Theatre:
Overview: For each art form that we cover a critique of the form will be performed to assess the understanding of the critical elements and contextual information that comprises an art form.
For this unit, you will choose a theater performance (plays, musicals, must be a stage performance of one of the theater genres discussed in the chapter on Theatre)
In your initial thread post, you will critique the piece that you have chosen and critique per the prompts and elements below.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
Complete each section of the provided critique sections below.
In critiquing the piece, speak specifically to what elements are shown that make up the piece.
Address each section in full, notate elements and contextual information.
For the contextual information, you will be researching the history of the artist or the piece to show the functions and socio-historical significance.
Address personal connection through terms and elements covered in each section
In your peer engagement, you must reply to a minimum of two separate peer threads reflecting on the following:
What technical elements of the piece shared do you observe (how and why)?
Do you agree with your peer’s analysis of the function of this piece, or do you feel it is different?
What would you add to the observation of this piece?
For your chosen piece, first list the technical observations:
Production Name
Director & Year
Time scene starts & link (Example: (00:15:00) & URL for the clip)
Theme or Topic of the production (a brief synopsis of what is going on in your example)
Observe and analyze each of the following elements:
Point of View: (What point of view is being told in your section?)
Genre: (What is the genre of theatre in this example? Tragedy, Comedy, etc…)
Characters: (What characters are present, or being spoken about if not present?)
Plot: (What plot devices are being used in this scene?)
Analyze the following Visual & Aural Elements: What elements are you seeing on stage that are giving an overall feeling to the scene? Please describe each of the following:
Lighting
Costume
Props
Set design
Theater type (if known)
Sound
Music
Second list the Contextual Information::
Time Period
Subgenre, Combined Genres?
Historical Information: (Such as attitude of the artist or culture regarding the art form or subject):
What function or functions do you think that this piece serves? (Historical, Religious, Metaphysical, Sociopolitical, Therapeutic, Personal)
Third, why did you choose this piece? Judgment information:
Artisanship (Does the composition follow the basic elements that we have spoken about?):
How does it make you feel? (How does the way the production uses language, devices, visuals, and other elements make you feel in this example? What about overall?):
