Check out summary on pages 24 and 25 for highpoints of chapter onee The EYE of the AUDIENCE

Chapter One The Audience: It’s Role and Imagination Screen vs. LIVE Stage Audience Participation Imagination of & Performers

Historical Emphasis of Theatre on an Audience Ritualistic Political Entertainment Why has theatre persisted through the ages, particularly with the advancement of technology? Radio Television Film Size and attitude of Audience

Contrast between Theatre and Screen The Performer/Audience Relationship Personal/Electronic Transitory and Immediate Human beings are the focus of LIVE theatre The Chemistry of the Performer/Audience contact Theatre audiences have both individual and group experiences Psychology of Groups Audience Composition affects theatre experience for performers/audience Transitory is part of all performing arts as opposed to literature or a painting. A script is to a play as a blueprint is to a building or a score to a musical performance (It is meant to be performed, not read) Do you like to read a novel before it is put to screen or theatre, or vice versa? Books can focus on people but also on science and other things; music focuses on sound; painting and sculpture focus on shapes, colors and etc.; theatre focuses on people or characters Difference in live concert or on screen. Stage actors hear our laughter, claps, silence and feel out tension. An audience can see a “mistake” or “mishap with the technical end or scenery” and etc. Sports events with a crowd and theatrical plays with individual reactions and group reactions A collective mind of an audience

The Separate Roles of Performers and Spectators Observed Theatre Empathy Aesthetic Distance Participatory Theatre Ritualistic Mystery “Who Done It” Some Improvisational Theatre of the Oppressed Agitprop Theatre Others Observed Theatre – Empathy-participate through our imagination while separated from the action. We will have emotions that may cause of to cry or laugh, make judgements or feel scared or surprised but we are still separated from the reality of the play. Participatory – Active- audience takes part in the play as is mystery theatre or some ensemble improvisational theatre, rituals, or avant-garde theater as in the “Theatre of the Oppressed” introduced by Augusto Boal helping to start “agitprop” theatre.. Others – sociodrama, psychodrama and drama therapy (role playing and/or role reversal)

The Imagination of the Audience

The Imagination of the Director

A Closer Look at what the audience ignores to replace with their own imagination

The Creation of Illusion is initiated by the Creators of Theatre is completed by the Audiences of Theatre

Tools of the Imagination Flashbacks Symbols Metaphors Simile – One thing is like another Metaphor – One thing is another

Dynamics of Drama Realism vs. Nonrealism Story Structure Characters Events are real to everyday life Events are surreal, imaginary Structure Time and space are normal Arbitrary or dreamlike Characters Recognizable human beings Unreal figures/characters Acting Natural performance as in daily life Unrealistic as animal characters/singing/dancing & other Language Ordinary conversational dialogue Poetic or musical

Dynamics of Drama Realism vs. Nonrealism Scenery Lighting Costumes Natural setting Arbitrary shapes & forms on a bare stage (Representational) Lighting Appearing to come from natural sources Arbitrary colors and shafts of light forming odd angles Costumes Ordinary street clothes of the time period Bright costumes of characters, or animal costumes and etc. Makeup Natural look of characters Masks or animal characters or other unrealistic character makeup

Terminologies of Drama Realism Nonrealism Soliloquy Monologue Dialogue Pantomime Theatre of Fact Docudramas Soliloquy – Speech in which a character who is alone onstage speaks inner thoughts aloud Monologue – Long speech from one character while others are still on stage (not speaking inner thoughts) Pantomime_ A form of theatrical presentation that relies on dance, gesture, and physical movement without speech – Marcel Marceau