Goethe: He who has a task to perform must know how to take sides, or he is quite unworthy of it.
Part II. Mystery of History
Each subdirectory 215 and 413 I broke into three parts too. The problem is that we have to jump from HS level of knowledge (next to nothing) to 400 level in Playscript (I have English grads in). Not onkly the last is writing intensive, they must know how to apply drama to acting and directing (working knowledge of the plays).
SummaryPart I. CraftPart II. Art Part III. Theory Part IV. Play QuestionsTHR215 and THR413 have the same breakdown (four parts)!NotesStay with me, I will sort out the pages of the main directory under the new organization (lessons). You might tale a look at THR413 Playscript analysis subdirectory; since I teach it in the Fall of 2003, the updates most likely will be get there first. DRAMATURGY AND DOUBTING: "I believe that the basic requirement for all rehearsal work at the Schaubuhne is primarily a kind of doubting process . . . a doubting and questioning of the theatri- cal means and also of the traditional themes." Jack Zipes. "Utopia as the Past Conserved: An Interview with Peter Stein and Dieter Sturm of the Schaubuhne am Halleschen Ufer." Theater 9.1 (1977): 52. DRAMATURGY AND AUTHORITY: "In most German theatres the chief Dramaturg holds a position of considerable power and often dominates even the top man, the artistic director.... Often very sharp conflicts develop between them . . ." Esslin 49.
Analysis:
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In DramLit use Berford textbook. In THR413 Analysis we continue to read the plays from Modern Drama (textbook -- and your 200 words posts every week for each new play), but our focus is different (see THEMES directory).In Part 1. Craft we talked about the general rules that govern any play, the grammar of dramatic language. Now it's time to use how each individual writer uses (and develops) this language -- and therefore we must discuss the ART of playwrighting (back to the six elements by Aristotle, but from the IDEA(s) principle).
Get used to the different ways of seeing the three main elements (Plot, Character, Thought) in different seguences: Plot (Action) > Character (Hero) > Thought (Message)
or (here, in part 2):
Thought > Character > Story[ I will explain when and why we should use diffferent approaches: action-oriented, character-oriented or message-oriented scripts.
Examples.
Some theatre history and other files from Theatre Theory. ]
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