“Theatre”

What is theatre?
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or
actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific
place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through
combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. It is the oldest form of drama, though live
theatre has now been joined by modern recorded forms.

Different Kinds of Theatre

 Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime,
ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television. Considered as a genre of
poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been contrasted with the epic and the lyrical
modes ever since Aristotle's Poetics (c. 335 BC)—the earliest work of dramatic theory.
 Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken
dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor,
pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement and technical
aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Although musical theatre overlaps
with other theatrical forms like opera and dance, it may be distinguished by the equal
importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement, and other
elements. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been
called, simply, musicals.
 Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be
humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy,
television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term originated in
ancient Greece: In Athenian democracy, the public opinion of voters was influenced by
political satire performed by comic poets in theaters. The theatrical genre of Greek
comedy can be described as a dramatic performance pitting two groups, ages, genders,
or societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. Northrop Frye depicted
these two opposing sides as a "Society of Youth" and a "Society of the Old". A revised
view characterizes the essential agon of comedy as a struggle between a relatively
powerless youth and the societal conventions posing obstacles to his hopes. In this
struggle, the youth then becomes constrained by his lack of social authority, and is left
with little choice but to resort to ruses which engender dramatic irony, which provokes
laughter.

 Tragedy (from the Greek: τραγῳδία, tragōidia) is a genre of drama based on human
suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character.
Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsis, or a "pain
 [that] awakens pleasure,” for the audience. While many cultures have developed forms
that provoke this paradoxical response, the term tragedy often refers to a specific
tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-
definition of Western civilization. That tradition has been multiple and discontinuous,
yet the term has often been used to invoke a powerful effect of cultural identity and
historical continuity—"the Greeks and the Elizabethans, in one cultural form; Hellenes
and Christians, in a common activity," as Raymond Williams puts it.

The elements of theatre encompass various components that contribute to the overall experience:

 Audience: The spectators play a crucial role, influencing the energy and reception of a
performance.
 Space: The physical setting where the performance occurs, including stage design,
lighting, and sound, impacting the atmosphere.
 Performance of the Actors: The actors bring characters to life through their portrayal,
including their expressions, body language, and dialogue delivery.
 Director's Supervision: The director guides the artistic vision, coordinating actors and
technical elements to achieve the intended outcome.
 Purpose and Point of View: Every theatre piece conveys a message or explores themes,
reflecting the playwright's intention and the director's interpretation.
 Work of the Playwright: The script is the foundation, providing the storyline, dialogue,
and underlying themes for the performance.
 Visual Effects: Set design, costumes, makeup, and special effects contribute to the visual
aesthetic, enhancing the audience's engagement.

“AN INTRODUCTION IN THE WORLD OF PEREORMING ARTS”

Performing Arts - are a form of art in which artists use their voices, bodies, or different objects
to show artistic expression.
Performing arts encourages a person to explore their emotions, expand their imagination and
help them develop their own, unique voice.
Each discipline of music, dance and drama engages a person's brain, body, and emotions in
different ways to encourage their confidence and find joy in self-expression. A moving style of
art. Use of body, brain, emotions, and feelings.
Why Performing Arts are Important to Society.

1. Self-discovery and Expression

The theatre, dance and other performing arts can teach people how to express themselves
effectively and can also be a tool through which people with disabilities can communicate.
2. History and Education and Performing Arts
It helps us to understand the people around us and how they might be expected to react
incertain situations. The fact the governments regularly attempt to close theatres and other
performing arts centers when there is a revolution, or a military coup demonstrates the
importance theatre must maintain the history and understanding of a country's citizens.
3. Creativity
The performing arts are about being creative. Without a creative voice, a society may become
all but dead inside, and a social group without any creativity is likely to be repressive and
tyrannical rather than a force for good. The importance of having people in society who can
express themselves creatively is without doubt.

“Improvisation”
What is Improvisation?
• Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand,
using whatever can be found.
• Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific
or scripted preparation.

“Contact-Body Improvisation”
Contact-body improvisation is a physical theatre technique that involves the exploration of
movement and expression through bodily contact. It allows actors to engage in spontaneous
and unscripted interactions, creating a unique and dynamic performance. Within contact-body
improvisation, different qualities can be explored, such as flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and
stillness. Each of these qualities brings a different energy and intention to the improvisation.
Here is a brief explanation of each quality:
1. Flow: Flow refers to smooth and continuous movement. In contact-body improvisation,
actors strive to move seamlessly from one action or gesture to another, creating a sense of
fluidity and connection.
2. Staccato: Staccato involves abrupt and punctuated movements. It emphasizes sharp and
distinct actions, allowing for clear and defined physical choices. Staccato movements can bring
a sense of precision and intensity to the improvisation.
3. Chaos: Chaos refers to movements that are unpredictable, wild, and spontaneous. In contact-
body improvisation, actors may engage in chaotic movements to create a sense of disorder and
unpredictability, allowing for unexpected moments of exploration and discovery.
4. Lyrical: Lyrical movements are characterized by grace, fluidity, and a sense of rhythm. In
contact-body improvisation, actors may incorporate lyrical movements to evoke emotions,
create poetic imagery, or express a sense of beauty and harmony.
5. Stillness: Stillness involves the absence of movement or minimal movement. It allows actors
to focus on presence, intention, and inner exploration. Stillness can create moments of tension,
anticipation, or reflection within the improvisation.

“Sound Improvisation”
Sound improvisation is the art of creating music or sound spontaneously, without pre-written
scripts or predetermined structures.
Example of Sound Improvisation: Someone using everyday objects like bottles and pans to
create impromptu rhythms and melodies, experimenting with the sounds they produce in a
playful and spontaneous manner.

“Theatre Improvisation”
Theatre improvisation, often called improv, involves spontaneous performance
without a script. It encourages creativity, quick thinking, and collaboration among
participants.

BENEFITS:
 helps participants to develop spontaneity, imagination, intuition and flexibility to think
positively, to gain confidence in themselves and to strengthen relationships with others.
 Stimulates creativity.
  Strengthens teamwork.
 Master the means of communication.

Other skills improved through improvisation:

 Stimulating creativity: Where do ideas come from? Can little things turn into big ideas?
What is innovation? How can we overcome prejudices and develop creativity?
Improvisation techniques and exercises help people explore even the most daring ideas.
 Teamwork: simulations, role plays help participants relax, learn trust, to open, to
overcome their fears, to cooperate, to solve problems a lot more easily, to put aside
their pride, to work for a common goal... and have fun!
 Communication: mastery of body language, awareness, listening, spontaneity,
improving communication skills in general for the day-to-day life. As people understand
how to communicate more, they will be able to work more efficiently.

“Solving Improvisational Challenges”

• Real life scenarios such as problem solving, and decision making are unscripted and
involve working with what you have in the moment. As such, training in an
improvisational art form is thought to stimulate creative problem solving.

References:
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre
● https://www.studocu.com/ph/course/don-honorio-ventura-technological-
state-university/art-application/5277508?origin=document-viewer
● https://www.scribd.com/document/444723470/SOUND-AND-THEATRE-
IMPROVISATION
● https://www.slideshare.net/RicheleRValencia/arts-appreciation-
presentationpptx