If at all possible, please read this and offer any constructive criticism you might have. I really don't have a lot of people I know willing to read it, and would appreciate any feedback you might have.
Thanks!
The Prompt: [i]Please submit a 750 - 1000 word essay that contains carefully thought out responses to the following points:
- What do you intend to study?
- How have your life experiences prepared you to study these areas?
- Discuss how you might explore these areas of study through multiple or interdisciplinary formats. Consider areas including science, math, literature, creative writing, art, history, etc.
The Essay:
Some years ago, while working on a play, a dear friend and fellow actor turned to me and said, "Theatre is a dying art form."
I was immediately horrified, and quickly attempted to refute the assertion, but to no avail; he was quite decided on the matter. After much thought, (and silent fuming) I had a sudden, powerful epiphany: I was going to make sure that theatre stayed relevant. It wasn't a fully formed or articulated thought, just a gut instinct, but I knew without a doubt that this was what I needed to be working for.
In the years following this event, I've had a lot of time to really think and reflect on how I intend to achieve this goal. It is not a simple undertaking with a readily conclusive solution, but it is the cause for which I am the most passionate, and the goal I feel best equipped to achieve. In short, it is my mission.
My mission is not as clearly defined as working in theatre in order to make it relevant. I feel that there need to be more creative solutions to the problem, and have been working on gaining the experience and knowledge needed for this task.
I have spent time working with community theatre, and exploring the opportunities that afforded me. I began with a strong emphasis in performance, but that was ultimately unfulfilling; I wanted to understand everything about it. I then began supplementing my work on the stage with work behind the scenes, assisting with costumes, properties, and building sets. Though thrilling, it still felt as though there were significant gaps in my knowledge and understanding; I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything.
I began working with a shadow cast (costumed performers who "act out" the film as it plays) of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", an interesting experience which ultimately led to deeper comprehension. When I later went on to direct the show, I learned much more about theatre, and the show was a constant creative endeavor, an environment I thrived in.
I still hadn't forgotten my goal to help keep theatre alive, and I then had new and different perspectives on the matter.
First of all, I had gained invaluable experience as to what audiences wanted to see; they constantly desire something different and new. If I wanted to apply this to theatre as a whole, I had to realize theatre is a constantly evolving art form, and to keep audiences interested, I would have to pursue it from a variety of original and inventive angles.
I learned also that theatre didn't have to be restricted to actors on a stage. I'd been made aware of this from viewing various experimental theatre in the past, but it wasn't until my own personal experience with the shadow cast that I was fully able to accept this as truth.
As such, I'd like to find new, interesting ways to challenge and enrich audiences, and am constantly seeking experience to do so. In seeking these experiences and knowledge, I must understand theatre and a variety of other subjects which will contribute to my understanding from a variety of perspectives.
For example: I've thought a great deal about sociological implications regarding theatre, one of these being the willful suspension of disbelief. Audiences, it appears, have been increasingly more unwilling to suspend disbelief, and in response, I've been working with ways to completely do away with the necessity for an audience to suspend their disbelief to the point that it becomes legitimate belief.
I also come from a strong writing background. I am constantly in search of new and exciting ways to write pieces for theatrical performance, in addition to technical pieces regarding theatre as a whole. It is one of my dreams to develop and publish a book detailing my own unique "acting method". This method deals a lot with psychology, sociology, anatomy, and various other disciplines which I intend to research in its development.
Historically speaking, theatre has been around for thousands of years. While my aim is to ensure it stays relevant in this day and age, it would be foolish not to be familiar with not only the history of theatre, but with all history, and how that has led to theatre, literature, technology, and art today.
As far as art goes, it is something which has always been quite important to me. I'd like to design sets and costumes which are modern, functional, abstract, and aesthetically pleasing, and also experiment with various other artistic mediums in conjunction with theatrical pieces.
While art and theatre are two compatible mediums, mathematics and theatre are rarely brought up in the same conversation. There have been, however, successful plays dealing with mathematics as the subject matter, including Proof by David Auburn, which won the 2000 Pulitzer.
I'd like to find a way to expand on mathematical principles in theatre with theatre itself. It would be interesting to work with statistical information within theatre, varying meters within writing to appeal to mathematics and how those can elicit various moods when used effectively, and set design which is strongly dependent on both mathematics and physics. I feel that a deep immersion in these areas could contribute to a greater future impact of mathematics in the theatre, and a better understanding of past trends, which is well worth exploring.
Exploration and constant learning is something I strive for; I've had quite a bit of life experience which has led me to this area of study, and I strongly believe that an education at Goddard College would be a great help in this pursuit. The idea of achieving my goals and being able to bounce ideas off of others while working on this at my home sounds like a dream come true.
