This multifaceted study, the companion volume to Leiter's From
Stanislavsky to Barrault: Representative Directors of the European
Stage (Greenwood Press, 1991), provides exhaustively detailed, yet
compact accounts of the careers and accomplishments of eight
outstanding directors of the English-speaking stage as well as
separate, thorough bibliographies and chronologies of each. Samuel
L. Leiter selected directors David Belasco, Harley
Granville-Barker, George Abbott, Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Margaret
Webster, Elia Kazan, Joan Littlewood, and Peter Brook as exemplars
of the broad spectrum of directorial art as it has developed in the
twentieth century; his cogent introduction identifies salient
aspects of that art and reveals the wide divergence of directorial
styles and techniques employed by the group. From commercial to
classic to avant garde, their stylistic attitudes toward production
include Belasco's minutely detailed naturalism, Guthrie's whimsical
interpretations of the classics, and Littlewood's improvisational,
anti-establishment, left-wing stance. Their varied rehearsal
methods show how these directorial greats transformed the nature of
the theatre experience through their unique vision of what stage
production could encompass. Innovations by these directors in both
the shape and function of the performance space are highlighted as
are their theatre writings, many of which form the foundation for
Western theatrical thought in our times. Following the
introduction, each of the eight chapters is organized into
subsections that discuss the individual director's career, concept
of theatre art and directing, and actual working methods. Each
director is thoroughly assessed in terms ofrepertory, major
productions, theoretical concerns, casting methods, rehearsal
processes, and techniques of working with actors, playwrights,
designers, and composers. Separate chronologies and a select
bibliography complete the work, which will have significant appeal
to a diverse group of readers, from stage directing students and
their teachers to active professionals in the field and those
general readers seeking a broader understanding of twentieth
century theatre and stage direction. An excellent choice for text
or supplementary reading for classes in stage directing.
General
Imprint: |
Praeger Publishers Inc
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Contributions in Drama and Theatre Studies |
Release date: |
February 1991 |
First published: |
February 1991 |
Authors: |
Samuel Leiter
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 22mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
318 |
Edition: |
New |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-313-27662-0 |
Categories: |
Books >
Arts & Architecture >
General
Promotions
|
LSN: |
0-313-27662-5 |
Barcode: |
9780313276620 |
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!