**** Expanded edition of the work originally published by Cornell U. Press in 1984 and endorsed by BCL3. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

World Theories of Theatre expands the horizons of theatrical theory beyond the West, providing the tools essential for a truly global approach to theatre. Identifying major debates in theatrical theory from around the world, combining discussions of the key theoretical questions facing theatre studies with extended excerpts from primary materials, specific primary materials, case studies and coverage of Southern Africa, the Caribbean, North Africa and the Middle East, Oceania, Latin America, East Asia, and India. The volume is divided into three sections: Theoretical questions, which applies cross-cultural perspectives to key issues from aesthetics to postcolonialism, interculturalism, and globalization. Cultural and literary theory, which is organised by region, presenting a range of theatrical theories in their historical and cultural context. Practical exercises, which provides a brief series of suggestions for physical exploration of these theoretical concepts. World Theories of Theatre presents fresh, vital ways of thinking about the theatre, highlighting the extraordinary diversity of approaches available to scholars and students of theatre studies. This volume includes theoretical excerpts from: Zeami Motokiyo Bharata Muni Wole Soyinka Femi Osofisan Uptal Dutt Saadallah Wannous Enrique Buenaventura Derek Walcott Werewere Liking Maryrose Casey Augusto Boal Tadashi Suzuki Jiao Juyin Oriza Hirata Gao Xingjian Roma Potiki Poile Sengupta

This is a new and enlarged edition of Mark Fortier's very successful and widely used essential text for students. Theory/Theatre provides a unique and engaging introduction to literary theory as it relates to theatre and performance. Fortier lucidly examines current theoretical approaches, from semiotics, poststructuralism, through cultural materialism, postcolonial studies and feminist theory. This new edition includes: * More detailed explanation of key ideas * New 'Putting it into practice' sections at the end of each chapter so you can approach performances from specific theoretical perspectives * Annotated further reading section and glossary. Theory/Theatre is still the only study of its kind and is invaluable reading for beginning students and scholars of performance studies.

Through a collection of original essays and case studies, this innovative book explores theory as an accessible, although complex, tool for theatre practitioners and students. These chapters invite readers to (re)imagine theory as a site of possibility or framework that can shape theatre making, emerge from practice, and foster new ways of seeing, creating, and reflecting. Focusing on the productive tensions and issues that surround creative practice and intellectual processes, the contributing authors present central concepts and questions that frame the role of theory in the theatre. Ultimately, this diverse and exciting collection offers inspiring ideas, raises new questions, and introduces ways to build theoretically-minded, dynamic production work.

This volume introduces the key elements and approaches in the study of theatre and performance, covering drama, music theatre and dance.

Beginning with Aristotle and the Greeks and ending with semiotics and post-structuralism, Theories of the Theatre is the first comprehensive survey of Western dramatic theory. In this expanded edition the author has updated the book and added a new concluding chapter that focuses on theoretical developments since 1980, emphasizing the impact of feminist theory.