Young Audiences, Theatre and the Cultural Conversation

ISBN-13: 9789400776081 / Angielski / Twarda / 2014 / 201 str.

John O'Toole; Ricci-Jane Adams; Michael Anderson

Opis

This volume offers rare insights into the connection between young audiences and the performing arts. Based on studies of adolescent and post-adolescent audiences, ages 14 to 25, the book examines to what extent they are part of our society s cultural conversation. It studies how these young people read and understand theatrical performance. It looks at what the educational components in their theatre literacy are, and what they make of the whole social event of theatre. It studies their views on the relationship between what they themselves decide and what others decide for them. The book uses qualitative and quantitative data collected in a six-year study carried out in the three largest Australian States, thirteen major performing arts companies, including the Sydney Opera House, three state theatre companies and three funding organisations. The book s perspectives are derived from world-wide literature and company practices and its significance and ramifications are international.The book is written to be engaging and accessible to theatre professionals and lay readers interested in theatre, as well as scholars and researchers. This extraordinary book thoroughly explains why young people (ages 14-25+) do and do not attend theatre into adulthood by delineating how three inter-linked factors (literacy, confidence, and etiquette) influence their decisions. Given that theatre happens inside spectators minds, the authors balance the theatre equation by focusing upon young spectators and thereby dispel numerous beliefs held by theatre artists and educators. Each clearly written chapter engages readers with astute insights and compelling examples of pertinent responses from young people, teachers, and theatre professionals. To stem the tide of decreasing theatre attendance, this highly useful book offers pragmatic strategies for artistic, educational, and marketing directors, as well as national theatre organizations and arts councils around the world. I have no doubt that its brilliantly conceived research, conducted across multiple contexts in Australia, will make a significant and original contribution to the profession of theatre on an international scale. Jeanne Klein, University of Kansas, USA Young Audiences, Theatre and the Cultural Conversation is a compelling and comprehensive study on attitudes and habits of youth theatre audiences by leading international scholars in the field. This benchmark study offers unique insights by and for theatre makers and administrators, theatre educators and researchers, schools, parents, teachers, students, audience members of all ages.A key strength within the book centers on the emphasis of the participant voices, particularly the voices of the youth. Youth voices, along with those of teachers and theatre artists, position the extensive field research front and center. George Belliveau, The University of British Columbia, Canada"

Spis treści

Foreword.- Acknowledgments.- Part I TheatreSpace Project Partners and Case Studies.- Chapter 1: Introduction by John O’Toole. Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 1 and 2 The Importance of Being Earnest - Queensland Theatre Company, Anatomy Titus: Fall of Rome – Bell Shakespeare, Sydney.- Chapter 2: The Project, its Partners and its Purposes by Michael Anderson and Josephine Fleming.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 3 and 4, Yibiyung – The Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Fake Porno – Brisbane Powerhouse.- Chapter 3: Access and the Practicalities of Attendance by Christine Sinclair.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 5 and 6, The Removalists – Sydney Theatre Company, Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd – Arena Theatre, Melbourne.- Chapter 4: The Context of the Performance Event by Madonna Stinson.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 7 and 8, The Shape of a Girl – Sydney Opera House, The Shape of a Girl – The Arts Centre, Melbourne.- Chapter 5: The Education Landscape by Kate Donelan with Richard Sallis.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 9 and 10, God of Carnage – Melbourne Theatre Company, The True Story of Butterfish – Brisbane Powerhouse.- Chapter 6: Young Audiences from the Educators' Perspective by Robyn Ewing, Josephine Fleming, Bruce Burton and Madonna Stinson.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 11 and 12, Up Jumped the Devil – Queensland Performing Arts Centre, World Theatre Festival – Brisbane Powerhouse.- Chapter 7: The Industry Partners’ Perceptions by Josephine Fleming, Robyn Ewing and John Hughes.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 13 and 14, The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Sydney Theatre Company, King Lear – Bell Shakespeare, Sydney.- Chapter 8: Engagement and Liveness by Penny Bundy.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 15 and 16, Moth – Arena Theatre, Melbourne, The Threepenny Opera – The Malthouse Theatre , Melbourne.- Chapter 9: Building Theatre Confidence by Christine Sinclair and Ricci-Jane Adams.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 17 and 18, Fat Pig – Queensland Theatre Company, Moth -  Sydney Opera House.- Chapter 10: Theatre Literacy by Bruce Burton, Penny Bundy and Robyn Ewing.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Studies 19 and 20, Dead Man’s Cell Phone – Melbourne Theatre Company, The Kind of Ruckus  - The Arts Centre, Melbourne.- Chapter 11: ‘It’s Real’ - Genre and Performance Style by Angela O’Brien.- Interlude: The TheatreSpace Case Study 21, Wicked – Queensland Performing Arts Centre.- Chapter 12: Conclusion – a Continuum for Planning by Christine Sinclair, Ricci-Jane Adams and John O’Toole

O autorze

Michael Anderson ist medizinischer Bademeister und Heilpraktiker und hat eine jahrelange Erfahrung im Umgang mit den Methoden und Techniken der Wasserheilkunde.

Blurb

This volume offers rare insights into the connection between young audiences and the performing arts. Based on studies of adolescent and post-adolescent audiences, ages 14 to 25, the book examines to what extent they are part of our society’s cultural conversation. It studies how these young people read and understand theatrical performance. It looks at what the educational components in their theatre literacy are, and what they make of the whole social event of theatre. It studies their views on the relationship between what they themselves decide and what others decide for them. The book uses qualitative and quantitative data collected in a six-year study carried out in the three largest Australian States, thirteen major performing arts companies, including the Sydney Opera House, three state theatre companies and three funding organisations. The book’s perspectives are derived from world-wide literature and company practices and its significance and ramifications are international.

The book is written to be engaging and accessible to theatre professionals and lay readers interested in theatre, as well as scholars and researchers.