Author Description

Product Description The World of Theatre is the first introduction to theatre book to truly focus on diversity and globalism, integrating coverage of multicultural, international and experimental theatre throughout. Theatre is presented as a global and multicultural form that reflects both traditional and evolving world views. While the American commercial theatre and European forms are central to the text, alternative theatres are placed side by side for comparison and contrast in each chapter, thus avoiding the sense of “otherness” created by devoting separate chapters to diversity and departures from the western tradition. From the Back CoverThe World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation is the first introduction to theatre text to fully focus on diversity and globalism, integrating coverage of multicultural, international, and experimental theatre throughout. This text sets itself apart from the competition in asserting that theatre is a multifaceted and evolving form that must be studied in all of its variety in order to be fully understood. It reflects the changing and increasingly diverse student population as no other text does. Exciting Features Integrated global and diversity coverage places multicultural, international, and alternative theatres side-by-side with more familiar material, emphasizing the importance and influence of these traditions and trends rather than marginalizing them. History coverage is interwoven throughout the text and appears in context, where relevant, rather than being isolated in one or two separate chapters. A rich boxed-feature program gives students ways of thinking about particular issues in the theatre, which in turn helps them to understand how theatre works and why it has the impact that it does. A unique chapter, “Technology and Theatrical Innovation,” examines how theatre has always made use of available technology to heighten its expressive power. This chapter also discusses how computers have enhanced and transformed theatrical tradition and will continue to do so. A unique final chapter, “Making Theatre Happen,” shows students how artistic vision, talent, and passion intersect with social, political, and economic reality to create theatre everywhere, in all its forms and variety. Praise for The World of Theatre “The multifaceted, multicultural, international focus of the book is fantastic and a vast, ambitious undertaking. Placing theatre in a broader context, expanding the definition of theatre beyond a narrow western focus, is long overdue. The breadth of the book and wealth of examples from all over the world are astonishing.” Susan Mason, California State University—Los Angeles “This is a highly readable and engaging book. The individual chapter contents nicely cross-reference with each other, and the book never ‘bogs down’ in history. The very breadth of the subject matter remains outstanding, articulate, and engaging.” Richard Hansen, Middle Tennessee State University “The author’s approach is innovative and applaudable, and a welcome addition to the more traditional textbooks in this field that focus primarily on Western theatrical forms with a separate chapter or two on non-Western forms.” Nina LeNoir, Minnesota State University—Mankato “The textbook is worthwhile, and becomes more apparent as the chapters evolve. The author is careful to return to the focus of the text in each chapter, which leads to student awareness and understanding...and awakens the potential for creating and meeting the challenges of theatre in an ever changing world.” Marilyn DeSimone, Florida Community College at Jacksonville—Kent CampusAbout the AuthorClaudia Orenstein is an assistant professor of theatre at Barnard College. "Festive Revolutions "is her first book.