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•Theatre designed to appeal to a broad audience.•Theatre generally designed to make money.•More likely to be comedy than theatre created for "artistic" reasons.

Began in the 16th centuryTraveling troupes of actorsSemi-improvised with plots from roman comedies and lazziUse of stock charactersPerformance was highly physical

physical comedy, slap stick

often based on regional stereotypes (dress or act in a certain way)characters are familiar to the audienceUnmasked are loversMasked are servants and mastersCharacters are based on the costumes they wear

Old Men: Pantalone, il Dottore- blocking characters keep lovers from happinessServants: Arlecchino, Brighella- help the lovers to achieve their goal

Known as comic operaNo masks, no stereotypes, and lighthearted languageBegan early 18th centuryVery popular with "everyday people" vs. opera seria which was meant as high artSimilar plots and characters to commedia The Barber of Seville

Serious opera with big costumes and was very dramatic.Considered high art

The Barber of SevilleOpera Buffa

less concerned with unities under less scrutiny than tragedy, but still expected to promote morality

Real name: Jean-Baptiste PoquelinPlaywright and actor/manager and also arranged performances for the king's courtUsed stage name to not dishonor his family's nameCareer had many ups and downs- no mask, has own stock characters, less physical comedyHad to tour outside of paris

TartuffeThe MisanthropeThe Imaginary Invalid

Tension between who tartuffe thought he was and what people thought he wasFirst performed at palace of versailles in front of king louis xiv- censored by kingwent through several revisions- final messenger as "deus ex machine"

written by moliere

The Imaginary Invalid is a three-act comédie-ballet by the French playwright Molière with dance sequences and musical interludes by Marc-Antoine Charpentie.

Influenced by Commedia dell'ArtePlays tend to be satirical and mock societyDoes it through comedy so statements aren't so harshFarce- breaks rules of societyPopular with audiences often unpopular with those in power- Careful not to mock monarchy

Comedy criticizes customs through honorMolière

Overturns rules of society, is high energy, physical movement, people hide when others walk into room

If one takes the trouble to examine my comedy in good faith, he will surely see that my intentions are innocent throughout, and tend in no way to make fun of what men revere; that I have presented the subject with all the precautions that its delicacy imposes; and that I have used all the art and skill that I could to distinguish clearly the character of the hypocrite from that of the truly devout man

Madame Pernelle, Elmire, Damis, Mariane, Cléante, Dorine, Orgon, Valère, Tartuffe

Orgon's motherTartuffe

Orgon's second wife; stepmother of Damis and MarianeTartuffe

Orgon's sonTartuffe

Orgon's daughter, engaged to ValèreTartuffe

Elmire's brotherTartuffe

Mariane's outspoken maidTartuffe

Father of the house, follower of TartuffeTartuffe

Engaged to MarianeTartuffe

the hypocrite

Orgon trusts tartuffe, tartuffe wants orgons wife elmire, orgon wants tratuffe to mary mariane, orgon signs papers to tartuffe, tartuffe is exposed as a hypocrite by elmire when she tells orgon to hide and listen, tartuffe tries to evict family but the king sees him as a hypocrite and imprisons him and returns everything to orgon.

Common style or system whose meaning is and easily understood and agreed on by audiences and artistsCan often seem entirely natural or "the only way to do things" by people who are familiar with the dramatic formCan often seem confusing or strange/bad to outsiders

Verse in Shakespeare and MolièreThe fourth wallRealistic actingBrecht relied on surprising his audience by breaking conventions

VERY different from the one's you're used to, but are easily understood by Japanese audiences

Music- always going on, traditional japanese music, rhythm to itMovement-very important! scripts are very short because its more about the movement and make up rather than dialogue, sharp or jerky movementsElaborate Design- Make up, costume, set, etc.Men- played woman roles since women were not allowed to act or be in the theatre

Generally loud and exciting- Contrast with Noh theatre, which involves stillness, simplicity and spirituality, and was generally for the elitePerformances would last about 12 hours- audiences came and went

Early 17th CenturyTime of relative prosperity, isolationThought to come out of dance traditionsForm of theatre for the people- middle and working class have the money and timeAround museum theatre

Trap door Overturning stageAll man powered Center of the stage rotatesVery bright sets, artistic not realisticBuild the set to make the changes very smooth and easy, part of the artistry Actors can invade the audiences spaceLong entrances to make Relatively small things that add to it, such as the the breaking tree branch

Runway into audience

Often improvised or adapted from other stories semi improvised, script outline that they fill in for themselvesEpisodic rather than linear break the time and unity of place Not divided into tragedy and comedy Subjects varied, but often history (especially samurai) or domestic scenes they are trained to play these roles for long periods of time( type cast)

Tachiyaku, Katakiyaku, Dokekata, Koyaku, Onnagata

Good, loyal, courageous men heroes

Villainous men

Comic roles (including comic villains) coyote, comic relief

Children's roles children of the family(troop)

Women's roles played by men, seen by the most difficult

brother and sister have sexual relations and she gets married to someone else, brother goes crazy from jealousy, he kills her then everyone else

theater outlawed

theater bloody and sexual

king charles 2 come back from exile in france to take over england; leads to a strong influence of french culture; celebrates things that were denied by his predecessor eg.

many mistresses

heavily influenced by french theater esp. the comediesaudiences went to theater to see and be seenwomen on stage for first time in england (these women viewed as only slightly better than prostitutes)charles 2 mistress Nell Gwynne famous actress

famous actresscharles 2 mistressenglish restoration theater

Mirrors lightheartedness of Charles' courtSexual humor- not so much violence anymore, happy monarchy is restored, not so much making fun of people anymoreFocus on upper middle class and lower nobility- nobody wrote about the kingOften complicated plots, with several slightly related subplots

Humor comes from situations, word play - audiences must be familiar with social rules to see humor. not trying to change the rules societyLater examples of this genre: School for Scandal (1777) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

less overtly humorous frequently set outside of england

Richard Sheridan

Oscar Wilde

Rake FopWomen roles defined by expertiseCharacter names often reveal personality traits/flaws eg. sir willful witwould in Way of the Worldeg. sir foppington in The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger

young man who is charming but not particularly reliable or moral.

Often the hero. gambles, drinks, womanizer, but dashing, he doesn't reform

man too obsessed with fashion; often thinks he is wittier than he is. often elements of feminist

Generally defined by their levels of experience in/comfort with high society.Heroines generally fall in the middle: witty, but not too experienced Young sweet innocent girl- when she enters society she is tired of being goodOlder women who is trying to reclaim her youth, often a widow

First female professional playwrightBefore writing was spy for King Charles 2Plays are more about adventure and intrigue than comedy of manners (plays don't take place in England because she is well traveled)The Rover (1677)

Aphra Behn Set in Naples during Commonwealth period Romantic adventures of several Englishmen during "Carnival"Shown that Italy characters have a lot of freedom, Adventures of an english men who fled the country when the king died.

By William WycherleySeveral plots: Pinchwife jealously tries to maintain the innocence/ naiveté of his young wife Margery (the titular country wife) very controlling of his wife. "Breeches role" of female characters dressed as men.

Horner spreads false rumors of his impotence so he can have access to married women without their husbands' suspicionThe China Scene: Horner is "looking at china" with the wife in a closed bedroom

The Country Wife

Another backlash against monarchy."Glorious Revolution" Mary 2 replaces father for power.Increased power to parliament therefore less monarchy power.Theater was tied to monarchy.Rise of middle class the target audience now.

Theatre caters to middle class even more: plots less about sex, more about money.

Theatre is a power tool, neutral tool, can be used for good or bad.All of these things that theatre should be able to do.Right now it's just showing bad and there aren't any consequences at the end of the play.

All new plays must be approved by Lord Chamberlain.

"Spoken drama" can only be produced at limited number of "patent theatres".Effects: Emphasis on "safer" domestic plays, return to older plays (especially Shakespeare) plays only need to be cleared the first time, so can use old ones with no problem.

He can demand revisions of forbid the play entirelyThis lasts until 1968Things that were sexual or making fun of the monarchy were discarded.They were very nitpicky on what they let through (would take out single words).

During 18th century, at most three in London.If you got a patent then you were in good shape, but you don't want to make the government mad.Pieces with significant musical or non-narrative components can be produced elsewhere.Only places to go see scripted theatre.

Because of Theatre Licensing Act, there was limited competition between theatres Continued rise of stars, actor manager system Example: David GarrickIncreasing emphasis on morality, emotion.

Higher emotions not lust and angry, supposed to lift you up.Design: often elaborate sets and costumes which could be reused from production to production they would be doing different shows all the time, change it up.

Also called "weeping comedies".End happily (usually with marriage) not necessarily funny.Emphasize morality, triumph of good over evil.Characters usually were led astray but reformed.

Richard Steele playright.Sentimental Comedies.Arranged marriages rejected in favor of love matches.Disparities in class fixed by discovery of young orphan's true father.Love can transcend all boundaries(social classes).

Generally comedy of manners; plays rely on humor.More similar to Restoration plays than sentimental comedies but with greater focus on morality.Much less common- Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Oliver Goldsmith are two who attempt this.They are rare in this time period, they tend to be popular when done, but don't want to do them very often as to not draw attention to themselves.

There are few things that the audience needs to be guided on and Laughing Comedy does a better job than Weeping Comedy.

Most noteworthy of the sentimental comedy genre. Balance of sentiment and comedy. Wrote "The Rivals" and "School for Scandals".Manager of Drury Lane Theatre for several years.

Wasn't an actor. Gradually handed over management as he became more invested in politicsPolitician- Member of Parliament for 32 years, of the whig party- generally supported limited monarchy, he wants to tweak behavior not change completely

Richard Sheridan, 1777. Featuring Sir Peter Teazle, Maria, Lady Sneerwell, Sir Benjamin Backbite, and Charles Surface. Restoration comedy.Lady Sneerwell and a group of friends meet often at her house to create and spread malicious gossip.

The affairs in this play would never happen in Weeping Comedies or they would be reprimanded more. Sheridan wants to tweak behavior not change completely.Keep in mind the big thing in this play is money!!

Very popular form in late 18th and 19th centuries. Develops out of comic opera, sentimental comedy.

Originally French, comes to England and then U.S.Name literally translates as "music drama" music is very important, used to get people to feel a certain way.Reinforces community values.Values emotion rather than reason.

Clear division between good and evil.

Designed to provoke sentimental reactions (happiness, pity, sorrow, fear).Moments of extreme tension, but justice is done at the end.Usually ends happily, if not, ends beautifully and sentimentally.Often adapted from novels (may have big, complex plots).Melodrama for social reform (particularly common in U.

S.).Identifies a particular social problem (alcoholism, slavery, etc).Creates villain that embodies that problem.

Defeat of the villain means defeat of the problem.

Embody social norms/idealsHeroines: delicate, innocent, young, needs to be rescued.Heroes: strong, noble, masculineVillains: immoral and malicious (often tries to force heroine to marry him)

Hero's sidekick: assists hero, good (but perhaps not quite as noble), sometimes provides comic relief.Fallen woman: prostitute, woman who was otherwise "led astray." Often compassionate, kind, but can never fully redeem her past sins.

Mother figure: maternal, kind. Often used by villain to manipulate heroine.

Music - singing and underscoring Visual spectacles such as animals, flooded stages, panoramas, pyrotechnics, etc. Also can have many scenes with elaborate scenery.Scripts often written to allow for dramatic special effects at the end of each scene.Acting style - presentational, performing for a wow.

Based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel.Characters/ideas widely used in many formats.Many adaptations - most produced play of the 19th century in the U.S, in one year about 500 touring companies produced this play.Major characters: Uncle Tom, Little Eva, Simon Legree.

Action moviesDisneySoap OperasLifetime MoviesCelebrity culture (esp tabloids)

Broadway, Las Vegas, etc.Action movies

Most movies

White male performers in blackface (initially - later, also black performers in blackface).Draws on romantic notions of slavery.Slaves happy, loyal, childlike, dependant on whites.

Allegedly based on "authentic" slave performances. (people take it as a literal representation)Exaggerated physicality; Make up- white around eyes with black face to look more african american; Dance- exaggerated, not skilled.Highly stereotyped dialect. "yes masa"

first truly american form of performanceVirginia Minstrels, Christy Minstrels - 1840sT.D. Rice- Jump Jim CrowDevelops in opposition to abolitionist movement

the father of minstrelsy1828 - "Jump Jim Crow"Begins as a comic afterpiece to another show, so popular that he uses it more and more often.

Create entire evening of entertainmentSolidify formal structure

Most popular in the North US with white, working-class male audiences.

Banjo, tambourine, percussion (aka "bones")Stephen Foster: "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)," "Camptown Races"Dance -savage or "cakewalk" the black would make fun of the white, the white would make fun of the blacks

Variety (many different short, unrelated pieces)Minstrel Line/Semi Circle Olio Afterpiece Note that not all plays that use blackface are Minstrel shows - they must follow (basically) this format

(jokes, dance, songs, Interlocutor)

(short comic pieces, often including "stump speech")

(longer skit - often parody of popular story, e.g.

Uncle Tom's Cabin)

Interlocutor - straight man, not in blackfaceTambo and Bones - musicians

Sambo - happy, lazy, stupid. Often musical, laughing (also known as Jim Crow)Zip Coon - Northern free slave, tries to mimic white ways but gets them wrong (often delivers stump speech)Mammy - Fat, sexless, looks after white childrenUncle Tom - Older man, loyal to white mastersPickaninny - Savage, undisciplined childFrequently accepted as authentic by white audiences

More prominent post-Civil War.Forced to black up, play derogatory stereotypes.Couldn't participate in entertainment industry in any other way.Were able to gain fame, money.

Popular black entertainer, famous enough to be able to do some less racist work.

Frequently used for non-white characters through mid 20th century. (Othello in Othello)Often used in even relatively sympathetic depictions of black people (Uncle Tom's Cabin)

Roles open to African Americans in film/television (esp Mammy) "Ghetto/gangsta/thug" partiesPerformances of other races? (Yellowface, brownface, redface, etc)

Popular in Britain and US 1830s-1930sTransforms a lot during those years, long life span.Uses variety show format: Showgirls, stripping, risqué songs very comedic; ALSO: political humor, satire, parodies of classics.

NOT family friendly - target audience is men.English burlesque emphasizes comedy, American emphasizes attractive women.

Variety show format with WIDE range of acts.Comedy, Song/dance, ventriloquism, magic, animals, acrobatics, jugglers, etc.Drew from many different artistic and cultural traditions.

Very family friendly.

Also called "operetta," "light opera".Grew out of Opera BuffaOpera for audiences of "common people" happy plot, middle class, language was easier,.Depicts people other than highest nobility, uses vernacular language.Mostly sung, with short bits of dialogue, it's between musical, and traditional opera.Lighthearted romances; obstacles are (relatively) easily overcome.

tends to focus on comedy, clever word play, intellectual pleasure.

plots are more sentimental, often set in "exotic" locations.

Produced for middle class audiences, generally premiering at the Savoy Theatre in London.Wrote fourteen comic operas.

wrote libreto

wrote music

Young romantic pair, older comic pair(s).Two choruses, divided by gender.Ridiculous solutions to conflict.Patter song.

Gently poke fun at institutions/practices of Victorian England.Elements of comedy of manners.Goal is to entertain, not create major change.Maintains strong patriotic elements.Examples:Iolanthe: Parlimentary politicsThe Mikado: Victorian morality / obsession with purityPatience: Aesthetics / poetry (esp Oscar Wilde)

Social satire: Title of the opera, Class and romance, Sir Joseph as stand in for First Lord of the Admiralty W.H. SmithReinforces status quo: Through Patriotism: "A British Tar" "He is an Englishman"

Free circulation - no copyright, therefore americans can show it however they want, traditional, gimicks or parodies.Merchandizing through Sheet music and Other knick knacks.

Shared popular culture common to most citizens therefore the audience could relate. Followed with Pirates of Penzance, which premiered in US.

FDR creates to fund public projects and create employment

Created as part of WPA.Hallie Flanagan (1890-1969), director.Ambitious, wide variety of programs and goals.

$46 million spent over 4 years.

"I am asked whether a theatre subsidized by the government can be kept free from censorship, and I say yes, it is going to be kept free from censorship. What we want is a free, adult, uncensored theatre."

Employed 12,700 artists (including actors, directors, designers, stagehands).Hire only professionals.

Produce theatre relevant to population.

Free and subsidized tickets.20 million patrons.42,000 performances in over 40 states.

Based in Washington and New York• Regional companies• Touring productions• Performances in 40 states• Performed in theatres, churches, schools

ClassicsTheatre of entertainment (circus, vaudeville, etc)Children's theatreDance dramaAmerican dramaLiving NewspaperRadio Drama"Negro" Theatre

Purpose: educate audience on one major issue that effect them. -Heavily researchedo Writers include out-of-work journalistso Precursor to Documentary Theatre, but not verbatimNon-realistic writing and stagingExample: One Third of a Nation (subject: housing)

"Loudspeaker" / "Voice of the Living Newspaper""Little Man"Historical figuresGeneralized citizens

Stage a show simultaneously in many cities.

Example: 21 productions of It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis open on October 27, 1936.Satire warning about how fascism might take hold in the US.Adaptation of novel by prominent novelist.Each production has its own director, designers, etc, so all are different.

Funding for artists who take risks, push boundariesThe Cradle Will Rock (1937 musical by Mark Blitzstein)Non-realistic, didactic. Characters stand in for ideas/professions

By Mark BlitzsteinMr. Mister, a rich industrialist controls all of "Steeltown, USA" (Newspapers, college, church, artists, doctors). He is challenged by Larry Foreman and the unions.Production shut down days before it opens on Broadway.

Staged anyway (starts as concert by Blitzstein, actors join in defiance of union rules).

Massive bureaucracy Fear of communismPotentially subversive ideas in The Cradle Will Rock and Living NewspapersCongress cancels funding in 1939

the spoken dialogue

the sung words

lyrics + book

Lyrics + music played by the band/orchestra

The dances and the person who designs and teaches the dances.

Songs inserted into book without much connection.Plots tend to be light, romantic comedy.

ShowboatFirst integrated musical- uses songs to tell storyDeals with serious issues- racism, martial struggles.

Ultimate "integrated" musical- every aspect helps tell story.Dialogue would flow naturally into song. (when too much emotion they would usually sing; too much to sing they dance)Often a love story with characters who don't initially like each other.

World War 2, Cold War.Musicals are major part of American popular culture.Most are book musicals at this time.Generally display optimistic stories with American values and patriotism, whether or not the play is based in the US.

Cast recordings became very popular.Focus on woman protagonist.

Example of Golden Age Musical Theatre based in another country.

By Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.Based on play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs.

Challenged many conventions of musical theatre, first "real" book musical.Full integration: Book + Songs + Dance

Set in Oklahoma Territory (before statehood). Love story between Curley (a cowboy) and Laurey (who comes from a farming family). Action revolves around the lead up to a barn-raising party.

Early reviewer (before Broadway) for Oklahoma!

Dance used to show character's inner feelings.Used in Oklahoma

Idea rather than story is central.May be episodic, focus on large ensemble of characters.Example: A Chorus Line.

Focuses on lives of dancers auditioning to be part of a chorus line.

Backstage look at the hard work and individuality of a group that is often in the background and seen as uniform.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by James LapineCharacters from Grimm fairytales with addition of Baker and his Wife (new story).

Rock music, minimal dialogue.Like rock music, rock operas tend to be transgressive, push boundaries.

Examples: Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent

Significant influx of British composers/writers.Everything is BIG including plots, casts, design.Example: Les Miserables. Most shows by Andrew Lloyd Webber, including Cats (1982) and Phantom of the Opera (1986)