each character are completely different, as are her intonation and energy, so each feels authentically different. But, they all share her as a common denominator. She is not doing "tricks" as Hagen describes some character actors, she is becoming a person.