Most introductory theatre textbooks are written for theatre majors and assume the student already has a considerable amount of knowledge on the subject. However; such textbooks may be counterproductive; because they reference several works that may be unfamiliar to students with limited exposure to theatre. Theatre as Human Action: An Introduction to Theatre Arts; Second Edition is designed for the college student who may be unacquainted with many plays and has seen a limited number of theatre productions. Focusing primarily on four plays; this textbook aims to inform the student about theatre arts; stimulate interest in the art form; lead to critical thinking about theatre; and prepare the student to be a more informed and critical theatregoer.In addition to looking at both the theoretical and practical aspects of theatre artsmdash;from the nature of theatre and drama to how it reflects societymdash;the author also explains the processes that playwrights; actors; designers; directors; producers; and critics go through. The four plays central to this book are the tragedy Macbeth; the landmark African American drama A Raisin in the Sun; the contemporary rock musical Rent; andmdash;new to this editionmdash;the American comedy classic You Canrsquo;t Take It with You. At the beginning of the text; each play is described with plot synopses (and suggested video versions); and then these four representative works are referred to throughout the book.This second edition also features revised chapters throughout; including expanded and updated material on the technical aspects of theatre; the role of the audience and critic;and the diversity of theatre today. Structured into nine chapters; each looking at a major area or artistmdash;and concluding with the audience and the students themselvesmdash;the unique approach of Theatre as Human Action thoroughly addresses all of the major topics to be found in an introduction to theatre text.
2016-01-16 2016-01-16File Name: B01APN99XK
Review
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Manual for Slam PoetsBy ArthurThis is a pedestrian manual of sorts for those poets who want to skip any sort education about literature and move right to the stage to perform poems they have memorized in a group of others who have the same approach toward poetry as entertainment; albeit sometimes enlightening poetry. The problem with slam is its lack of connectedness to any forms of literary history since most slammers are in it for the short-term and have never read the great poets throughout time. The majority of slammers ignore other poets who are not also slammers and compete in quality with other amateur stage acts; such as the best karaoke competitions. The setting is often one that cant afford to hire live bands for entertainment; like open-mike clubs or on open-mike nights in clubs that hire live bands on weekends. Slam is a genre for amateurs who have something to say and a voice to say it in an entertaining way. Most are young. Marc Smith and Bob Holman are two who have capitalized on the slam genre. Both are urban and white males; Holman in NYC and Smith in Chicago; leading a charge of oftentimes offensive and loud wannabe rappers without music. When the post-Beat leader of Performance Poetry Hedwig Gorski started in the late 1970s Send in the Clown: Live Radio Broadcasts of Performance Poet Hedwig Gorski; slam was non-existent and grew out of the performance impulse she crystalized with her band and other conceptualized performances. At that time; Holman Back to Minors had not even started imitating rap without music; and Smith had never conceived of a slam event. Both of them grew out of Gorskis art school work. She led the way for the pedestrian and rock and roll approach to poetry off the page; is a non-urban woman from the hinterlands; and an art-school graduate who after a long performance poetry career became an academic with a PhD. Smiths book does not mention Gorski and other spoken word masters; such as Laurie Anderson; even though the short history of slam owes much their efforts in mustering audiences for spoken word like slam. Smiths book is a good practicum for those who want to enter slam; which is certainly more interesting than karaoke competitions; but it does not indicate a history or projection for those want to be involved with poetry in a deeper way; more like art than entertainment or braggadocio. I would like to see conference and festival that brings together the variety of facets of spoken word; performance poetry; and slam to understand their common ground and impetus. Theorists like Charles Bernstein Close Listening: Poetry and the Performed Word with his academically isolated version and Smith or Holman with their pedestrian versions seem to be competing without acknowledging each other when they should be cooperating to make a stronger more worthwhile genre that will last; such as what happened with Performance Art.
