Found a copy of an article that was published in Volume 1, Number 4 of Theatre Arts Magazine in August 1917. Extremely useful article pertaining to the atmosphere and experiences of the Moscow Art Theatre, but this excerpt is definitely inspiring to me, reiterating some of what we talked about in terms of a working ensemble:
"The acting company contains no "stars." Perfect ensemble effect is the aim of every player, and an actor who has an important part in one play may be hardly more than a "super" in the next. The theatre now has the reputation of being the home of perhaps the best acting in Europe. Its actors are not taken from regular theatres, but are preferably trained from youth by the Art Theatre members. A school, or "Studio," has been established for this purpose, and to make possible experiments in new methods of staging. There are no curtain-calls, no matter how successful the production has been. And the audiences are requested not to applaud at any time during the course of the play."
It's interesting to take a look at how a lot of our commercial theater today works in complete opposition to that. Almost every Broadway production right now in New York has at least one "Star" which accordingly brings in revenue.
But I can't help but think about how humbling it was to hear Phylicia Rashad say that she "bows, applauds, prays, and praises those who start new theater companies (referring to Pig Pen) and film studios." In my humble opinion, these ideas, implementations, innovations, and flat out risks are where the truest art begins and thrives in its most fulfilling sense...which is essentially what Chekhov's work was at first.
Copy of the article: http://www.actors-studio.com/history/mat.html
- Corey
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