The specialization and individualized professions in the field of Technical Theatre are relatively new to the stage in comparison to the period of time in which the art of Theatre has grown. Aiding in the development of concentrated professions such as scenic design has been a plethora of talented, skillful, intelligent and highly driven individuals. Among these influential fountains of creativity have been John Lee Beatty, Eugene Lee, Boris Aronson, Ming Cho Lee, Jo Mielziner, Tony Walton, Robin Wager, John Napier, Santo Loquasto, Heidi Landesman, and Julie Taymor along with many more.
John Lee Beatty claim’s that he has been designing sets since the age of seven when his parents took him to see Peter Pan. He grew up in Southern California in a small town where his father was dean of students at Pomona College and his mother had also worked as a teacher. He has designed for the revival of Chicago; the Pulitzer Prize winners Doubt, Proof and Rabbit Hole; The Color Purple; The Heiress; The Sisters Rosensweig; and the revival of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. Beatty has been nominated for 12 Tony Awards and has won for Talley's Folly in 1980.
Eugene Lee could be seen by many young starting set designers as old fashion. While his sets turn out highly technologically challenging he begins the design process with a simple piece of sketch paper. He does not fake anything as a designer if he wants something to look like a certain texture or material more times than not will he use the actual material instead of taking the route favored by most modern day designers and merely paint the texture on wood. Along with Lee’s three Tony Awards, he has been the set designer on the popular Saturday Night Live from its first episode in 1975...
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...her schooling in Ohio she began apprenticing with experimental theater companies in New York and taking anthropology classes at Columbia University. Along with scenic design, costume design, and prop and puppet design Taymor successfully directed a number of shows. In 1997 her direction of the Broadway hit the Lion King led to the first Tony for Directing presented to a female in the fifty years that the Tony awards had been in place.
Each of these designs has had a great impact in the field of scenic design and on the future of technical theatre design. Due to their artistic talent, hard work, creativity, and drive to reach their dreams these scenic designers have paved the way for future designers and innovation in future productions. The theatre world would not have been the same without their substantial impact and the footprints of genius they leave behind.
In Dialogue: Theatre of America, Harold Clurman said, “we make theatre out of life” (27), and it was precisely this view that motivated him to help create a uniquely American theatre. Clurman, considered one of the most influential directors of the modern American theatre, had a unique vision of what the American theatre could become. One of the founders of the quintessentially American troupe, the Group Theatre, Clurman was a contemporary of Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg, and even married to Stella Adler for twenty years. At a ceremony honoring Clurman, Elia Kazan stated that Clurman’s “greatest achievement [was] himself” (Harold Clurman: A Life of Theatre). An important figure in our theatrical past, Clurman’s theories on theatre and directing require close attention. In this paper, I will first provide a brief biography of Clurman, second, examine his theories of theatre and directing, and lastly, I will explore his criticisms of the then-contemporary theatre, and draw conclusions to the current state of the Broadway theatre.
Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.
The Restoration in England was an era ripe for the development of new ideas in the arts. The return of the Stuart monarchy under Charles II marked the end of eighteen years of almost dictatorial control by Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan parliament. Cromwell had campaigned actively to halt all theatrical activity. In the end, however, his laws were actually responsible for helping move England forward in theatrical history. Actors, under Cromwell's laws, were to be apprehended a rogues if they were caught "in the act" so to speak of performing their trade. Some left their careers and sought employment elsewhere. Most, however, remained undaunted by parliament's threats. Productions continued quietly in tennis courts, inns and private houses. Officials were bribed to keep silent their knowledge of violations. The theater in England had moved indoors as it had already done in France and Italy. Although the reasons for the move were different, the end result was the same. Up until this time plays had always been performed outdoors in the early afternoon. Performances traditionally relied on sunlight, natural scenery, and minimal set pieces that could be easily transported from one location to another. Indoor productions required something much more elaborate. The preliminary concepts of scenic design and lighting design began to form in England in the late 1650's. During the Restoration, as controls were lifted, technical theater began to flourish. Many early examples of modern stage techniques were born between 1660 and 1800, making the Restoration a significant era in the history of scenic design and lighting for the theater. The art of scenic design did not begin in England. As early as 1570 the Italians were giving elaborate opera performances in the ducal courts using perspective scenes and various types of stage machinery. The French mimicked the design ideas of the Italian's and gave them a name, la scene a l'italienne. (Southern 221) Although Cromwell had banned public theater, opera was still considered a lawful art form. In England, just prior to the Restoration, John Webb designed the scenery for William D'avenant's 'opera' production of The Siege of Rhodes.
Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.
Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.
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.
Ancient Greece was a thriving Greek civilization that lasted from the archaic period to the end of the antiquity era. The ancient Greek culture was a technologically advanced civilization who laid the foundation for many of our modern day cultural traditions. One tradition that is still very prominent in our culture is theatre. The ancient Greek’s have been considered the pioneers of theatre, and are known to have introduced the first actor, the tragedy genre, and most impressively theatre architecture. The Greeks built massive amphitheatres to house thousands upon thousands of spectators for a theatrical performance; many of those ancient Greek amphitheatres are still in existence. The theater architectural designs of the ancient Greeks have been adapted and modified throughout the years by numerous other cultures. The Romans in particular are known to have been inspired by ancient Greek theater architecture and transformed it into a new and improved theater that met the needs of the changing and modernizing times of theatre. By examining ancient Greek architecture and acoustic technology, it will be examined how the architectural designs of ancient Greek theatre still has a prominent place in our modern day culture.
Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.
Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.
One is the scenic designer- this is someone who draws out what he wants the set to look like. He sketches it, shows the colors wanted for paint (it is usually up to the scenic designer to talk colors to the design team: the director, lighting director, and costume director), and picks the materials. Then, it is brought over to the build/set side of the equation, led by the technical director. The technical director gives the build crew their assignments, and once everyone has a blueprint or team, the process of building begins. This particular piece of technical theatre is what I am personally interested in. My dream job is to become a set designer or somehow be involved in a build
Many cultural enthusiasts, archaeologists, and architects have a common interest in theatre and its origins. People from a few decades back have located the remaining of the oldest theatres in Greece, England, France and some parts of minor Asia. Theatre was a part of people’s lives as it was one of the few sources of entertainment, and it was originated from when people collectively sit in a gathering and listen to a storyteller. There were performances done by different people present at that moment. Later on, this activity kept improving and innovating, and in the result, many theaters for entertaining purposes were built by emperors who ruled the countries or kingdom in those days. The design of these theatres
The Globe Theater is widely known as the world’s greatest amphitheatre of its time, bringing in crowds of thousands of people. The Globe was also where most of the famous playwright, William Shakespeare, performed his plays. With its unique design, the audience was able to enjoy the plays. Inside of this round and globe-like structure, the people from all around the area packed into the seats to watch Shakespeare and his actors. Despite the Globe Theater’s success, the theater had gone through many shut downs and rebuilding projects. Finally, the Globe was demolished for the last time. It was not until years later that the theater was discovered. Now, people from around the world are learning about this amphitheater and its role in the Renaissance time period. The Globe Theater is known for its structure, audience and actors, and history.
Crowl writes this chapter to inform readers with an unbiased and fair review of directors who have successfully and profoundly constructed reproductions of Shakespeare’s plays. All three directors are considered artistic geniuses, because, as Crowl describes, each brings a new component on how to interpret Shakespeare’s work,
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.
A mere mention of the term theatre acts as a relief to many people. It is in this place that a m...