The connections between theatre and ritual are deep and vitally important for any liturgist to understand. Appreciation of theatrical techniques, understanding stage presence and configurations, and approaching the art of storytelling from a theatrical standpoint are all vitally important to good public ritual. This course will also test your ability to prepare for and execute public performance by requiring audio/visual evidence of your abilities: you will be graded on your ability to perform in this course.

Theatre for Ritual 1 is designed to provide a basic introduction into the relationships between theatre and ritual and provide insights into how celebrants can manage to clearly convey their intentions to the attendees of a rite.

Exit Standards

1. Describe the origins of theatre and how it relates to ritual in at least one ancient Indo-European culture. (300 words minimum)
    
2. Explain "intentional movement" and why it is important in ritual. Include how movement can both aid and detract from the ritual experience. (100 words minimum)
    
3. Explain your understanding of the circles of concentration. (200 words minimum)
    
4. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the three ritual configurations (proscenium, thrust, and round). Note how a ritualist can maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages of each configuration. Offer at least one type of ritual that would work best in each configuration. (100 words min. for each configuration)
    
5. Choose a being of the occasion appropriate to a specific high day of your choosing and describe a theatrical method of conveying the mythology of that being to others during a public performance. (300 words minimum)
    
6. Explain how you would prepare and deliver three of the following pieces for public performance, and include an audio or video clip of your performance of each. (50 words min. each explanation)
   1. Strong meter and strong rhythm: see appendix, selection 1
   2. Uncertain meter: see appendix, selection 2
   3. Complex thought with complex meter: see appendix, selection 3
   4. Prose: see appendix, selection 4
   5. Strong meter and strong rhyme: see appendix, selection 5
       
7. Write a statement of purpose for a rite of your choosing and one invitation for each of the Three Kindreds. Submit a video (of no more than ten minutes of total length) of your performance of all four pieces.
    

Content © 2003-2009, Michael J Dangler
Updated on 10/09/2009. Site Credits / Email Me!
Basic site design from ADF.org
(Yes, I stole it!)