THTR 1020 Chapter : Chap 7
Document Summary
The actor"s body, voice, heart, and mind become the embodiment of the human narrative portrayed in the theatre. Actor parmenon in rome played a role as imitating a pig. Acting is more than imitating behavior it adds artistic interpretation; it produces metaphor and meaning; it captures the essence of a being. Aristotle told us that imitation is a necessary & pleasurable human activity & a source of knowledge about the world and ourselves. Although actors use their own physical and emotional beings, they aren"t necessarily portraying themselves: the universal qualities of acting in the theatre. Acting transcends the everyday and consists of universal principles: energy, control, purpose, focus, enlargement, dynamics, and transformation. Energy: theatrical performance requires physical, emotional, & mental energy. Harnessed energy gives intensity and vitality to actors work and holds audience attention. Directed energy creates the quality we have come to call stage presence.
