THE ART OF THE THEATRE-THEATRE 100

The Three Universal Aspects of Theatre

The three universal elements according to this chapter include; role-playing, ritual and live entertainment and I found the Neil Patrick Harris’ lyrics captures all three of the above. When it comes to role-playing, the musical numbers put the actors into sets while they used other predetermined visual and aural art forms such as props music and costumes. The actors were allowed to put themselves in different characters’ shoes. Neil Patrick Harris told a story using a song. When he sings to the audience “I can break your heart with a work of art, with a song quiet and small.” He goes on to inform the audience what the event was about using witty language in his song. This engages the audience, as it is evident through their clapping and laughter.

According to Chapter 1, we learned that “Live performance is what makes theatre exceptional” (Cucuzza, 2018). With live entertainment the musical number aced it when they used Harris to introduce the performance with a guitar singing a song with witty lyrics that ensured the audience was engaged. Audience engagement is more in live performances because they are usually engaged mentally. The third element is rituals. In this instance, the ritual was seen in how the actors role played and engaged. This is evident from the costumes they were wearing and how their performance was choreographed (performers standing and dancing). It was done in a sequence making it more engaging. Even if the coordination of these three elements can be considered as entertainment, the impact that musical number had on the audience from emotional or psychological is what gives theater an advantage. Theater brings people together, from all walks of life it can speak directly to the audience and act a mirror on what humanity is experiencing. Overall, we learned that, Theatre is the most responsive form of art because it uses whatever is around and then gives it back to the audience.

Works Cited

Cucuzza, Robert (2018). Introduction to Theatre 2nd edition. Great River Learning

“Grlcontent”. Grlcontent.Com, 2021, https://www.grlcontent.com/.

Tony Awards. Neil Patrick Harris – 2013 – Tony Awards Opening – HD. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SQfsBsMFls.

Cucuzza, Robet (2018). Introduction to Theatre 2nd edition.Great River Learning.