Bell Ringer None today Quick Announcements from Mrs. B Finish Presentations Then “Romantic Theater” notes and activity if time

Change of Expectations…

Romantic Drama

Romantic Theater Romantic writers wrote from their own imagination People of all educations (or none) needed to be able to grasp and understand the theater The best Romantic theatre performances came from the pen of William Shakespeare – his work was revived in a great rush of 19th century antiquarianism. Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, etc.

Romantic Theater Didn’t change too much from the neoclassical, but did pave the way for a new theatrical era in the later years of the century A rising middle class took over the audience and changed its character In the 19th century, the lower classes began attending the theater The industrial revolution created larger urban populations and expanded public education

Romantic Theater To appeal to the diverse audience, theatre managers had to put on plays for the popular as well as the sophisticated taste if they wanted to make money To offer something for everyone, an evening’s theatre program might contain several types of fare and last over five hours Fewer and fewer sophisticated patrons chose to attend, and the quality of the productions declined By 1850, theatres began to specialize, and sophisticated playgoers came back to certain theaters

Companies There was a repertory company, with a set group of actors, which stayed in one place and staged several productions during a given season Gradually, better-known actors capitalized on their reputations and began to go on tour, starring in local productions and featuring their most famous roles The most famous actors began to make world tours

Touring Companies The increase in touring stars led to an increase in touring companies In the United States especially, these companies, with their star attractions and complete sets of costume and scenery, became a regular feature By 1886, America would host 282 touring companies Local resident companies became less popular (except in Germany)

African American Theater After the Civil War, a number of African American theatre companies emerged By the turn of the 20th century, African Americans had made notable contributions to drama (we’ll look at one momentarily)

The Theater By 1823, productions tried to be historically accurate In costumes and scenery, not in plot Led to 3-dimensionality in settings and away from drop and wing scenery to the box set The distraction of numerous scene changes was eliminated by closing the curtain

Melodrama A Romantically exaggerated form – “melodrama” Characterized by sensationalism and sentimentality Characters are stereotyped – everything and everyone is either all good or all evil There was also some form of comic relief, usually through a minor character The hero is forced to endure episode after episode of trial and suffering

Melodrama The term implies music and drama In the 19th century, these plays were accompanied by a musical score tailored to the emotional or dynamic character of the scene (just instrumental music – no one was singing) Very similar to the way music is used in films and television programs today

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Based on the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852) She opposed the stage version but copyright laws didn’t exist to protect her The play does retain her complex themes of slavery, religion, and love But it places considerable emphasis on spectacle