Art and Change Creation
There is great disagreement over the issue of whether art can create changes in a society or whether it merely reflects what is already happening. How do you feel about this? How does your opinion relate to the issue of censorship? Should art that many people believe goes against societal values be suppressed? Why or why not?
- The Greek word for actor is “hypokrite,” the source of the English word “hyprocrite.” Look the term up in a dictionary. Is role-playing in real life hypocritical? Are actors not to be trusted because they are capable of mimicking emotions at will?
- Casting is an important aspect of the director’s job, since it has such an effect on the way the play is perceived by an audience. Directors frequently cast according to type in order to make the audience’s perception easier. Is this good for the play? The actors? The theatre as a whole?
Art and Change Creation
- In the Greek tragedy Medeaby Euripides Medea murders her children to get revenge on her husband Jason who has betrayed her. Why might this ancient Greek play still be meaningful for a twenty-first century audience in the United States of America? Instead of producing the play with actors using masks and cothornous (wooden shoes with tall heels) as they did in ancient Greece, how might you produce such a play to make it more meaningful to a contemporary audience?,
- Stock characters have been used in entertainment throughout history., Discuss the relationship between stock characters and ethnic and religious stereotypes. When does a stock character become a negative stereotype?, Is it possible to have a stock character that does not insult a group? Why or why not?,
- Why might we tell ourselves tragic stories? ,Why would we want to subject ourselves to sadness horror and fear? How do you feel after witnessing a tragic play, movie or television show?,
- Make a list of 3 of your favorite colors and associate a mood with each color. Are these associations universal or are they tied to specific cultures and traditions? ,Can certain associations be created by their use in a specific show?
Art and Change Creation
- Discuss the elements of costumes as they relate to characterization onstage. For instance, if you wanted to give the impression of an intensely evil character, what colors might you use? Fabric? To what extent are these choices based on stereotypes? Is it acceptable to use stereotypes for artistic purposes?