Theatre Troupe Research Articles

The melodrama Heroica in adversis constantia Thomae Mori as an example of Olomouc Jesuit sodality theater production in the context of Holy Week

The story of Thomas More became the subject of dozens of plays on many European stages shortly after his death, including school plays, operas and oratorios, traveling theater troupe performances, burlesques, etc. With regard to Jesuit production in Europe, very few complete texts of plays have survived. In this respect, the Czech lands have a special position: Carolus Kolczawa’s play Constantia in fide orthodoxa (1716) and the Jesuit melodrama Heroica in adversis constantia Thomae Mori (1727) have been preserved, the latter work in a set of 14 printed librettos of melodramas of the Olomouc Jesuit academic sodality. The Latin melodramas are related to the Lenten meditations and celebrations of this sodality during Passion Week and were performed on Palm Sundays. Our study will focus on a melodrama about Thomas More as a model of the theater production of the Olomouc Jesuit sodality during Passion Week.

The Role of Musical Instruments in the History of the Art of Singing at the End of the 19th - the Beginning of the 20thcentury, Music Education and Art in the BPSR

This article talks about the types of national musical instruments available at the beginning of the last century, famous musicians who played them, and valuable information about the creation of musical instruments. In 1920-1924, during the government of the Bukhara People's Soviet Republic (BPSR), effective works were carried out in the field of music art in a short period of time. One of the 4 branches of the Bukhara Public Education Inspectorate is called the "music" branch, and the work of this branch, especially, did effective and good things during the period when Abdurauf Fitrat, Musa Saidjonov, and Qori Yoldash Polatov worked as education inspectors. Special attention was paid to provide theater troupes with singers. Concert troupes were organized and they toured the regions of the BPSR.

라미라가극단(羅美羅歌劇團)의 설립 의의와 공연 현황에 관한 연구

Ramiraga Opera Troupe(Ramira Gageukdan) was founded by Seo Uisik, Seo Hangseok, and An Giyeong, and its predecessor was the Columbia Musical Troupe(Columbia Akgeukdan). Seor Uisik decided to establish an indigenous opera troupe in order to culturally oppose the Japanese policy of suppressing speech and writing, and for this purpose, he formed Columbia Musical Troupe(Columbia Akgeukdan) under Columbia Record Company in partnership with Columbia Record Company. And he organized Joseonyeheungsa and took the lead in planning the works and operating the theater company, and entrusted the composition of the works and performance direction to his former colleague Seo Hangseok. In addition, An Giyeong was in charge of composing the music necessary for the opera and assigning it to Korean opera work. These series of efforts led to the birth of the Ramira Gageukdan. Ramira Gageukdan officially held its inaugural performance in December 1941, performing 〈Kongjwipatjwi〉 and 〈Gyeonujingnyeo〉 at Bumingwan. ince then, the two works and 〈Galaxy〉 have emerged as representative works of Ramiraga Opera Troupe(Ramira Gageukdan) and are remembered as typical examples of ‘Korean local opera’. This study aims to examine the founding process and origins of Ramira Gageukdan, as well as its representative performances and aesthetic characteristics. Ultimately, this study was designed to examine the situation of the Korean theater world in the 1940s, which was oriented toward indigenous theater troupes, and to discuss its historical significance.

Exploration of TIK TOK's Contribution to the Communication of Huangmei Opera: An Analysis Based on the 5W Model

This study discusses the communication and inheritance of Huangmei Opera on TikTok. Adopting the 5W model comprehensively analyses five aspects: communication subject, content, object, medium, and effect. Huangmei opera, as a part of Chinese traditional opera, faces the challenge of a shrinking audience and market. However, TIK TOK, as a short video platform with wide influence, provides new opportunities for the dissemination of Huangmei opera.The study shows that vloggers at different levels play an important role on TIK TOK, especially high-influence professional actors and theatre troupes, who have effectively promoted Huangmei Opera by leveraging their large fan bases and high-quality content. Medium- to low-impact and emerging vloggers have also attracted a large number of viewers to Huangmei Opera through their diverse and interactive content. The findings show a significant positive correlation between viewers' interactive behaviours (e.g., liking, commenting, sharing) and viewing duration, suggesting that improving content quality and viewer engagement is crucial for communication effectiveness.This paper also explores the features of the TIK TOK, such as fragmented communication, interactive communication, precise pushing and community effect, which help Huangmei opera expand its influence among young audiences. Despite challenges such as differences in content quality and the short attention span of young audiences, the communication effect of Huangmei Opera on TikTok has been significantly improved through cooperation and innovation. The research in this paper provides new perspectives and practical suggestions for the communication strategy of Huangmei Opera in the digital era and further enriches the modern communication path of traditional art.

Editorial: Community music and ‘making easy’

Facilitation is a key aspect of community music. While only two of the articles in International Journal of Community Music (IJCM) 17.2 have the word ‘facilitators’ explicitly in the title, all the articles in this issue speak, in their distinct ways, to facilitation/facilitators in community music. Most direct in this regard is the systematic review of research on group singing facilitators by J. Yoon Irons and associates. Other articles in this issue study the activities of the Ostend Street Orkestra in Belgium (Verneert et al.), the Pizzicato Effect in Hume, Australia (Smith et al.), Tàlaidhean Ùra – a Scottish implementation of The Lullaby Project (Tanner, Wilson and Wight), the theatre troupe Sex Worker’s Opera (Flower) and the DocSong method used at in an all-male minimum- and medium-security state prison in the United States (Kirchner). Taken together, the articles in issue 17.2 add to the growing research base on facilitation in community music settings.

Beyond the Spotlight: Unveiling the Takarazuka Revue's Complex Legacy of Art, Gender, and Society

The Takarazuka Revue, a distinctive all-female Japanese musical theatre troupe, is renowned not only for its lavish productions and the unique approach of having women perform male roles but also as a subject of extensive socio-cultural discourse. This article meticulously examines the troupe as a microcosm reflecting a broader spectrum of societal issues in Japan, such as deep-rooted gender discrimination, systemic bullying, and the subjugation and objectification of women. The investigation is both critical and detailed, unveiling the darker aspects of the institution, including the oppressive and authoritarian practices within the Takarazuka Music School, the gruelling transformation of women into performers, and the manipulation of art as a medium to perpetuate traditional gender norms and societal expectations. Furthermore, the article delves into the psychological impacts on the individuals involved, scrutinising the long-term effects of power dynamics and stringent training regimes. It artfully argues that the Takarazuka Revue, once a beacon of theatrical innovation and excellence, now stands as a complex symbol of the intertwined relationships between art, gender roles, and societal structures in Japan. The article provides a balanced perspective, acknowledging the artistic value and cultural significance of the Revue while critically analysing its broader societal implications. Through this in-depth analysis, the article aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the Takarazuka Revue and its role in Japanese culture, encouraging a reassessment of the intersection between art and social norms, including gender dynamics.

285 “Stages” of Hope: Theater as a Research and Outreach Modality for Generating Knowledge, Understanding, and Healing

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Theater has always served as a means of reflecting and understanding the human condition. Participatory theater further offers the option for viewers to participate in and thus additionally benefit from the performance itself. We use Playback Theater for outreach and research, eliciting information to guide research, education, and engagement. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Playback Theater is a type of improvisation that involves audience members recounting personal experiences which are then enacted by a theater troupe. Playback has evolved to include storytelling as a means of expressing and understanding difficult life experiences such as violence, bullying, incarceration, disaster, illness, etc. While not intended as therapy, it has been found to provoke insight and catharsis when used by trained practitioners. We are conducting Playback theater with LGBTQ+ and African American women to elucidate health disparities related to HIV/AIDS. Black/African Americans accounted for 42.1% of cases in 2019, and African American females are 15 times more likely to develop AIDS than white females. We hope to elucidate barriers to screening and treatment to inform early intervention. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In community engagement, we employ a variety of strategies involving storytelling, since this simple act fosters multiple positive outcomes. For example, by talking about their experiences participants might find clarity about a difficult experience, facilitating coping or healing, or even letting go. By sharing their stories, others (clinicians, researchers, other patients, or the public) can learn what it is like to go through a particular illness or event. This knowledge can be used to allay patient fears or help researchers or clinicians to develop programming that better responds to needs. This novel approach to knowledge sharing also allows communication that may not otherwise be possible. Discussions about sensitive topics are enabled, often leading to shared understanding and potential solutions. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Through Playback Theater, we hope to identify and thus be able to address barriers to early screening and treatment for African American women and the LGBTQ+ population. We are also planning an event with children with cancer and their families to better understand their experiences and needs in both the clinical and familial settings.

소녀악극단 ‘낭랑좌(娘娘座)’의 구성과 활동 연구

This study comprehensively introduces the previously unrevealed girls’ musical troupe ‘Nangrangjwa’, established in 1936 and active until 1938. Consisting solely of women, the group toured with musical plays, revues, and variety shows, drawing inspiration from Japan’s Takarazuka Revue while incorporating distinctive Korean sentiments into their performances. This study traces Nangrangjwa’s history, detailing its formation, activities, and dissolution.
 Furthermore, it highlights Na Seon-gyo, a popular singer and daughter of independence activist and Cheondoism elder Na Yong-hwan, who became an active member of Nangrangjwa. Despite the lack of records regarding her date of birth and death, this study seeks to elucidate her life through contemporary accounts and interviews from that era, particularly emphasizing her achievements and the agency she exercised in altering song titles and lyrics, thereby asserting leadership and autonomy in the troupe’s performances.
 The brief existence of Nangrangjwa, lasting only three years, should not be dismissed as a mere failure. Its endeavors contribute to the contemporary success of girl groups, marking their early appearance. This study is significant in uncovering the real Nangrangjwa, which has not been fully recognized, and in portraying the agency of its members, challenging the prevailing negative views on girls’ theatrical troupes.

Egyptian Popular Culture in Late Ottoman and Mandate Palestine

Abstract During the late Ottoman and British Mandate periods, Palestine was an integral component of the audience for the new forms of “colloquial mass culture” that emerged in Cairo. Early Egyptian recording artists, theatre troupes, and the giants of interwar Egyptian popular music—Umm Kulthum and Muhammad Abdel Wahhab—regularly appeared and were warmly received in Palestine. Egyptian performers did not come to Palestine to affirm or reinforce its Arabism. They came because they earned substantial fees for their performances and because they had large and loyal audiences there, some of whom were Jews. The presence of both Arabs and Jews at concerts or in movie theaters did not necessarily mean that they liked each other. Neither did they dislike each other as a matter of principle. This ambiguous legacy was manifested in the political uproar over the naming of streets in honor of Umm Kulthum and Abdel Wahhab in Jerusalem, Ramle, and Haifa in 2020. This was not an indicator of Arab–Jewish coexistence, and it did not represent a conciliation with terrorism. It was a phenomenon in which spectators and fans (and detractors) read themselves into the meanings of the work of artists.

The Fallout of Shakespeare: Playing and Video Game Theater

Abstract: This article adopts a principle from game design theory which views "play" as a type of negotiation with (and against) the constraints of a given environment. The performances of The Wasteland Theatre Company, an amateur theater troupe staging Shakespearean texts collaboratively online using the video game Fallout 76 , are examined in light of this approach to playing. This article discusses how tensions between the Shakespearean text and the performances of The Wasteland Theatre Company coerce their audiences into active interpretation of both the game's and the performed text's content. The principle of playing as negotiation, moreover, has applicability beyond video games. Demonstrating how productions can break or bend the "rules" which their texts or settings impose, The Wasteland Theatre Company's approach foregrounds the ways in which such rule-breaking encourages audiences to actively interpret the performance.

Театральна діяльність на Буковині в умовах Другої світової війни (1941-1944 рр.)

The purpose of the study is to analyze the conditions of theater activities in Bukovyna during the German-Soviet war, based on the available sources and existing developments of theater history researchers. The methodology of the study is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, system and the use of methods of analysis and synthesis, problem-chronological, biographical, historical-genetic ones. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time in Ukrainian historiography, the state of theatre activities during World War II, specifically the period of the German-Soviet campaign in 1941-1944, of the Romanian theater in Bukovyna was comprehensively analyzed. Conclusions. Thus, during the German-Soviet war, the theatrical activities remained an important component of the cultural space of Chernivtsi, a means of citizens' education. Despite the restoration of the National Theater, theater troupes from various cities in Romania, mainly Bucharest and Iași, presented their activities in the city and the region. The repertoire of the theaters included both world classics and Romanian drama, as well as plays on historical and patriotic topics. The theater faced the task of eliminating the 1940-1941 gap in cultural ties. Sometimes theatrical events carried some propaganda that was considered acceptable in wartime conditions. There was a practice of theatre tours in the cities of Bukovyna and Northern Bessarabia, which took place in 1942-1943. During the war, the fates of Romanian actors and actors of the Chernivtsi Ukrainian Regional Theater were different. Some actors were arrested by the Soviet authorities at the beginning of the German-Soviet war and in its final period.

Art Practices in Modern Culture

The purpose of the article is to analyse modern creative practices in interaction with cultural values. The research methodology includes scientific methods: analytical, structural-functional, generalising; comparative analysis techniques to reveal the specifics of modern creative practices from the perspective of the formation of cultural values. The scientific novelty of the work is based on the analysis of modern artistic practices. Conclusions. It is noted that creative practices influence the educational process with the preservation, reproduction, and formation of cultural values. Artistic practices are a complex communicative process, a connection between a person’s worldview and the environment, means of expressiveness of the arts and everyday life and customs. The versatility of modern creativity is noted with the involvement of synthesised projects, which have more opportunities to attract recipients. The complexity in the relationships between personality education and the formation of cultural values is noted. It is supported by the facts of a change in ideals in modern creativity, reaching the dialectical level of the art of negation, art showing different sides of human existence. Project of the Czech National Ballet with the organisation «Consent» – the ballet “A Streetcar Named Desires” with the problem of violence, changing approaches to education according to the dominance of ethical norms and values of certain groups of youth: respect for oneself, the world around us, loved ones, partners and friends; treating another person as oneself. Ballet by D. Neumeier based on the psychological drama by W. Tennessee “A Streetcar Named Desire” as an example of modern creativity in understanding violence and trauma from it. The modern discourse of art about norms and rules, socio-political relations and cultural values is examined using the examples of the original sculpture by D. Czerny “ Sycophancy” (2003, Prague); artistic project of the Italian theatre troupe “Malatheatre” on the occasion of the celebration of the 452nd anniversary of the birth of the Italian artist Caravaggio in the Church of San Michele Arcangelo. All examples are paralleled by memory studies by psychologists: J. Miller, J. Santa, C. Jung. It is noted that art practices help young people understand cultural values with the accents of the present. Keywords: artistic practices in modern culture, cultural values, art history, musicology, baroque music, ballet, psychology of perception.

ӘЛЕМГЕ ӘЙГІЛІ АКТЕРДІҢ БЕЙНЕСІН ЖАСАУ ЖОЛЫНДАҒЫ ЗАМАНАУИ ҚАЗАҚ ТЕАТРЫ (Ч. ЧАПЛИН ҚОЙЫЛЫМЫНЫҢ МЫСАЛЫНДА)

The article analyzes the first performances on the Kazakh stage of the world-famous image of Charlie Chaplin, the course of the production, features, ways of creating the image. The events that influenced the transformation of a personality into a "cult figure", an actor who began in his life, an autobiography left by the author, interviews with colleagues, wives and scientific articles about the actor were analyzed. During the production, problems, difficulties, familiarity of the theater troupe with a previously unknown work process, the specifics of the style of work from other invited directors were touched upon. From the research conducted about the actor, we know that the innovations introduced by the actor into the film industry have not yet lost their relevance, the image of the "Little Tramp" proposed by the author has caused the appearance of still popular funny images. Through the events that influenced and influenced the actor's work, the birth of the image of the main character of the actor "the little tramp" and the first image of Charlie Chaplin on the Kazakh stage are analyzed.

Monsters revisited: a comparative study of the use of humor in dramatizing benevolent monsters in The Monsters under the Bed and The Boy Who Loved Monsters and the Girl Who Loved Peas

Works for children are filled with a myriad of creatures that are often used by writers to convey certain messages to the young readers/audiences. From tamed to wild, real and imaginary beings, such creatures emerge either as benevolent or evil forces. This study seeks to highlight the role of humorous, benevolent monsters in works for children showing how their presence is laden with meanings. For this purpose, two plays for children are selected: The Monsters under the Bed (2007) by Fr. Dominic Garramone and Osb and the St.Bede Theater Troupe, and The Boy Who Loved Monsters and the Girl Who Loved Peas (2013) by Jonathan Graham. Drawing upon humor studies, monster studies, and child psychology, the paper attempts to analyze the use of humor in portraying friendly monsters in the selected works reflecting how it is through them that the children protagonists revisit their views of monsters and understand that they are a reflection of themselves (their needs/fears). The analysis of these benevolent monsters and their effect on the protagonists will be carried out in relation to the different theatrical elements and the verbal and visual signs which clarify and affirm the benevolence of such creatures and the humorous touch added to their roles.

Teatr Kamińskiego w Warszawie – panorama pierwszych lat (1911–1914)

Kamiński Theater in Warsaw: The First Years (1911–1914) The article focuses on the artistic activity of the Kamiński Theater in Warsaw (1/3 Oboźna Street) prior to World War I. First, it reviews publications related to the topic which present varying facts and dates. Then the author confronts these scholarly works with Yiddish dailies. Based on the Warsaw Yiddish daily Der Moment, she determines that Yiddish performances of the troupe run by Avrom-Yitskhok Kamiński started as early as June 1911, not 1913 or 1909 as previously thought. The Kamiński Theater building was used not only by Jewish but also by Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian theater troupes.

Actors as Co-Creators in Contemporary Latvian Theatre

In Latvian theatre, the last decade has been a time of significant changes regarding the working methods of independent theatre movements. Two of the oldest independent theatres in Riga – Dirty Deal Teatro and Ģertrūde Street Theatre – have become a centre for various theatre productions, therefore moving towards the model of state repertoire theatres. Meanwhile, in recent years, several new theatre companies and creative groups have appeared in the field. Theatre troupe KVADRIFRONS, formed by four young actors having just graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture, as well as the theatre company esARTe, led by director and teacher Elmārs Seņkovs and the ‘scandalous’ young actors trained in the so-called puppet theatre course at the Latvian Academy of Culture, – these are just a few examples of the new creative formations in Latvian theatre. While in repertoire theatre the creative process mostly lies on the shoulders of the stage director, the aforementioned theatre companies highlight the importance of the actor as co-creator – both in the artistic (devised theatre methods), and the administrative process (actors as managers, etc.). Has the profession of actor changed from performer to administrator? How does the administrative status of the newly founded theatre companies influence the work of freelance actors? How has the status of the actor changed in today’s society? The research tackles the topic of actor as co-creators focusing on the examples and experiences of new independent Latvian theatre companies and including significant social, as well as aesthetical aspects.

Senegalese Stagecraft: Decolonizing Theater-Making in Francophone Africa by Brian Valente-Quinn

Senegalese Stagecraft: Decolonizing Theater-Making in Francophone Africa by Brian Valente-Quinn

Performing “Bifurcated Homelands”: Touring the Chinese Diasporas in Bangkok and Singapore, 1945-1960s

From the end of the Second World War to the Cold War era, Chinese theatre troupes and performers endorsed by “bifurcated homelands” – the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing – travelled to Southeast Asia to battle for the hearts and minds of the Chinese diaspora through one potent means: dance, which has so far not garnered the attention it deserves. This article locates the performative linkages in two scenarios: (1) the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated theatre troupe Zhong Yi and its diasporic tours in Singapore and Bangkok in the immediate postwar era; (2) the experiences of the Taiwanese folk dancer Lee Shu Fen and her dancing legacy in Southeast Asia during the Cold War era. Situated in the burgeoning field of the “Chinese cultural Cold War,” this article argues for a “performative” angle that examines both the tours and the performing arts in the context of the shifting power realignment as a manifestation of Cold War geopolitics in Asia. While stressing the competing nature of the idea of “bifurcation,” this article goes further to prove the mutual influences and mirroring effects in the imaginings of Chineseness by both the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Towards a Definition of Performance During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study of Ramlila in India

This article demonstrates how Covid-19 transformed the performance aesthetics of ancient theatre traditions in India. I draw primarily on the October 17, 2020 performance of the Ramlila, the folk staging of Ramayana, produced by the Shri Ram Dharmik Leela Committee, Tri Nagar, one of the most popular theatre troupes in North Delhi. In the first part of the article, I explore the metatheatricality of the production by analyzing its camera-centric aesthetic while demonstrating how the performance divested gods of their power. In the second part, I investigate how the performance’s paratextual thematic bestowed power on humans. Broadly, I show that the Covid-era performance of Ramlila marks a break from some of the traditional conventions of performance aesthetics in India.

Improvisation to combat sexual harassment on the wards.

In the spring of 2021, medical students at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, conducted a survey amongst their peers concerning sexual harassment during the clinical clerkships. The survey collected multiple testimonies of sexual harassment that occurred during their clinical rotations. These results inspired an awareness campaign against sexual harassment. Knowing that the impact of sexual harassment includes physical and psychological repercussions, burnout, career change and avoidance of learning opportunities, the medical school created a sexual harassment awareness course for medical students before beginning their clinical rotations. Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter, we decided to use actual testimonies of the campaign as part of the teaching strategy. We sought to create an active learning exercise that would stimulate students to reflect deeply on prevention and response strategies with the purpose of removing students from the role of victim or passive witness. In collaboration with an improvisational theatre troupe, Impro-Impact, we created the course using the extended parallel process model (EPPM) as our conceptual framework.1 This model purports that if one believes that a threat is harmful and that they are at risk, while at the same time they believe in the effectiveness of solutions and have the confidence to practice them, they are more likely to take protective action to avoid or reduce the threat. The course was constructed in five parts: (1) a brief theoretical introduction, (2) a performance depicting the day in the life of a female medical student who experiences sexual harassment on the first day of her surgery clerkship, (3) students formed small groups to debrief the scenarios and to brainstorm potential responses as a victim and as a bystander, (4) the scenes were replayed by the actors using the suggestions of the students, and (5) the course concluded with a presentation of available resources. Feedback from the medical students showed that our initial objective of increasing awareness was attained, but in addition, we learned that this course was able to empower students to speak up about their own experiences, to question the status quo and to give students enough agency to react in these uncomfortable situations. In the first clinical rotation following the course, students in the surgery rotation were able to come forward about incidents of sexual harassment, allowing the medical school to intervene on their behalf. Students were also vocal about the necessity to train faculty in order to bring about a culture change. Two multiple-choice questions asking students to decide upon next steps in a sexual harassment vignette were included in the final exam. Surprisingly, responses to the questions showed that students did not identify medical school faculty as an important resource. Future work will need to focus on ways to increase student confidence in the medical school's response to sexual harassment. The course will occur annually and there are now plans to create similar courses for medical school faculty and other faculties associated with the university. Pauline Hämmerli, Lygia Pavitt and Nadia M. Bajwa designed, constructed, implemented and evaluated the project. Nadia M. Bajwa wrote the draft manuscript. Pauline Hämmerli and Lygia Pavitt revised the manuscript.