The Essential Theatre

Oscar G. Brockett will always have an international reputation as a theatre historian. A Distinguished Scholar honoree of the American Society of Theatre Research, he received career achievement awards from both the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. In addition, he was a recipient of the Robert Lewis Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre Research. After receiving his Ph.D. from Stanford University, he taught at several major American universities and at the University of Bristol in England. He also served as president of the American Theatre Association, dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas, editor of THEATRE JOURNAL, and editorial board member of the ASIAN THEATRE JOURNAL. He held the prestigious University of Texas Z.T. Scott Family Chair in Drama and was director of the Center for Dramatic and Performance Studies for several years. Dr. Brockett authored many articles in leading journals and several books, including HISTORY OF THE THEATRE. At the time of his passing, he was serving as a distinguished teaching professor at the University of Texas at Austin and the dean of the Fellows of the American Theatre. Robert J. Ball has ample experience as a successful teacher of Introduction to Theatre and Theatre Appreciation courses at a number of large and small universities, including Trinity University, the University of Texas, and Vanderbilt University. He is also a practicing actor and director with numerous professional credits in American regional theatres, as well as credits for national and international touring productions. Dr. Ball received his Ph.D. in theatre history and criticism from the University of Texas and is currently the chair and artistic director of the Theatre Arts program at the University of the Incarnate Word. John Fleming, a former Brockett student, was chosen by the Brockett estate to extend the legacy of Oscar Brockett's foundational text. He has taught Introduction to Theatre, Theatre History, and a variety of other classes at the University of Texas, Auburn University, and Texas State University. His books and articles focus on contemporary theatre, while his plays have been popular with undergraduate audiences. After many years as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas State University, Dr. Fleming now serves as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Andrew Carlson is managing director of the Oscar G. Brockett Center for Theatre History and Criticism at the University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches Introduction to Theatre, Dramatic Literature, Dramaturgy, and Shakespeare. He is a professional dramaturg and actor, who writes about theatrical practice in scholarly contexts. In addition, he is an artistic associate with the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, Minn., where he has performed roles such as Hamlet (HAMLET), Edmund (KING LEAR), and Hotspur (HENRY IV, PART I).

• Preface.PART I: FOUNDATIONS.1. The Nature of Theatre.2. The Audience and Criticism.3. The Play.PART II: VARIETIES OF THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE.4. Festival Theatre: Greek, Roman, and Medieval Theatre Experiences.5. Creating a Professional Theatre: Elizabethan England, Italian Commedia dell'Arte, and Seventeenth-Century France.6. Theatre in the 1800s.7. Modernism in the Twentieth Century: 1900–1960.8. Decentralization and Subsidization: New Directions.9. Contemporary Theatre and Its Diversity.10. Musical Theatre.11. Asian and African Theatre.PART III: THEATRICAL PRODUCTION.12. Theatrical Space and Production Design.13. Playwriting and Dramaturgy.14. Directing and Producing.15. Acting.16. Scene Design.17. Costume Design and Makeup.18. Lighting and Sound Design.Glossary.Bibliography.Index.