Final Reflection Assignment
Assignment: Write a three-page paper/manifesto where you articulate your ideal experience in a theater. The thesis of your paper should be: “An ideal experience in the theater is one that does X, Y, and Z.” As you define your ideal experience in the theater, you should think about the following things: the 4 appeals of theater (sensual, social, intellectual, and emotional), your own personal taste, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the way that theater has been practiced throughout history. When talking about your ideal experience in the theater, you must reference the practices and views of 3 artists or theater cultures that we have talked about in class. You should be able to explain how these views and practices influenced your own ideas about what constitutes an ideal way of making theater. You may cite artists whose views you agree with or artists whose views you disagree with. You should pick from the list below.
Periods/Artists (PICK A MINIMUM OF 3 FROM THIS LIST, THE TEXTBOOK, OR THE CURRICULUM):
The Theater of the Ancient Greeks The Theater of the Ancient Romans Horace: the Roman theorist who taught that theater should teach and delight The theater of the Medieval Christians Shakespeare and the Performance Conditions in 16th Century England Commedia dell’Arte The Neoclassical Rules of the Italians and French The values of the Art Theater vs. the values of the Commercial Theater The realistic innovations of Konstantin Stanislavski, Henrik Ibsen, and Anton Chekhov Bertolt Brecht and the Alienation Effect Antonin Artaud and the Theater of Cruelty Theater of the Absurd Identity Theater Movements (African American Theater, Women’s Theatre, and Gay & Lesbian Theatre) Docudrama
Outline for Paper:
Introduction – Your definition of what theater is and how it affects people. It should conclude with your thesis: “An ideal experience in the theater is one that does X, Y, Z.”
1st Body Paragraph – In this paragraph you explain WHY it’s important that theater does X. You should also explain HOW theater can do X. You should use 1 artist or period to explain what’s happened when X has/has not been done.
2nd Body Paragraph – In this paragraph you explain WHY it’s important that theater does Y. You should also explain HOW theater can do Y. You should use 1 artist or period to explain what’s happened when Y has/has not been done.
3rd Body Paragraph – In this paragraph you explain WHY it’s important that theater does Z. You should also explain HOW theater can do Z. You should use 1 artist or period to explain what’s happened when Z has/has not been done.
Conclusion – Final summation of the power of theater and why it’s important.
Note: It is permissible to use first person (I, me, my, etc.) in this paper. Please continue to avoid using 2nd person (you, your, etc.)!