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Theater Arts Research Investigation


herong2x

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Hi. I am currently debating on the Theater Practice I should do in my Research Investigation. After researching, I have decided on the theater practice: Theater of Cruelty. However, I have two problems regarding it:

1. I am concerned on the play I will have to do on. My school does not have much resources therefore I am limited to the following plays:

The Cenci

Faust

Waiting for Godot

Since Faust and Waiting for Godot both are tragic play and tragicomedy play respectively, I am more inclined to The Cenci. However, please do not hesitate to give me your comments.

2. I am concerend on my research question. I know I will have to formulate it on my own, which I have. However I have two of them and I would want to go with the one that will probably be more successful even if it requires hard work.

The following are my ideas, though the titles will be have to be revised:

'How do the lights, sound and stage contribute to a play of theater of cruelty?'

and for the second one, I am planning to do something on the actors in theater of cruelty, more specifically, a character in The Cenci, but I still have to think about what aspect I am going to cover it on.

For my first title, I am afraid that it might be on the production and the directorial side more of the dramaturg side which IB requires. I am afriad that it doesn't go along with what IB requires.

From my research, there aren't much kinds like my first title. Many students have inclined towards the actors or the puppetry in their specific researches.

I have just drafted my ideas and I am not so sure if they are good. Please help me by leaving comments. Thank You

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

I just finished Theatre on Friday by finishing my TPPP. For your RI, firstly choose the Genre which you are interested in, and make sure it is unfamiliar, meaning you haven't done extensive research and you haven't been taught about it in class. So, If you haven't learnt about Tragicomedy in class, you have reached the end of the first step ;)

Then, choose your play. With your play, make sure it's something you are interested in! Or else you will lose your motivation. If you are having trouble finding interest, you can accomodate for your passion in choosing which aspect of Theatre to research on.

With your two topics, I believe this one is the better one "

'How do the lights, sound and stage contribute to a play of theater of cruelty?'

However, it is too general, so maybe narrow it down to one of lights, sound or stage. Because it has to be very concise, clear and focused research. And make sure you put the name of your play in the title, to make it more specific. As your research has to focus on the one play you choose, nothing else.

and then, use books, internet, any sources you can find into lighting and theatre of cruelty. For my RI, I investigated into how colour symbolism can be used in costumes in order to portray a character.

One final thing, make sure it is not directorial in the slightest. A dramaturg does not tell a director how to direct, they provide information into other aspects of the production, such as stagecraft elements.

Good luck :P I hope this helped.

Edited by Asheee
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  • 2 months later...

Hello,

I just finished Theatre on Friday by finishing my TPPP. For your RI, firstly choose the Genre which you are interested in, and make sure it is unfamiliar, meaning you haven't done extensive research and you haven't been taught about it in class. So, If you haven't learnt about Tragicomedy in class, you have reached the end of the first step :)

Then, choose your play. With your play, make sure it's something you are interested in! Or else you will lose your motivation. If you are having trouble finding interest, you can accomodate for your passion in choosing which aspect of Theatre to research on.

With your two topics, I believe this one is the better one "

'How do the lights, sound and stage contribute to a play of theater of cruelty?'

However, it is too general, so maybe narrow it down to one of lights, sound or stage. Because it has to be very concise, clear and focused research. And make sure you put the name of your play in the title, to make it more specific. As your research has to focus on the one play you choose, nothing else.

and then, use books, internet, any sources you can find into lighting and theatre of cruelty. For my RI, I investigated into how colour symbolism can be used in costumes in order to portray a character.

One final thing, make sure it is not directorial in the slightest. A dramaturg does not tell a director how to direct, they provide information into other aspects of the production, such as stagecraft elements.

Good luck :) I hope this helped.

Thank you for your reply :) Because I had a hard time finding a play of Theater of Cruelty, I chose Theater of Absurd with the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. I've also decided to concentrate on how the actor (Lucky) will act (such as body movements) and the stage/set. I'm having a hard time in this too as its the first year of our school having Theater Arts :D

I was wondering if it will be fine if I investigate on how absurdist actor acts and provide the movements of Lucky? I know I am not supposed to suggest the movements to the director, but I have no idea how I can place it in my research paper without trying to propose it or suggest it :(

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I chose Theater of Absurd with the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. I've also decided to concentrate on how the actor (Lucky) will act (such as body movements) and the stage/set.

These aspects seem sort of unrelated. Are you sure there's a link? Are you going to be able to analyze them both thoroughly in 2500 words?

I was wondering if it will be fine if I investigate on how absurdist actor acts and provide the movements of Lucky? I know I am not supposed to suggest the movements to the director, but I have no idea how I can place it in my research paper without trying to propose it or suggest it :)

The point is not to tell the Director how to do his job. You are giving him historical or cultural information for him to do with as he pleases. So you're going to say: "Well, traditionally IF you were going to do it in true absurdist fashion, you would do it like THIS". Then you are perfectly free to be as specific as you want on what/how to do, as long as you're historically accurate and you support your statements with research. THEN it's up to the director to say "OK, that sounds good, we'll use that" or "forget it, I don't like it". But you don't have to worry about that. Hope that helped.

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  • 1 month later...

I chose Theater of Absurd with the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. I've also decided to concentrate on how the actor (Lucky) will act (such as body movements) and the stage/set.

These aspects seem sort of unrelated. Are you sure there's a link? Are you going to be able to analyze them both thoroughly in 2500 words?

I was wondering if it will be fine if I investigate on how absurdist actor acts and provide the movements of Lucky? I know I am not supposed to suggest the movements to the director, but I have no idea how I can place it in my research paper without trying to propose it or suggest it :D

The point is not to tell the Director how to do his job. You are giving him historical or cultural information for him to do with as he pleases. So you're going to say: "Well, traditionally IF you were going to do it in true absurdist fashion, you would do it like THIS". Then you are perfectly free to be as specific as you want on what/how to do, as long as you're historically accurate and you support your statements with research. THEN it's up to the director to say "OK, that sounds good, we'll use that" or "forget it, I don't like it". But you don't have to worry about that. Hope that helped.

This research investigation is really awful as I do not have much sources except one book and I know that is just not enough. I've ordered 2 more books but then it will only be 3 sources. I know I can use some of the websites as sources but as for now, I have not found any that was helpful to my research. This really sucks. My teacher is on leave and I really really want to get this done but I just see no way.

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I'm not too sure on what your school is like, or where you live, but maybe talk to your school librarian about the books there are availible? and see if they can help you out a little bit! Also, if you live near a major city, there could be a big library in the city you could go to for sources?

Also, some libraries let you sign up online and give you access to online encyclopedias which make really good sources!

Here is a link to the State Library Of Victoria, which I know gives online access to Encyclopedias, Registration

You can sign up for a card then you use the number on it to login. I'm not sure how long it would take to post it to your house though.

Edited by Asheee
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I'm not too sure on what your school is like, or where you live, but maybe talk to your school librarian about the books there are availible? and see if they can help you out a little bit! Also, if you live near a major city, there could be a big library in the city you could go to for sources?

Also, some libraries let you sign up online and give you access to online encyclopedias which make really good sources!

Here is a link to the State Library Of Victoria, which I know gives online access to Encyclopedias, Registration

You can sign up for a card then you use the number on it to login. I'm not sure how long it would take to post it to your house though.

It originally wasn't an International School, nor was it IB. Theater Arts was just recently added so they really lack resources. I've been there, through everything and it just disappoints me everytime. So I've just ordered three books and they'll be here by January.

Philippines isn't that open to IB yet except for International Schools. I only have a total of 3 books, 1 thesis paper and a person who is a director of Theater of the Absurd. Would that be alright? I really want to have a variety of sources but I just have no choice but to settle with this.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Philippines isn't that open to IB yet except for International Schools. I only have a total of 3 books, 1 thesis paper and a person who is a director of Theater of the Absurd. Would that be alright? I really want to have a variety of sources but I just have no choice but to settle with this.

With the thesis paper, you should be just fine. About half of my RI was based off of one Doctoral Paper (ironically in psychology, but I was doing Butoh, so meh) and I got a 7. All IB wants is variety of sources (i.e. not just websites you got from Wikipedia).

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  • 7 months later...

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