ONLINE SEMINAR: Visceral Dynamics: The Musicality of Dramatic Structure

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

Through their commonality as durational forms, theater often has more in common with music than narrative prose. In this seminar, students will explore what concepts of musical composition can teach us about creating energetically dynamic works for the stage. Guided by Jarek, students will discuss common building blocks employed in different genres of musical composition, connect these musical approaches to considerations of how performance pieces can behave, and develop a new lens to consider the dynamic movement of a performance script

This class is for you if you:

• Have a background or interest in music, instruments, or lyricism.
• Want to discover ways to utilize music in your writing process.
• Are a theatremaker interested in leaning further into the energy-exchange/experiential aspects of performance.
• Want to infuse musicality into your script to create visceral responses from the audience.
• Are interested in learning more about Jarek Pastor’s work and approach to writing.

What to expect:

• Presentation and lecture from the instructor.
• Brief in-class readings/viewings.
• Discussions surrounding the parallel between music composition and elements of playwriting.