1. Chapter 1Chapter 1
Theatre, Art, andTheatre, Art, and
EntertainmentEntertainment

2. What is Art?What is Art?
A skillA skill
From the Greek word - technē
An act of beautyAn act of beauty
From a branch of philosophy known as
aesthetics
A specific meaningA specific meaning
From an attempt to understand ourselves and
the world around us

3. What is Art?What is Art?
““Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to anArt is a selective re-creation of reality according to an
artist’s metaphysical value judgments. Man’s profoundartist’s metaphysical value judgments. Man’s profound
need for art lies in the fact that his cognitive faculty isneed for art lies in the fact that his cognitive faculty is
conceptual, i.e., that he acquires knowledge by means ofconceptual, i.e., that he acquires knowledge by means of
abstractions, and needs the power to bring his widestabstractions, and needs the power to bring his widest
meta-physical abstractions into his immediate perceptualmeta-physical abstractions into his immediate perceptual
awareness.”awareness.”
Ayn Rand, aAyn Rand, author and philosopheruthor and philosopher

4. What are the basic qualities of artWhat are the basic qualities of art
that all works of art share?that all works of art share?
WilliamMissouriDowns

5. Art is a Form of Human ExpressionArt is a Form of Human Expression
The wordThe word artart springs from the same root assprings from the same root as
the wordthe word artificialartificial..
Art is not the real thing but rather a humanArt is not the real thing but rather a human
creative endeavor that involves thecreative endeavor that involves the
perceptions and imagination of an artist who isperceptions and imagination of an artist who is
trying to say something in his or her owntrying to say something in his or her own
particular way.particular way.

6. ““In one sense the aim ofIn one sense the aim of
the scientist and the aimthe scientist and the aim
of the artist are the sameof the artist are the same
since both are in pursuitsince both are in pursuit
of what they call truth; butof what they call truth; but
the difference betweenthe difference between
them may be said tothem may be said to
consist in this, that whileconsist in this, that while
for science there is onlyfor science there is only
one truth, for the artistone truth, for the artist
there are many.”there are many.”
Joseph Wood Krutch,Joseph Wood Krutch,
author and philosopherauthor and philosopher
WilliamMissouriDowns

7. Art Involves Subject and MediumArt Involves Subject and Medium
 Spatial ArtsSpatial Arts
 ArchitectureArchitecture
 SculptureSculpture
 Pictorial ArtsPictorial Arts
 PaintingPainting
 Line and color in two dimensionsLine and color in two dimensions
 Literary ArtsLiterary Arts
 PoetryPoetry
 Novels and short storiesNovels and short stories
 Performing ArtsPerforming Arts
 Performed by a personPerformed by a person

8. Art Makes You Feel SomethingArt Makes You Feel Something
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank via AP Images
Michael Falco/The New York Times/Redux

9. Art Provides a Perception of OrderArt Provides a Perception of Order
““It is the function of all art to give us someIt is the function of all art to give us some
perception of an order in life, by imposing orderperception of an order in life, by imposing order
upon it.”upon it.”
T. S. Eliot, poetT. S. Eliot, poet
““Life is very nice, but it lacks form. It’s the aim ofLife is very nice, but it lacks form. It’s the aim of
art to give it some.”art to give it some.”
Jean Anouilh, playwrightJean Anouilh, playwright

10. What is the Purpose of Art?What is the Purpose of Art?
““I am suspicious ofI am suspicious of
any theory of artany theory of art
which says that art iswhich says that art is
just one thing and thatjust one thing and that
it can be defined in ait can be defined in a
single aim, function,single aim, function,
or purpose.”or purpose.”
Harold Taylor,Harold Taylor,
art philosopherart philosopher
MichalDaniel/Proofsheet

11. What is Theatre?What is Theatre?
 The word theatre comes from the Greek word
theatron meaning “seeing place.”
 “A man walks across this empty space whilst
someone else is watching him, and this is all that
is needed for act of theatre to be engaged.”
Peter Brook, The Empty Space

12. What is Drama?What is Drama?
 The word drama comes from the Greek wordThe word drama comes from the Greek word
drandran meaning “to take action, to do, or to make”meaning “to take action, to do, or to make”
 Drama tells a story about people in conflictDrama tells a story about people in conflict

13. Both Theatre and DramaBoth Theatre and Drama
Share Three QualitiesShare Three Qualities
 They are live – no two performances are theThey are live – no two performances are the
samesame
 They are about human beingsThey are about human beings
 They are collaborative art formsThey are collaborative art forms

14. CommonCommon
CategoriesCategories
ofof
TheatreTheatre

15. 1. Commercial Theatre1. Commercial Theatre
Commercial playsCommercial plays
offer safe themes,offer safe themes,
plenty of laughs, andplenty of laughs, and
spectacle designed tospectacle designed to
appeal to a majority ofappeal to a majority of
people, thereby fillingpeople, thereby filling
lots of seats andlots of seats and
ideally making lots ofideally making lots of
money.money.
WilliamMissouriDowns

16. 2. Historical Theatre2. Historical Theatre
Presents dramas
that uses styles,
themes, and
staging of plays
from a particular
historical period.
©2000DonTurner

17. 3. Political Theatre3. Political Theatre
Allows playwrights,Allows playwrights,
directors, anddirectors, and
actors to expressactors to express
their personaltheir personal
opinions aboutopinions about
current issues,current issues,
trends, and politicstrends, and politics
©P.Switzer

18. 4. Experimental Theatre4. Experimental Theatre
It might break downIt might break down
barriers by eliminatingbarriers by eliminating
the distance betweenthe distance between
actor and audience,actor and audience,
trying out new stagingtrying out new staging
techniques, or eventechniques, or even
questioning thequestioning the
nature of theatre itselfnature of theatre itself
Courtesy,Living
Theatre

19. 5. Cultural Theatre5. Cultural Theatre
Is designed to support the heritage,Is designed to support the heritage,
customs, and POV of a particular people,customs, and POV of a particular people,
religion, class, country, or community.religion, class, country, or community.
This theatre provides a window into aThis theatre provides a window into a
world that is different from their own or byworld that is different from their own or by
preserving the unique traditions of apreserving the unique traditions of a
particular society.particular society.

20. ““When you come into theWhen you come into the
theater, you have to be willing totheater, you have to be willing to
say, ‘We're all here to undergo asay, ‘We're all here to undergo a
communion, to find out what thecommunion, to find out what the
hell is going on in this world.’ Ifhell is going on in this world.’ If
you're not willing to say that,you're not willing to say that,
what you get is entertainmentwhat you get is entertainment
instead of art, and poorinstead of art, and poor
entertainment at that.entertainment at that.
David Mamet,David Mamet, Three UsesThree Uses
of the Knifeof the Knife
Art and EntertainmentArt and EntertainmentPhotocourtesyofKarenBerman

21. Art and EntertainmentArt and Entertainment
 Lets us see another’sLets us see another’s
POVPOV
 Requires active viewingRequires active viewing
 Is about self-examinationIs about self-examination
 Has great potential as anHas great potential as an
agent of social changeagent of social change
 Challenges the audienceChallenges the audience
 Is about edification,Is about edification,
transcendence,transcendence,
contemplationcontemplation
 Does not compromise forDoes not compromise for
public tastepublic taste
 Reaffirms our own POVReaffirms our own POV
 Is directed toward theIs directed toward the
largest possible numberlargest possible number
 Makes no intellectualMakes no intellectual
demands on the viewerdemands on the viewer
 May examine life butMay examine life but
does not lead to criticismdoes not lead to criticism
 Has little potential as anHas little potential as an
agent of social changeagent of social change
 Is about gratification,Is about gratification,
indulgence, escapeindulgence, escape

22. Curtain CallCurtain Call
We need art and theatre because they help usWe need art and theatre because they help us see lifesee life
differently.differently. Entertainment allows us to see life asEntertainment allows us to see life as we seewe see
it, with our values and perceptionsit, with our values and perceptions intact.intact.
Art, on the other hand, allows us to expand ourArt, on the other hand, allows us to expand our
experience, intensify our perceptions, challengeexperience, intensify our perceptions, challenge
conventional wisdom, and introduce another frame ofconventional wisdom, and introduce another frame of
reference—that of the artist.reference—that of the artist.