A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens second in necessity apparently after nourishment

t and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence; the opposite of silence leads quickly to narrative, and the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives, from the small accounts of our day's events to the vast incommunicable constructs of psychopaths

Story-telling served a vital function to our ancestors:

Told stories of the kill-hunters learned important lessons about hunting, building houses, how to fight, how to make clothing, etc. by listening to others accounts Passed down myths and legends from generation to generation. These myths explain origins, purpose and the religious/moral framework of their lives. The stories established the relationship between people and their god(s) Gave people an identity, characteristics and values

Elements seen in modern theatre which you would have seen in story-telling millions of years ago

Gestures/Exaggeration-in modern times this is called acting

Use of music to set a mood

Props (items such as bows and arrows to tell the story of a hunt)

Dance

Once human kind had settled into villages and tribes, rituals became a big part of the community

Rituals which were considered vital to the well-being of the tribe also used many of the elements needed for theatre: performance space performers Masks or makeup costumes Music/dance audience

During its existence, theatre has been highly developed and highly prized.

At other times, it has existed on the fringes And been forbidden

Would a world dominated by film and television miss theatre if it disappeared?

I know it might not seem like it to you right now, but by the end of the semester, youll be able to comprehend: how immensely tied to theatre we are as human beings because theatre: Status Quo-the current state Helps us examine what it means to be human

Holds a mirror up to society Challenges the status quo

of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep things the way they presently are

Questions our purpose in the world Promotes freedom of thought/creation, which throughout history has been tied with democracy, equality and education

Entertainment? Or

Important social and political function

Theatre is not easy to define!

Can be something that looks like this

Or this

Or this

1. What is performed
The play; the script that the artists create from

2. The performance
What the audience actually experiences and sees

3. The audience

Lifelikeness: Theatre is the art that comes closest to life as it is lived day by day Ephemerality: once it happens, its in the past; you cannot get it back (even if it has been filmed) Objectivity: presents both outer and inner experience Complexity of means: communicates meaning simultaneously through text, sound, images, set, lighting, pace, costume

Immediacy: live actors and spectators in the same room

A Performance on a subway in NYC A performance in the tunnels under the London Bridge

Performances require the creative efforts and cooperation of many people

The components may be easily understood by everyone or be so strange that all but a few are puzzled

Help

us understand and interpret ourselves and the world around us.

Art

can fine-tune our understanding by expressing events in human terms.

Reflection of Time and Place

Politics, Religion, Culture, Questions/Concerns of the time

Reflection of the Artists Point of View: Content and Form

It can address issues in our society which are controversial or difficult

Example of a show which does this here and here

Can use the body in incredibly beautiful ways to tell a story It can punch you in the gut and make you realize things about our humanity and our world (while exposing you to a new culture)
Example of a show which does this here Example of a show which does this here

It can do things you never thought were possible in a live performance

Example of a show which does this here and here

It can challenge political realities

Example of a show which does this here

It can interrupt your day and remind you that sometimes you have to stop appreciate whats happening around you
Example of a show which does this here

It is the mission of Kitchen Dog Theater... to provide a place where questions of justice, morality, and human freedom can be explored. We choose plays that challenge our moral and social consciences, invite our audiences to be provoked, challenged, and amazed. We believe that the theater is a site of individual discovery as well as a force against conventional views of the self and experience. It is not a provider of answers, but an invitation to question. Since theater of this kind is not bound by any tradition, Kitchen Dog Theater is committed to exploring these questions whether they are found in the classics, contemporary works, or new plays.

Season of 5 plays plus the New Play Festival including PUPFest

North Texas only regional theatre

Most financed, polished, professional plays in town

Yearly Christmas Carol

Most of the season has to be very low risk

Caters to everyone

New State of the art building in the arts district

Undermain Theatre Project(X) Dallas Childrens Theatre Contemporary Theatre of Dallas Ground Level Arts Theatre Three (and Two!) Shakespeare Dallas Pocket Sandwich Theatre Uptown Theatre The Dallas Opera

Festival of Independent Theatres

Hip Pocket Theatre Jubilee Theatre Pantagleize Theatre Artisan Center Theatre Circle Theatre Crossover Theatre Amphibian Productions Watertower Theatre Theatre Arlington African American Repertory Theatre Dozens of community theatres

Dallas Summer Musicals AT&T Performing Arts Center Bass Hall Casa Maana

So what are you waiting for? Check em out!