PLAYS AND PLAYERS (8 films)

Duration: 30 min

Year Published: 1957

Creator: WQED. Kinescopes.

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Sound: Sound

Description: 1. DRAMA: HOW IT BEGAN. Discusses the early beginnings of the theater. Explains the techniques of the Greek theater and how playwriting developed. Illustrates the chorus technique with a scene from "Oedipus the king." 2. ACTING: HOW IT BEGAN. Discusses the actor and where he came from. Describes the Greek theater in terms of the actor, his equipment, and techniques. Explains the theater of the Middle Ages with its strolling players, liturgical dramas, and the guild system. 3. DRAMA: THE RENAISSANCE. Describes drama in the western hemisphere. Presents the various types of stages and explains the development of special effects in the theater. Illustrates with scenes from "Abraham and Isaac." 4. ACTING: THE RENAISSANCE. Presents the renaissance of acting as the re-birth of humanism. Discusses the actors of the Comedia del Arte and the age of Shakespeare. Illustrates styles of acting of this period with scenes from "The Duchess of Melfi" and "Would be gentleman." 5. DRAMA COMES OF AGE. Discusses the Shakespearean theater and neo-classic drama. Tells of realism, not only in plays, but the theater itself. Demonstrates early realism with a scene from "Hedda Gabler." 6. ACTING COMES OF AGE. Discusses the social position of the actor in the romantic theater. Points out the relationship between the theater, the actor, and the birth of democracy. Illustrates realism of the theater in terms of the actor and the method of Stanislavski with a scene from "Under the gaslight." 7. DRAMA: THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. Presents a brief history of the twentieth century theater. Describes the growth of expressionism in the theater. Tells of the thinking of Chekov, Craig, and O'Neill. Discusses expressive art in this century.

Complete Record: Source: NET Interest level: c-ad Price: rent ea $4.75 Format: sd b&w

Metadata Source:Educational film guide. Supplements (1959-62)