This course examines the development of theatre architecture and design from the early formalized drama spaces (the theatre of Dionysus and the theatre of Epidaurus) to the English playhouse (the Globe to Convent Garden). We discuss the significance of the Italians to design, from the first temporary scenic elements to Serlio and Torelli to the Bibiena family. The course continues with the Paris Opera House, Wagner’s Bayreuth theatre; and the American playhouses of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries, and it includes the technological changes during that period. The final aspect of the course focuses on contemporary multiple use and adaptable theatre spaces. Emphasis is placed on how trends in the theatre affect the designs of productions, individuals, and aesthetic and technical innovations. (Theatre Studies C)

Drama (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks