Theatrical Genre and Style: A Guide for Designers, Directors, and Performers

Theatrical Genre and Style will appeal to all theatre makers--those in performance as well as design--students, amateurs, and professionals. Traditionally, theatre practitioners receive information about style and genre from sources composed primarily for studio artisans and not theatre artisans. These books are helpful but ultimately fall short because they do not specifically apply the use of style to theatre art and practice. Theatrical Genre and Style gives theatre artists a guidebook to style and genre that is specific and tailored to their needs.

Theatrical Genre and Style defines genre and style (and the differences between them), gives relatable examples with helpful exercises, clearly explains the distinctions between artistic style, period style, and literary style, and helps readers understand how to identify, research, and utilize appropriate artistic styles for theatrical productions. Theatrical genres are listed, thoroughly explained, and examples and exercises given that are designed to elucidate. The ways theatrical scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, multi-media, acting, directing, and movement can work together to successfully utilize style is addressed in this text.

Theatrical Genre and Style serves as a companion to authors Karen Brewster and Melissa Shafer's Fundamentals of Theatrical Design: A Guide to the Basics of Scenic, Costume, and Lighting Design. The two books complement one another in content, size, scope, purpose, and target audience.