Overview
This lecture concludes the discussion on theater as both live performance and collaborative work, focusing on its unique nature, challenges, and the debate over script fidelity.
Theater as a Live Art Form
- Theater is one of the few arts performed live in real time before an audience.
- The live element creates excitement because anything can go wrong at any time.
- Watching a live event is more exhilarating than viewing a recording due to its unpredictability and immediacy.
- The value of theater diminishes when watched as a recording, similar to pre-recorded sports games.
Audience and Performance Dynamics
- Audiences are captivated because live performances involve risk for embarrassment or even harm to performers.
- The unpredictability and presence of real people elevate the emotional impact for viewers.
Script Fidelity Debate
- There is debate about whether scripts should be altered or performed exactly as written.
- Some believe the script is a flexible guideline; others see it as unchangeable, like a constitution.
- Comparisons are made to modifying other art forms, like painting or music, which is generally considered unacceptable.
- The lecturer personally believes scripts should not be changed but admits to editing content for audience suitability while trying to preserve the playwright's intent.
Challenges of Altering Scripts
- Changing minor details without altering the fundamental outcome is a compromise sometimes made for practical reasons.
- Sometimes, even after editing for content, the intended impact or meaning of the play can't be fully changed for specific audiences.
Theater as Collaborative Work
- Producing a play can take from six weeks to several years, with professional productions demanding intense work schedules.
- Large productions involve hundreds of people in various roles: actors, designers, technicians, and crew.
- Creativity is often required on strict deadlines, making theater demanding work.
- Most production elements (lights, costumes, sets) are not strictly necessary for theater to exist.
Essential Elements of Theater
- Only three things are required for theater: an actor, an audience, and a place.
- All other production aspects enhance but are not essential to the existence of theater.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Live Performance — an event presented in real time to an audience.
- Script Fidelity — the practice of adhering strictly to the playwright’s original words and intent.
- Collaborative Production — a theater production involving many individuals working together in different roles.
- Playwright’s Intent — the original message, tone, and outcome desired by the script’s author.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Reflect on your own stance in the script fidelity debate.
- Consider the essential elements needed for effective theater in your future assignments or projects.