Theatre Appreciation (43-101)

(4 hour loan) This book compares favorably with Brockett's History of the Theatre as an introduction to most time periods and geographic regions for Theatre Appreciation topics. It also covers some Asian theater traditions - Japan and China. It is ideal for linking cultural influences of art and society to prevalent theatrical conventions in a country and time period. For every style of theater discussed, this books details the circumstances of the performance - who performed it, where it was performed, and for what audience. In each chapter there is a timeline with overlapping historical events, artistic events (outside of theater), and theater history events. Each chapter contains a section discussing art ideas and social ideas common to that country and time period related to theater. Each chapter contains a section called Connections that explains how the theater discussed in that chapter influenced later styles of theater. There is also a Sources for Further Study list at the end of each chapter - enter a title in the library homepage search box to locate the source you want.

(2 hour loan) This book is designed to answer the question, "How would I put on a play set in a particular time period and using a specific performance style in Western theater?" More work is required to match each chapter with a Theatre Appreciation topic. For instance, it has a chapter on Classic Baroque style which would require you to know that baroque arts were produced in 17th century (1600-1700) Western Europe primarily. Each chapter contains sections on Art and Culture, Life and Cultural Ideals (daily life and customs), Costume and Accessories (costume), Manners and Movement as well as Acting the Plays (acting technique), The Theatre (stage design and scenery), and The Plays (plays and dramatists) for that period. Good for linking social and artistic concepts of the time to theater performance and for the overall performance practice of the day (acting, costumes, stage design, scenery, and acting).

(4 hour loan) This book contains chapters about Greek and Roman theatre, Medieval theatre, Elizabethan theatre, Seventeenth Century French theatre, Restoration and Eighteenth Century English theatre, Nineteenth Century European theatre, and Twentieth Century European and American Theatre. Each chapter has a representative play for that time period and geographic area, Condition of Performance (acting, stage design, scenery, costumes, acting, playwriting, special effects, and the audience attending the plays), and Dramatic Conventions pertaining to plot and characters common to plays of that time period and geographic area.

This text covers ancient Greece and Rome, medieval theatre, the Italian renaissance, Spanish renaissance, English from the medieval period through the renaissance, French theatre 1552-1789, restoration theatre (1660-1705), eighteenth century theatre, nineteenth century theatre and twentieth century theatre. It includes a heavy concentration on the theatre traditions of Great Britain and the United States. It also examines theatrical traditions of Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, Northern Europe (Sweden and the Netherlands), Russia, China, Japan, India, and Indonesia. Most chapters include a section on history, stages, scenic design, acting, costumes, and dramatists (and other theatrical personalities).

This text is arranged according to time period and paradigms that characterize the stage of each time period - Greek theatre (534 b.c. - a.d. 476), Roman theatre (240 b.c. - a.d. 476), Latin music-drama (965-1250), theatre of the middle ages (1250-1600), Italian renaissance (1350-1650), neoclassical and baroque theatre (1650-1750), theatre of the enlightenment (1750-1800), theatre of the romantic age (1800-1850), realistic theatre (1850-present), theatres in reaction (1890-1960). This volume excels in showing illustrations of theatre architecture, stage designs, costumes, actors performing. It also provides timetables showing prominent dramatists, actors, playhouses, and other aspects of theatre in a particular time period. It focuses on European and American theatre primarily.