Introduction
"There is nothing insignificant in the world. It all depends on the point of view." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, writer and statesman
Goethe in the Roman Campagna, painted by Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein in 1787. See larger version at the Staedel Museum. Image is in the public domain.
You have been learning the importance of the audience throughout this lesson. As Goethe says in this quote, "it all depends on the point of view." Theatre collaborators struggle to create performances that are meaningful and entertaining. Unfortunately, they often do not know if they are successful until it is too late! Theatre critics review performances in many different ways. In this lesson, you will learn about Goethe's contributions to this process.
Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to...
- Apply Goethe's Principles of Criticism to a performance of Nihonjin Face.
Essential Questions
- How does understanding an audience experience impact the staging of a theatrical production?
Enduring Understandings
- Artists must consider the audience experience and their personal perspectives when staging a theatrical production.
The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Theatre Proficient standards: 14, 17, 19.
