Chapter 13- Theatres From 1875 To 1915

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Characteristics of Realism

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Dramas would be closely represented to everyday life; Characters behaved, spoke, and dressed like ordinary people

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Henrik Ibsen

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Playwright known for his mastery of dramatic technique, psychological insights into human nature, and poetic symbolism; Authenticity

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Characteristics of Naturalism

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"Slice of life"; Events on stage should be shown as if they were sliced from a time continuum; Stage should be free from editing, and rearrangement which was common with playwrighting

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Emile Zola

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French writer whom was a most famous proponent of naturalism

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Cinema verite

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See Lecture

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Independent theatre movement

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See Lecture

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Theatre Libre

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"Free theatre"; Theatre founded in Paris by Andre Antoine

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Andre Antoine

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Founder of Theatre Libre; popularized theatre realism and strove to create the illusion of the "fourth wall"

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Motivated lighting

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Illumination of the stage picture that seems to come from actual onstage sources, such as a table lamp

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Freie Buhne

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"Free Stage"; A subscription theatre in Berlin which was dedicated to introducing realism and naturalism

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Otto Brahm

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Chairman on the board of directors that was responsible for running Freie Buhne

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English Independent Theatre

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Theatre founded in 1891 by Jacob Thomas Grein and operated in London for 6 years; Organized as a subscription company to circumvent censorship by the lord chamberlain

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Subscription Company

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Companies that would sell subscriptions to the their theatre in order to develop loyal audiences and financial support

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George Bernard Shaw

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Playwright born in Ireland to English parents; Began his practice of writing long prefaces to his works that would discuss issues raised in his work; Also began writing in the stage directions to help readers visualize the plays

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Moscow Art Theatre

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Late 19th century which was founded in 1898 by Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko; Frist season included a production of The Sea Gull

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Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko

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Founder of the Moscow art Theatre

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Anton Chekhov

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Dramatic writer; Relied on indirect action and character development to create tension

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Tragicomedy

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The act in which comic scenes occur in in tragic plays; Scene would remain separate from serious scenes

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Konstantin Stanislavski

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Joined V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko in forming the Moscow Art Theatre; Handled the staging and production; Was also able to refine his system of realistic acting

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Circle of Attention

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The extent or range of concentration

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Given Circumstances

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The situation in which a character exists, in terms of specifics

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The magic "if"

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Can transform out thoughts; through it, we can imagine ourselves in virtually any situation

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Superobjective

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The "thing" that the character wants during the course of the play

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Through line or spine

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The intermediate objectives running through a play that lead the character to the overall objective

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Acting beat

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The dividing of scenes into units

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Characteristics of Symbolism

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No plot action, form of lyric drama; Static, indirect,evocative, and often ceremonial; Strong element of mysticism and spirituality

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Maurice Maeterlinck

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Most successful symbolist dramatist; Argued that theatre should present "a shadow, a reflection, a projection of symbolic forms"

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August Strindberg

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Dramatist; Works were expressionistic, used symbolism and unrealistic shifts in action, steeped in personal beliefs; Influenced the surrealist movement (theatre of the absurd)

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Alfred Jarry

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Playwright and Author of Ubu Roi (Ubu the King); Cynical and absurdist view of political leaders seemd prophetic in subject matter and style

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Abbey Theatre

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An independent theatre company in Ireland which was founded in 1900's; There was a desire to establish a theatre company that dealt with the concerns and myths of Irish peolple

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Adolphe Appia

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First to develop the theory of anti-realistic staging; Symbolic sets that would work with the actor; Advocated multidirectional, colored lightening to move in harmony with the set (Switzerland)

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Edwards Gordon Craig

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An English architect and scene designer; Wanted to free theatre from it's dependence on realism, literature, and the actor and to create a unified artwork; Lighting was a key element

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Regisseur

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French for "Master" director

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Ubermarionette

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A "superpuppet"; the best performer who would allow the director to control the performance totally

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Unit Set

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One basic setting that could represent various locales through movement

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Vsevelod Meyerhold

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Antirealist director; Russian; Experimented with antirealism (staging a number of symbolist dramas); Believed that the director was the primary theatre artist

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"Found Spaces"

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Spaces not originally meant for theatre

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Characteristics of theatricalism

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Expose the devices of theatre; Made audicences aware of watch a performance; Borrowed techniques from the circus, music halls, and similar popular entertainment

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Biomechanics

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An acting system which emphasized external physical training and performance style; The actor's body should be trained to operate like a machine

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Constructivist settings

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Sets which provided machines for performers to work on; Would consist of skeletal frames, ramps, stairways, and platforms

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Eclecticism

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Argued that each play should define it's own form

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Max Reinhardt

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Major director in Austrian and German theatre; Productions were particularly known for inovative use of theatre spaces

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Psychological Gesture

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Physical characteristics for a role that would the trigger internal responses

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The Theatre Syndicate

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A group of producers who exercised a monopoly over commercial American theatre; Would produce major shows with leading stars and would travel the country to theatres that only booked with the syndicate

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Henry Irving

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Acclaimed English actor and actor manager; First modern theatre artist to insist on a total effect in his productions and was responsible for innovations in staging and lighting

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Bronson Howard

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Noted realism playwright; Noted as America's first full-time professional playwright

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David Belasco

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Dramatist who became identified with literal realism; Abandoned unnatural footlights and substituted those with overhead spotlights

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Martha Morton

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Female playwright who is considered as the first American female professional playwright

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Revues

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A new form which had more plot than vaudeville and a new kind of music, ragtime

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A Trip to Coontown

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1898; The first black musical comedy

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Anita Bush

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Founder of the second stock company in New York at the Lincoln Theatre in Harlem; Later became known as the Layfayette Players

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The Lafayette Players

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Stock company founded by Anita Bush, and based in Lincoln Theatre in Harlem; Produced a new play every week; Had presented over 250 productions and employed host of black stars