Theatre as Human Action: An Introduction to Theatre Arts

by Thomas S. Hischak author of The Oxford Companion to the American Musical, Mark A. Robinson

Overview

Theatre as Human Action is the ideal textbook to introduce students to the various aspects of theatre, especially for those who may have little or no theatergoing experience. Seven diverse plays are described to the reader from the start, and then returned to throughout the book so that students can better understand the concepts being discussed. Both the theoretical and practical aspects of theatre are explored, from the classical definition of theatre to today’s most avant-garde theatre activities. Types of plays, the elements of drama, and theatre criticism are presented, as well as detailed descriptions of the different jobs in theatre, such as actor, playwright, director, designer, producer, choreographer, and more. The book concludes with a look at where and how theatre is evolving in America and the latest changes and innovations today.

This fourth edition has been greatly expanded and updated, including:

• The introduction of four new plays—Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Fences; Angels in America; and Hadestown—in addition to Macbeth, You Can’t Take It With You, and Hamilton
• A discussion of the rise of social media in raising awareness and replacing traditional review outlets
• An entirely new, enhanced section on diversity and inclusion in theatre
• An updated selection of playwrights featured, including Terrence McNally, Lynn Nottage, Tony Kushner, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, to better reflect the diversity of those writing for the theatre today.

Featuring full-color photographs, updated discussion questions, new topics for further research, and potential creative projects, the fourth edition of Theatre as Human Action is an invaluable resource to introduce students to the world of theatre.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538163450
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/17/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
Sales rank:	901,479
File size:	67 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Thomas S. Hischak is an internationally recognized writer and teacher in the performing arts. He is the author of twenty-six nonfiction books about theatre, film, and popular music, including Theatre as Human Action: An Introduction to Theatre Arts, The Oxford Companion to the American Musical, The Encyclopedia of Film Composers, The 100 Greatest American Plays, 1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year, 100 Greatest American and British Animated Films, and The Disney Song Encyclopedia (with Mark A. Robinson).

Mark A. Robinson is the author of The World of Musicals, Sitcommentary: Television Comedies that Changed America, The Encyclopedia of Television Theme Songs, Musical Misfires: Three Decades of Broadway Musical Heartbreak, and The Disney Song Encyclopedia (with Thomas S. Hischak). He has taught high school theatre and writing and regularly directs youth and professional theatre productions. Robinson has been a featured writer for several theatre websites, including BroadwayDirect.com, ShowTickets.com, and playbill.com, and has written pieces for The Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, Sorbet Magazine, and Broadway Records.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments and Credits	ix
	Introduction	xi
1	The Theatre	1
	Theatre vs. Drama
	The Theatre Experience
	Theatre as Change
	Theatre Conventions
	Theatre Is Plural
	Four Theatre Events
2	The Play	27
	The Script
	About Four Scripts
	The Elements of Drama
	Types of Drama
	Dramatic Structure
3	The Playwright	53
	The Blueprint
	Meet the Playwrights
	The Germinal Idea
	The Playwright's Process
	Evaluating the Playwright's Work
	The Business of Playwriting
	Meet Twelve American Playwrights
4	The Play Performers: The Actors	89
	Acting vs. Role Playing
	Acting as an Art and a Craft
	A Brief History of Acting
	Theories of Acting
	An Actor's Tools
	The Actor's Process
	The Business of Acting
	Evaluating the Actor
5	The Play Makers: The Director and the Producer	115
	Behind the Scenes
	The Art of Directing
	Theatre Styles
	A Brief History of Directing
	The Directing Process
	The Business of Directing
	Evaluating the Director and Choreographer
	The Producer
	The Business of Producing
6	The Play Builders: The Designers	147
	Theatre Architecture
	Scenic Design
	The Scenic Designer's Process
	Costume Design
	The Costume Designer's Process
	Lighting Design
	A Brief History of Theatre Lighting
	The Function and Elements of Theatre Lighting
	The Lighting Designer's Process
	Sound Design
	Theatre Properties
	Makeup in the Theatre
	New Technology
	The Business of Theatre Design
	Evaluating Theatre Design
7	The Playgoers: The Audience and the Critic	191
	Theatre Today
	Where Theatre Happens
	Alternative Theatre
	Theatre of Diversity
	Foreign Influences
	Theatre Criticism
	The Student as Critic
	Parting Thoughts
	Glossary of Terms	227
	Websites to Visit	239
	Film and Video Versions of the Plays	243
	Index	247
	About the Author	257

Editorial Reviews

An excellent overview; well-organized and clear.

Gary Aday

A solid introduction to the art of theatre, covering the most important and fundamental aspects of the art… A lively and engaging read.

Robert Gonzalez

This text breaks down the theatre process on a human level, explaining what is needed from the people involved each step of the way from concept to realized production.

Angela Bacarisse

I adore this book for its comprehensive nature and its demonstration of the reasons how and why theatre is collaborative. Theatre as Human Action has a logical progression of ideas, provides the reader with an abundance of photos, and is an easy read regardless of one’s familiarity with the subject matter.

Laurel Whitsett

Our faculty and students love this book.

Justin Amellio

Hischak lays out very clearly the aims of the text in the introduction and meets them all by the end. The use of the four featured plays provides a nice framing devise for the text as a whole and provides the reader with continuity while reinforcing the details of those particular stories. This a well-organized, easy-to-follow, and engaging book.

Patricia Downey

Students. .. dive into four plays and use those plays to learn about theatre.

Monica Cortes-Viharo