ABSTRACT
Why the Theatre is a collection of 26 personal essays by college teachers, actors, directors, and playwrights about the magnetic pull of the theatre and its changing place in society.
The book is divided into four parts, examining the creative role of the audience, the life of the actor, director, and playwright in performance, ways the theatre moves beyond the playhouse and into the real world, and theories and thoughts on what the theatre can do when given form onstage. Based on concrete, highly personal examples, experiences, and memories, this collection offers unique perspectives on the meaning of the theatre and the beauty of weaving the world of the play into the fabric of our lives.
Covering a range of practices and plays, from the Greeks to Japanese Butoh theatre, from Shakespeare to modern experiments, this book is written by and for the theatre instructor and theatre appreciation student.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|46 pages
The Creative Role of the Audience
part II|44 pages
The Life of the Actor, Director, and Playwright in Performance
part III|48 pages
When the Theatre Moves Beyond the Stage Into the Real World
chapter 15|9 pages
Why Make Theatre in the South Pacific?
part IV|51 pages
Theories and Thoughts About What the Theatre Can Do When Given Form Onstage
