I have a favor to ask.  Is anybody willing to critique the following Team
Activities that I am considering using in my Introduction to Theatre course?
Any suggestions for improvement would be most welcome.  Thank you for your
time and advice.

 

Team Activity

Developing and Applying a Definition of Theatre

(15-20 minutes)

Step 1:  Break it down to essentials 

Take a look at this list of elements that are a part of many theatrical
performances.  As a team, decide which elements are essential.  The easiest
way to do this is to cross off the items that are non-essential.  For
example, can you have theatre without sets?  If the answer is yes, cross it
off the list.

action                         actors                          costumes
director          

imitation                    lights                           live audience
*script

sets                              space to perform       theatre building
*story

(*The difference between script and story in this context is that a script
is written down but a story may or may not be.)

 

Step 2:  Given your analysis of the essentials, choose which one of the
following definitions (taken from various Intro to Theatre texts) is the
best.  If you don't like any of them you may construct your own. 

 

Decide as a team which definition is best.  Report by holding up a card with
the matching letter or by writing your own definition on the board.  Be
prepared to explain why you made the choice you did.

Theatre is:

a)      "a community of artists gather[ed] to present a performance for a
community audience." The Creative Spirit: An Introduction to Theatre, Arnold

b)      "the imitation of human actions" The Theatrical Imagination,
Huberman, Ludwig, Pope

c)      "that body of artistic work in which actors impersonate characters
in a live performance of a play" Theatre, Cohen

d)      "a performance art that places human experience before . . . an
audience in the present moment."  Theatre: A Way of Seeing, Barranger

e)      "Without these elements [audience, dramatic action embodied in a
script, performers, director, theatre space, design elements] an event
ceases to be theatre." Theater: The Lively Art Wilson and Goldfarb

f)       Your own definition: 

 

Team Activity

Exploring Historical Theatrical Conventions

(30-40 minutes)

 

You will be shown 4 clips of theatrical productions, one for each type of
historical theatre we have studied so far: Classical Greek Theatre, Medieval
Theatre, Renaissance Theatre and Beijing Opera.  As a team, choose which of
the production best follows the historical conventions of the script's time
period as described by your text.

 

To report hold up a card with the letter that matches the production you
choose.  Be ready to explain why your choice is the best.

a)      Classical Greek Theatre

b)      Medieval Theatre

c)       Renaissance Theatre

d)      Beijing Opera