Shadow Plays

Though I was looking for a website on ancient shadow plays, I stumbled across this one instead.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200403/13/eng20040313_137374.shtml 

The website not only has interesting historical facts on ancient shadow plays, it also explains how and when it died out, as well as how it’s “on a path towards revival.”

Shadow Play are, what the name says, plays which were told through puppets. The Puppets were made of either hard paper or leather, and were projected onto a white screen by lamp light. Performers would move the characters behind the screen while singing the story, which was accompanied by music.

These plays spread very quickly throughout Asia during the 13^th century, and by the 17^th century, found its way to Europe. It’s only been till about two decades ago, that Shadow Play has been the only entertainment in Chinese villages. There are very few troupes, who have continued to perform such plays, one of them being a troupe called Shanhua (Founded in 1933.)

Here is a very long, better very interesting video of a Shadow Play performed in our modern day. 

Decoration, Costume, and Symbolic Design in Chinese Theatre

Hello,

So I researched Asian Theatre and found this site:

http://www.theatrehistory.com/asian/chinese002.html
(Can't figure out how to make it a link, so just copy paste it into a new tab)

It takes a closer look at Decoration, Costume, and Symbolic Design in Chinese Theatre. I chose this site because I have always been a big fan of the detail in both Chinese costuming and make-up but didn't know too much about it. Here they also describe the reasoning behind minimal, if any, scenery in Chinese theatre; they examine symbols embraced in the Chinese culture that are used in stage productions to convey meanings, mood, location, etc. They also discuss techniques used to convey scene changes with the absence of a set.

So, yeah.

Blog 2: Asian Theatre

Asian Theatre Part 1: FIND A SITE...WIN A PRIZE! 

When we study a period of Theatre History we examine a number of areas. First we look at the cultural and historical setting of the period to help us understand the theatre and drama in context. Some of the other areas we examine are: 

• Who were the actors? 
• How were they organized and trained? 
• Were they men or women? 
• Who wrote the plays and what were the plays like? 
• What did they value? 
• When and how were plays produced? 
• Were they part of a festival? Stand-alone? 
• Who attended? Who was in the audience? 
• Who controlled theatre? State? Religion? 
• What did the theatre buildings look like? 
• What costumes did they wear? 
• What technical effects were used? 

In our class we also have a specific interest in tracking the inclusion of movement, music, and singing in each age. 


TOPIC: To explore Asian Theatre, find a website that gives interesting information on one of these topics. It should help you understand historical Sanskrit, Chinese, or Japanese theatre. The information should enhance (not just repeat) what is in the text book. Everyone must find different material. This is a two part exercise.

Part 1: POST
Find a website on Asian Theatre that you find interesting and informative and post the link (make sure it works).  Provide a "Sales Pitch" which entices the reader to visit your site. The pitch will provide a summary of what you found in a manner that sells the rest of the class on visiting your site. Blend sales with information.

The deadline for posting your site is March 7th.

Part 2: Find Blog 3 (posted soon).  There are prizes!