The History of Theatre

Each year, millions of people venture out to their Local and National theatre to enjoy a good performance. There is always something for everyone at the Theatre. At ORDT, we’re gearing up for South Pacific, a story about the pain of love, war and heartbreak. Other shows focus on the real life struggle of many individuals and what it takes to overcome those struggles. Some shows, such as Beauty & the Beast or Aladdin, bring our childhood fairy tales to life right in front our eyes. Whatever your preference may be, you’ll find something at the theatre.

For centuries, people have flocked to the theatre for many reasons. Sometimes, shows were performed in celebration for cultural deities, while others sought to find a good brawl on stage or a strong statement. Today, people travel everywhere to be entertained and awed. With such a long running and strong history, it’s safe to say that Live Theatre isn’t going anywhere.

Ghost of Theatre Past 

Live theatre has been around for a very long time. There is little information on the origin of theater, but many surviving wall carvings, hieroglyphics, artifacts and decorations are our clues to the past. From these, we can gather that performances were meant to entertain the culture, mourn the loss of others, or please the deities to whom they looked for help or guidance. Whether you were rich, poor, young or old: the theatre was a way for you to express yourself or live vicariously through those who did.

One example of this is Ancient Greek theatre. Greek theatres were built into the Hillside, where many seats were created for large audiences. Seating was built into the landscape and expanded for larger crowds. Early Greek theatres featured an orchestra or dancing floor, where many complex dance practices and movements were done. The chorus told their story or sang to the audience from a flat piece of earth near the stage. In some theories, it is stated that the main actors were placed on a raised platform. This was to show their distinction between the chorus and the main stage.

Off to the side of the stage was a skene, or a tent. The actors would use this tent as temporary dressing rooms as well as entrances and exits. The facade of the Temple of Dionysus, Greek God of Theatre, was built into the orchestral wall. Many performances were made to please the gods and to celebrate great victories of the Greeks. Boxing matches were held and singing and spoken word filled the theatre in celebration and praise for their gods.

You cannot discuss the history of the stage without mentioning one very important contributor to the Theatre world...William Shakespeare. Shakespeare has inked his name in history books and theatre text permanently. He is celebrated throughout the world as one of the best playwrights to ever exist, and his shows are still performed today. Some of these are done traditionally, while others are given a loose interpretation. However the portrayal goes, it’s safe to say that he is not going anywhere for a while.

Like Greek Theatre, Shakespeare’s performances did not consist of any backdrop or set design. His words and the actors’ performances inspired audiences to use their imagination to create the setting of the show and the scene behind the actors. People of all ages and social status would come out to see his performances. The poorer crowd, or groundlings, could pay a penny to stand on the ground in front of the stage, while the more rich and royal individuals paid as much as half a crown to lounge comfortably in covered boxes.

Performers often addressed the audience to narrate and to engage them. Their purpose was to make sure that the audience felt as though they were in on the action. Audience members reacted far differently than those of today. They were loud, fully invested and rambunctious; not at all quiet and focused. Groundlings would break out into fights over women, clothing or food. Lords and ladies lounged in the boxes above, while vendors walked about with fruit or nuts to sell. Despite the social differences, everyone came out to enjoy the show.

Theatre Today 

Today, millions of people flock to enjoy live theatre. Whether you are visiting your community theatre down the street or trekking to New York to enjoy a Broadway show, the interest is still present. Every year, people travel to the Big Apple to enjoy the newest debut or revisit the oldest classic.

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The Future of Live Theatre 

Today, Live Theatre productions show no signs of slowing down. Technology continues to make what feels like the impossible happen, in person, right before your eyes. Performers and Technical experts continue to intertwine their passion and education, resulting in beautiful productions that awe and shock the audience to no end. If you think you’ve seen it all, you are probably misinformed - it’s only just begun. Creativity doesn’t die, and as long as people continue to enjoy these performances, theatre will continue to live on.

Thinking of Oliver!

Hollywood is obsessed with remakes, to the point that it can get utterly tiresome. The stage, however, has had far more success with the few intellectual properties than it has chosen to translate, perhaps because the addition of music, singing, and sometimes dance, creates an original and entertaining dimension that heretofore hadn’t existed in the original property. This is certainly the case with Oliver!, the musical based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, Oliver Twist.

A Timeless Story Set in a Storied Time 

The story of Oliver Twist is ultimately a romantic one. No, not in the modern sense of love and romance, but rather in the slightly more traditional sense: Dickens imagines a world where a completely happy and rather coincidental ending is entirely possible. The story is certainly a comedy, wherein things go from bad to better, and where you never truly have to worry for Oliver, because you know things are going to get better for him. In this way, it is a reassuring story of hope, redemption, and love, all against the odds stacked against this poor orphan.

The novel’s setting, as romantic and idealistic as it is in terms of Oliver’s eventual fate, casts a very unromantic eye on the criminal underworld and the treatment of orphans that Oliver must contend with. The novel calls attention to child labor, the use of children by criminals, and the sheer number of street children. Dickens uses the novel as a platform to call out the more moneyed members of society on their behavior.

 How Oliver! Got Its Start

The musical, Oliver!, is of British origin, with its music and lyrics all written by Lionel Bart. Oliver! was the first modern British musical to make it to Broadway successfully, and continues to be a popular musical to this day. The musical has enjoyed several revivals over the years, and why not? It’s one of the more heartwarming stories on stage, and has often played host to talent that has gone on to become famous in their own right, such as current pop sensation Asher Monroe, who got his start in Beauty and the Beast and, later, Oliver!

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The plot of the musical, and the characterization of its major parts, is considerably simpler than in the novel itself, but given the time constraints and the voluminous style of Dickens’ writing, this comes as no surprise!

The Play is the Thing 

Act I of the musical opens in the infamous workhouse that Oliver lives and works in. This is when we hear the classic “Food Glorious Food,” followed by “Oliver!,” “Boy for Sale,” “That’s Your Funeral,” and “Where is Love?” The rest of the act continues to unfold from the workhouse, with Oliver abused until he escapes, ending up on the streets of London where he meets the Artful Dodger. Together they live with Fagin, who teaches him to become a pickpocket. Ending on one of the lowest notes of the musical, Oliver is arrested for the robbing of Mr. Brownlow.

Act II sees Fagin informed of Oliver’s arrest. Fagin plots to kidnap him, while Oliver is cared for by the Brownlows. Eventually, through a winding series of accidents, coincidences, and so on, it is discovered that Oliver is actually Mr. Brownlow’s great nephew, and in the end, he is reunited – against all odds! – with his family. This kind of ending – the ultimately happy one that sees the wicked punished and the heroes triumph – is exactly what you would expect, and perhaps a big contributor to the success of the musical!

Oliver! Today 

The musical was adapted to film in 1968, but ultimately, it will always be a musical on stage. The iconic songs, beautiful stagecraft, and raucousness of the cast themselves is best experienced in person, where you can feel as if you’re in the workhouse, on the streets of London, and in the Brownlow residence with Oliver throughout the musical. You lose something when a performance goes onto the screen, with pixels and coffee tables separating you from the action.

 Recent productions have seen Rowan Atkinson and director Sam Mendes involved, contributing to the ever-increasing profile of Oliver!. From the UK to Broadway and Broadway to community theaters across the country, Oliver! remains one of the most heartwarming and enjoyable musicals to ever grace the stage.

Prepare for a Career in the Arts with BAT

Founded in 1979 by Helen Grigal, the Baltimore Actors’ Theater is well-known for its various productions, including Oliver!, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, you may not realize that BAT is also an educational institution that has served the community for decades, and which helps students of all ages – from the very youngest up to university – to reach their potential. While they continue to put on performances with members of all ages, the educators and dramatists of BAT offer several college prep opportunities, as well as the opportunity to participate in university programs with which to continue your education.

Preparing for College 

The educational opportunities available at the Baltimore Actors’ Theater begin with the foundation of the Theater, the Conservatory. Founded in 1979 as Maryland’s first and only accredited college preparatory school of the arts, the Conservatory serves students from pre-school to grade twelve. While they offer a rigorous academic program, their focus is, of course, on music, drama, and dance. You needn’t fear that your child will not receive a top quality education in other disciplines, however; the Conservatory also offers advanced placement courses to give your child the head start they deserve, including English, Biology, History, French, and Music Theory.

The students of the Conservatory go on to study at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Syracuse University, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Point Park College. As a model college preparatory school, the Conservatory has been widely recognized by the Maryland Department of Education, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the College Board, to be a stellar educational institution.

After School 

The Baltimore Actors’ Theater also offers a vocational theater arts program through the Baltimore Actors’ Theater Academy, founded in 1965. For young people, ages seven through fifteen, the Academy offers instruction in music, drama, and dance, all within the context of an arts curriculum. A summer theater workshop is also available; as a two-week theater arts program for young people, the workshop provides instruction in music, drama, dance, and guitar.

Finally, the Baltimore Actors’ Theater’s continuing association with Trinity Guildhall allows its students to participate in the international examinations program. In this program, professional evaluators will examine the knowledge and skill of candidates; the opportunity to earn a diploma in Speech & Drama or Music exists. These diplomas are widely seen as the benchmark of professional competence in their field of study, and can open doors for your student around the world.

Beyond K-12 

The Conservatory’s Professional Development Division provides a college-level training experience in theater, music, and dance. While most schools would have your child study one of these disciplines, at the Conservatory they will study all three, helping them to become a wel-rounded artist. Offering a variety of courses, including piano, singing, voice, acting, and music theory, all over the course of the intensive three-year program, the program is associated with Trinity College and the Rose Bruford College, and graduates have the opportunity to earn Trinity College diplomas.

Students also have the opportunity to pursue a distance learning Bachelor of Arts in Theater Studies through the Rose Bruford College in the United Kingdom. Professionals will be able to earn this degree through weekly seminars in pursuit of the three-year degree, validated by the University of Manchester. Whether you’re a working actor or new to the industry, this is a great way to earn the academic qualifications that can bolster a practical career. Preparing for a Career in the Arts

by ijdwilson.
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Any student interested in theater, dance, and music, must consider the Baltimore Actors’ Theater. Whether that student is in kindergarten, high school, or a even a working professional, the Baltimore Actors’ Theater offers a variety of professional and educational opportunities that few other institutions in the United States possess. If you are a parent of a child who is interested in one or more of these disciplines, BAT is an amazing place where your child can grow into the college-ready artist that you know they can be.

The continuing educational opportunities offered by the Conservatory through its association with Trinity College and Trinity Guildhall allows students to get an education in the arts discipline of their choice beyond the regular constraints of school, whether it’s after school, during the weekend, or over the summer. What’s important is that they grow, develop, and move towards the career that will make them happy and bring them professional success. Through the Baltimore Actors’ Theater and the Conservatory, you or your child can do exactly that.