ELEMENTS OF THEATRE

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ELEMENTS OF THEATRE
Theatre is a collaborative art which is based on performance (acting). It is derived from the Greek word ‘Theatron’ which means a place of seeing. That is where the word came from. Note that when you hear the word theatre you hear the word performance because theatre is all about performance. Everybody whether directly or indirectly is involved in theatre or one form of performance or the other, in our everyday routine we perform or act. It is only wise to say that we are all actors as we are acting on a stage (the world) with entrance and exit (birth and death) before the audience (the people of the world).
            The element of theatre includes:
1.      Costume: Costumes are clothes Actors put on on a stage performance.
2.      Make-up: This comes in liquid or solid form. It is applied on the boby part of actors on stage.
3.      Music and dance: This involves the production of sounds agreeable to the ear and the movement of the body to musical rhythm.
4.      Lighting: This is the illuminating of the stage.
5.      Technical theatre: Technical theatre refers to the design elements of a play. E.g set design, lighting, costume and make-up etc.
6.      Theatre management involves the careful organization and coordination of people in the theatre.
7.      Actors: these are those who activate a script and bring it to life on stage.
8.      Audience refers to the people who gather in the theatre to see a play. They are also refers to as those who consume the theatre product.

BASIC TERMS IN THE THEATRE
1.      Actor is a role player
2.      Character is the role being played
3.      A stage is any point from which action emanates. Types of stage include:
(a)   Raised Platform: This is the most popular type of stage.  The Raised platform is the stage in front of the audience with the forth wall missing e.g where action can take place off-stage.
(b)   Round stage:  it is a stage that is surrounded by the audience by the audience by all sides, example of Round stage is boxing ring, wrestling wring etc.  They have off-stage but it is usually behind the audience.
(c)    Apron stage: It is a stage attachable to the main stage in any side. They are also step unit.
(d)   Protruding stage: This is a stage which is protruding or penetrating into the audience area e.g. fashion show stage. (Thrust)  
4.      Flats: Flats are pieces of rectangular wood used to demarcate the stage. (plywood)
5.      Scripts are text containing a play or play.
6.      Production: Production is an activated script. The play text have been activated life by human beings.
7.      Props & sets: Props & sets is the abbreviated form of property. Props means small pieces of items on stage while sets refers to the big items on stage e.g bed, table, chair, curtain and so on.
8.      Lighting: The primary function of light is to illuminates in all forms.  The functions of costume can be applied to light.

By:
Eguriase S. M. Okaka

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