Deck 3: Alternative Theatrical Spaces

Question 1

Environmental theatre productions forced audiences to confront their own prejudices and preconceptions. Is this an appropriate function for theatre? Does the theatre still have the power to make us rethink our social and political positions?

Answer 1

Environmental theatre productions that force audiences to confront their own prejudices and preconceptions can be a powerful and appropriate function for theatre. Theatre has a long history of challenging societal norms and provoking thought, and environmental productions take that a step further by immersing the audience in the performance space and forcing them to directly engage with the issues at hand.

Theatre still has the power to make us rethink our social and political positions. In fact, in today's world of polarized opinions and echo chambers, theatre can serve as a much-needed space for dialogue and reflection. By presenting stories and perspectives that may be outside of our own experiences, theatre can push us to question our assumptions and consider alternative viewpoints. This can be especially impactful in environmental productions, where the audience is not just passive observers, but active participants in the performance.

In a time when social and political issues are becoming increasingly divisive, theatre has the potential to bring people together and foster empathy and understanding. By forcing audiences to confront their own prejudices and preconceptions, environmental theatre productions can play a crucial role in promoting dialogue and challenging societal norms. So yes, this is a very appropriate function for theatre, and one that is as important as ever in today's society.

Question 2

Jerzy Grotowski described his essential concern is "finding the proper spectator-actor relationship for each type of performance." After reading the description of his production Akropolis explain whether you think this was the proper spectator-actor relationship for the play.

Answer 2

After reading the description of Grotowski's production of Akropolis, I do believe that he was successful in finding the proper spectator-actor relationship for the play. In his productions, Grotowski emphasized an intimate and immersive experience for the audience, often breaking down the traditional boundaries between spectators and performers. For Akropolis, a play that explores themes of suffering and human experience, this approach seems fitting. By creating a more interactive and participatory environment, Grotowski likely allowed the audience to engage more deeply with the emotional and existential themes of the play. Overall, it seems that Grotowski's approach to spectator-actor relationship aligns with the themes and tone of Akropolis, making it a proper fit for the production.

Question 3

Free Southern Theatre brought theatrical productions to audiences, rather than asking audiences to gather in an appointed place for performances. In view of the audiences they were trying to serve, was this appropriate and effective?

Answer 3

Yes, bringing theatrical productions to audiences instead of asking them to gather in an appointed place was appropriate and effective for the Free Southern Theatre. The audiences they were trying to serve, predominantly African American communities in the rural South, often faced barriers to accessing traditional theater spaces. By taking their productions directly to these communities, the Free Southern Theatre was able to reach a wider and more diverse audience, ultimately making theater more accessible and inclusive. This approach also allowed the theater to engage with the specific concerns and experiences of their audience, creating a more meaningful and impactful experience for all involved. Overall, this strategy was not only appropriate but also highly effective in achieving the theater's goals of reaching and serving marginalized communities.

Question 4

One of the forerunners of alternative approaches to theatre production was

A) Anton Chekhov
B) Henrik Ibsen
C) Max Reinhardt
D) Tennessee Williams

Question 5

"Finding the proper spectator-actor relationship" is a way describing the environmental theatre performances associated with

A) Bread and Puppet Theatre
B) Free Southern Theatre
C) Polish Laboratory Theatre
D) Living Theatre

Question 6

Theatre du Soleil drew its inspiration, in part, from

A) Kathakali dance-drama
B) Noh and Kabuki
C) Commedia
D) All of these

Question 7

The politically charged production of The Brig was staged by

A) The Living Theatre
B) The Polish Laboratory Theatre
C) The Open Theatre
D) The Performance Group

Question 8

Bread and Puppet Theatres traditionally began with an act of

A) Social and spiritual communion
B) Passing the hat
C) An invocation to Thespis
D) None of these

Question 9

Theatre Du Soleil was founded in 1964 by

A) Joseph Chaiken
B) Jerzy Grotowski
C) Julian Beck
D) Ariane Mnouchkine

Question 10

Grotowski's poor theatre returned to the essentials of theatre

A) Thought, character, plot
B) Diction, music, spectacle
C) Time, space, action
D) Action, audience, space

Question 11

Les Atrides is based on

A) The plays of Shakespeare
B) The work of Julian Beck and Judith Malina
C) The plays of Euripides and Aeschylus
D) The works of Aristotle

Question 12

The oldest theatrical collective in the United States was headed by

A) John O'Neal, Gilbert Moses III and Doris Derby
B) Judith Malina and Julian Beck
C) Ariane Mnouchkine and Peter Brook
D) Peter Schumann and Peter Brook

Question 13

Akropolis juxtaposes Biblical and Homeric scenes to comment on

A) The Vietnam War
B) Greek mythology
C) The modern death camp
D) All of these

Question 14

The Brig, by Kenneth Brown, covers a single day in

A) A military prison
B) A concentration camp
C) The Pentagon
D) None of these

Question 15

Unlike most of the experimental theatre companies that started in the 1960's, the Free Southern Theatre still flourishes today.

Question 16

Grotowski believed that performance was a semi-religious act.

Question 17

The Bread and Puppet Theatre perform on a farm in Rhode Island.

Question 18

Environmental theatre rejects conventional seating and includes the audience as part of the performance space.

Question 19

Warehouses, garages, lofts and abandoned churches are among the spaces that have been adapted for modern alternative theatre.

Question 20

In 1970, The Living Theatre brook into five groups, or "cells."

Question 21

In one of Theatre du Soleil's productions, actors step out of character to demand low cost housing.