When prehistoric people had no answers for natural forces that controlled their existence, they attributed them to the supernatural—super-human forces, gods—and began to search for ways to influence them, among which were music, song and dance, mimicry, self-sacrifice, epic stories, spectacle—all elements of theatre—which evolved into codes of religious ritual. So popular were these rites (and festivals) that they continued to be performed even after the mysteries were solved, at which point theater emerged as a separate entity.
DISCLAIMER: The following essay derives from what I’ve learned from life and what I’ve plagiarized from two primary sources: Oscar Brockett’s History of theTheatre, acknowledged as definitive, and The History of Theatre According to Dr Jack (Hrkach) online, along with countless multitudes of Wikipedia articles. I beg the authors to forgive me; if I live long enough, I’ll add a million footnotes.
For the first two thousand years of Western Civilization, the only literary art most people knew was acquired by ear, because they couldn’t read! Everything they knew they learned from what they saw and heard, from priests and politicians, poets, story-tellers, and, most effectively, from actors on a stage. From the Ancient Greeks and (lesser) Romans through church drama to the Renaissance and Shakespeare, most of what the hoi polloi made of their world and human nature—and of language, its evocative power—came from actors playing characters in worlds imagined by the greatest writers of their times.
This post, when posted, will explore the notion that most people are afraid to face themselves, and all the things we do serve to distract us from the recognition that, when push comes to shove, we’re each of us just human beings, one among billions, each of whom has cares and troubles, hopes and fears, friends and foes, sad or happy endings. Only theatre draws us into human introspection, lets us walk in others’ shoes. All other activity (except, perhaps, psychoanalysis) is an artificial attempt to escape, by focusing on something outside ourselves. Continue reading Dramaphobia→
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to present Cold Reads to members of the Metrolina Theater Association. We broke the ice by pairing up to read and ramble on 10-minute plays, then shared thoughts as a group. I talked for a while about how a cold read happens, referring to this web site; then we brainstormed on the reasons people do (and don’t) read plays. To wrap it up, the whole group started reading a full-length play we knew we wouldn’t finish.
On Sunday afternoon, October 12, I was invited to present Cold Reads to members of the Metrolina Theatre Association. Because I tend to ramble, I scripted the first half of of my presentation as follows, amended to suit a general (non-theatre) audience, with cues to prompt responses during the talkback.
I authorize and encourage (beg) anyone to use it as a guide to pitch the practice. Continue reading MTA Event→
Cold Reads/International 