so, one category i have found to be ever-presently absent from our textbook, discussions, and general popular culture is the world of theater. why is that? i mean, most of the popular shows out there (the lion king, billy elliot, mama mia, hairspray) are adaptations of stories found in other media genres - what is popular on broadway are re-hashed plots. so they have nothing new to say, right?
well...I don't think that popular theater being nothing new or special merits this form of media to get the ax. there are a few things to consider about theater:
- the actors can look directly at the audience. there is a real-time connection with what is going on on stage
- art direction in theater can be more abstracted, surreal, and downright freaky than films, who need to focus more on attention to detail
- a lot of plays/musicals have a message, that may not translate or thought to be said in other forms of media
- theater takes a unique set of skills to pull off amongst cast and crew
- on a community level, it is more approachable, and becomes a visceral way for towns to get together. nothing beats watching friends/family play pretend in greasepaint.
don't get me wrong, i'm not a theater freak. i'm a costume designer, but it's not my life. i just think theater has lost its place in our culture as a high art, and also as a media genre in general. just because you don't download it doesn't mean it is worthless.
and by the way, the images you see are a show i designed reccently for BSC, "the dinosaur musical". so i have a bias. but screw, it looks good, right?
Theater definitely offers more of an interation between the audience and the actors. It seems to allow you as a member of the audience, to actually feel like a part of the acting. I don't think theater is "lost" in a sense. People still enjoy going out to theaters and watching plays. Society just likes convenience sometimes, but nothing beats going out on a weekend and seeing a play.
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