Theatre: The Lively Art

Theatre: The Lively Art by Edwin Wilson and Alvin Goldfarb not only provides solid information on the history and elements of theater, but also encourages students to appreciate this form of art. Even non-theater majors will appreciate this book for leisure reading. It has been updated with new information on the latest technologies, techniques, and processes in theatrical production and design. It discusses the role of theater in today's world, and provides a complete look at the entire process of creating theatre, from blueprint to production. Theatre: The Lively Art (ISBN 9780073382166) also discusses the role of theater in everyday life, the audience, different theatrical genres, and acting for the stage. Authors Wilson and Goldfarb also focus on the director and the producers, theater spaces, the designers of scenery , costumes, lights, and sounds. One section is dedicated to history. Lead author Edwin Wilson has been teaching theater in a number of prestigious institutions, including Yale University and the University of Edinburgh, while Alvin Goldfarb is the president of the theatre department part of Western Illinois University. They have successfully related theatre to important factors of everyday life, using ‘global cross-current' boxes that explain how global influences affect theater productions, styles, and techniques. They also provide a clear timeline of the theater's history, as well as show the differences and similarities of old theatrical play to current media. The appendix contains synopses of famous plays, including King Oedipus by Sophocles, The Cherry Orchard by Chekhov, Come and Gone by Joe Turner, and Mother Courage and Her Children by Brecht.