The Troupes of Theatre

The art of theatre has been classified and critiqued as being a mimetic art which is different from architecture. The mimetic arts, such as the performing arts, occur in performance spaces concealed in the physical architecture of a theater building. This fixed location of the theatre has led to the elements of the theatre to be hidden and contained within the box of the architecture. These elements could be referred to as the "troupes of theatre" in the tradition of a group of thespians being considered a troupe. The performing arts have been traditionally confined as temporary entertainment whose lasting value is situated by virtue of existing only while being on stage within the building. Architecture, on the other hand, holds tectonic value by being present as a real, physical addition to the built environment and the world, yet it also performs as a mimetic art. This creates disconnect and discrimination against theatre, as a mimetic art, which is evident through the neglect and concealment of these troupes of theatre within architecture. This is present in contemporary architecture by the location of the portions of theatre's performances spaces being hidden and concealed within. There is a disconnect between the physical theater and the physical architecture of the building that houses it. The question then arises, could these parts of the theatre, the troupes of theatre, participate in the design of the whole building? In this thesis, the troupes of theatre are celebrated and brought into the same light as the rest of the building that normally confines them to be revealed to the world. Those troupes of the theatre that typically are contained within the box of architecture, are expressed to influence the form of the building. This thesis project seeks to reveal these troupes of theatre that are typically hidden. The troupes that are usually concealed are revealed; the stage rigging, the repetition of the level changes of the seating within a proscenium theater, the curvature of the upper levels of seating, the form of the fly space for stage rigging, the form of the house of the theatre, and the support spaces necessarily for a theatre to properly operate. They become visual design features of the building, and directly influence the architecture by being incorporated into the design. Highlighting these troupes of the theatre allow them to provide didactic information to the public through the architecture. The public is allowed to experience these troupes of the theater, regardless if they are fortunate enough to see a performance or not. Typically, contemporary theatre invites the public into the theatre to have a dialogue within and on the stage of the theatre, within the architecture. But through the troupes of theatre being directly incorporated into the design of the architecture, they invite all to participate. Contemporary theatre acts a public space in its urban framework. It invites and welcomes people of all backgrounds to move throughout, congregate, and experience the troupes of theatre in the city. This theatre encourages and welcomes the public to gather and utilize a previously, uninviting and restricted site along the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. This dialogue and direct connection between the theatre and architecture allows for endless variations in the design of a physical theater with interpretation left open intentionally to unrestricted creativity. Rather than, the design of a theatre as a simple, concealing container for the mimetic arts to create and display this dialogue only on the stage and behind closed walls, it is through expressing the troupes of the theater mimetically and tectonically that clearly identifies the typology of the building to the public and encourages all to be included.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Architecture

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architecture

Department dc:contributor.department

Architecture

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Jacobs, Ryan Patrick

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Feuerstein, Marcia F.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kelsch, Paul J.
• Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C.

• Theatre
• Mimesis
• Architecture
• Troupes
• Tectonic
• Musical
• Performance
• Rehearsal
• Stage
• Theater
• Landscape
• Waterfront
• Alexandria

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:21271

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/91188