Superstitions in Theatre Stefan Coutoulakis 29 September 2017 Word count: 1373 Stefan Coutoulakis Theatre 2000 29 September 2017 Superstitions in Theatre Every culture has its share of beliefs and superstitions, theatre has been no acceptation to these. There are many things that people say today that originally came from these traditions in theatre. An example of this can be if someone is to say “Break a leg” when they are wishing someone good luck, the idea being that it is bad luck to wish someone good luck so they wish them bad luck in the hopes that it will bring them good luck. This paper will explore some of these many different beliefs that have come to be known in theatre and early theatre history in order to give …show more content…
Some of which are things that many people who are not theatre buffs may not realize exist. From the well-known terrors to follow The Scottish Play, to the idea that leaving a light out will keep evil spirits away, theatre has its share of interesting superstitions as well as facts that support these beliefs, but also put into perspective why there are somethings in performances that one may not realize is something they should not do, so if ever on stage be sure to Break a leg! Works Cited Bonanni, Marc. “9 Theatre Superstitions Explained.” Theatre Nerds, 23 Feb. 2017, theatrenerds.com/9-theatre-superstitions-explained/. Gascoigne, Bamber. HISTORY OF THEATRE, www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/ PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=1606&HistoryID=ab35>rack=pthc “More about the Ghost Light.” Theatrecrafts.com, www.theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/glossary- of-technical-theatre-terms/more-about-the-ghost-light/. Accessed 29 Sept. 2017. Schumm, Laura. “Why Do Actors Avoid the Word ‘Macbeth’?” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Apr. 2014, www.history.com/news/ask-history/why-do-actors-avoid-the- word-macbeth. Wright, KC. “9 (Serious) Theatrical Superstitions.” Backstage.com, 19 May 2015,
Witchcraft started in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Superstition started when women were accused of acting strangely. These superstitions turned into trials, and later lead to mounds of hanged people. Most of the people accused were innocent, but the harsh judge rulings left them with nothing to live for. The only options for the tried, no matter if guilty or not, were to claim guilty, living the rest of their life in prison, or to plead not guilty and hang. Due to both consequences being equally as punishable, many people isolated themselves from society. Unfortunately, some people caused the uprising of the salem witch trials more than others did. In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams single handedly attributed to the
If there is truly tradition to be found among the great theatres both on and off Broadway, then certainly the Sullivan Street Playhouse and its long running production of The Fantasticks rates as one of the most celebrated of New York theatrical traditions. Maintaining its place as the longest running production Off Broadway, The Fantasticks remains an enchanting and insightful tale of both young love and bitter disillusionment. It also reminds one, in this age of spectacle and the mega-musical, how powerful and truly inspiring theatre itself can be. Clearly, one of the great strengths of this production and a large part of its appeal for audiences over the last four decades lies in the fact that both the story and the style of presentation compliment each other so completely. Here we find the non-essentials are stripped away, and we are left to rely simply on the imagination of both the audience and the performers to create a magical evening.
Theatres and How We Had Fun." Little, Brown, and Company. (Boston, Toronto, London); 1991. P. 139, 144.
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a comedy that has been interpreted in different ways, enabling one to receive multiple experiences of the same story. Due to the content and themes of the play, it can be creatively challenging to producers and their casting strategies. Instead of being a hindrance, I find the ability for one to experiment exciting as people try to discover strategies that best represent entertainment for the audience, as well as the best ways to interpret Shakespeare’s work.
David Edwards is a stage and film acting veteran from Las Cruces, New Mexico. He has performed in countless stage performances and several onscreen acting jobs during the last four decades. Mr. Edwards employs both practical and magic rituals to the preparations for his stage performances, and he keeps a good luck charm on his person. His rituals are less extreme than many other stage performers who are extremely observant of superstitions and adamant about preshow rituals. Anthropologists would take note of the greater ritual associated with stage acting than with film acting, as performers feel a lesser need for luck in the mistakes- forgiving world of film. This parallels the dichotomy between hitters and fielders in baseball.
Without light, the theatre cannot exist, that much is certain. As actors, as audience members, as technical visionaries, we are only as powerful as the light we are given. The extent to which we depend upon light in performance has changed dramatically throughout history, however, as light technology developed and expanded. In the history of performance, the artistic community is constantly victim to the limits of lighting technology, and exponentially altered by breakthroughs. From the utilization of candles and natural light to isolated light and electricity, the histories of illumination and theatre are virtually inseparable, and continue to push the boundaries of live performance.
Superstition in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Throughout Elizabethan times, witches and witchcraft were considered. to be in existence, if not in existence. Seeing a large proportion of the female community.
Emerging from as far back as the 15th century in Northern Italy, how did pantomime become so traditionally British? Delving deep into the antiquity of theatre, this essay looks into how pantomime has developed and become the form of entertainment it is today. Exploring into the history of art forms in which pantomime took its most highly recognised inspirations. The style of Commedia Dell’Arte will be studied in depth as one of the main influences in the life of pantomime. Victorian pantomime and Music Hall theatre will be briefly investigated also. The similarities and differences between early pantomime and the style in which it is performed today will be heavily studied. Also, finally a look into what attracts such a wide variety of audience to make the traditional story of star crossed lovers and cross dressing mothers a true British Christmas tradition.
In my research i found this excerpt, “it is clear that superstitions about a Macbeth curse go back at least to the Victorian theatre, and that there is a more or less direct connection between
The prime perspective of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is a live theatre production of it. For one thing, there is more immediacy in live theatre, meaning anything could happen, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. Furthermore, actors on stage get more into moment than movie stars. Even more, live theatre influences the way we think and feel about our own lives and encourages us to take a hard look at ourselves, our values, and our behavior. Clearly, watching ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ live on stage is the prime perspective, but what about that dull script?
The Role of Illumination Theatrical lighting has undergone significant changes from its first utilization to modern application. Illumination is essential to the theatrical experience we are familiar with. When the lights come up, the mood is set. Lighting in a performance context manipulates the audience's attention to focus on what the director has deemed important. When an actor or space is no longer an integral part the lights around them dim, dismissing that component and refocusing on what is lit. This process regularly dominates our experience at the theatre, yet it is often taken for granted.
In this paper, I will be focusing briefly on my knowledge and understanding of the concept of Applied theatre and one of its theatre form, which is Theatre in Education. The term Applied Theatre is a broad range of dramatic activity carried out by a crowd of diverse bodies and groups.
Garner Jr., Stanton B. "Theatricality In Mankind And Everyman." Studies In Philology 84.3 (1987): 272. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.
Theatre as we know it now was born more than two thousand years ago and has gone through many streams until it reached the current modernity. Among these streams is the avant-garde theatre. This theatre achieved a break in the traditional theatre and became the forefront of a new experimental theatre. Therefore it is necessary to ask how this theatre started, what impact it had on society and if this type of theatre is still common in our modern era.
For thousands of years, people have been arguing that theatre is a dying art form. Many people think theatre is all just cheesy singing and dancing or just boring old Shakespeare, but there is much more to theatre than those two extremes. Theatre is important to our society because it teaches us more about real life than recorded media. Theatre has been around for thousands of years and began as a religious ceremony that evolved into an art form that teaches about the true essence of life. Theatre can incorporate profound, and provocative, observations of the human condition that can transcend time; lessons found in Greek plays can still be relevant to the modern world. People argue that the very essence of theatre is being snuffed out by modern