Student dancers. The one at right has a television set on her head with an image of her face on the screen.

Storytelling

The use of all available tools for expressive purposes is an enduring tradition in theatermaking. From the deus ex machina of ancient Greek drama to the architectural and spatial innovations of the Noh stage, theater has long integrated technical means into the service of storytelling.

Throughout history, there has been a dynamic interplay between technology and performance. In MIT Theater, technological innovation expands the possibilities of theatrical expression while reshaping the very narratives that theater seeks to tell. As new tools alter the conditions of human experience, the stories staged in response evolve to reflect these shifting realities.

Subjects to consider

21T.210 Choreography: Making Dances
This course is about making dances while asking “what even is a dance in the first place?” Through practical explorations and studio exercises, approaches the creation of choreography through various methods. Viewings of works from across the spectrum of dance will augment and inspire explorations.

21T.150: Playwriting Fundamentals
An introduction to the fundamentals of dramatic writing. Students write scenes and short plays with the primary inspiration for the work coming from personal experience and observation.

21T.131: Script Analysis
This course helps students practice and develop their skills at analyzing plays from the perspective of the four elements of dramatic form: character, narrative, language, and plasticity. Students learn how to discuss the contradictory meanings and ambiguities in a variety of challenging and emotionally-vexed scripts.