Community Definition and Community Theater
Uploaded by sanity4now on Oct 26, 2011
This paper considers the historical and cultural developments of a community, and what that means for the theater located within it.
I Introduction
How do we define a “community”? This is neither easy nor trivial, particularly if we want to find a way to draw that community together to become involved in a community-based theater. Do we define a community by geographical location? Common religion? Common language? Cultural heritage? Common history? Political ideology? Social outlook? If we want to involve the community in the theater, we have to understand what the community consists of.
This paper will examine culture and history, which are two of the many factors that make communities possible; we also want to look at how they sustain the communities they create.
II General Comments
Theaters and the theatrical experience are common to all people; I can’t think of a country or culture that doesn’t have a theatrical tradition, even if it’s only a shaman telling stories. The idea of someone getting up and giving information to others in the form of plays, songs, recitals, dance, stories, poems—in other words, by a method that requires one person or persons to perform before others, is universal. Perhaps the question that we should consider is what type of historical and cultural constructs would lead to the formation of a community in which theater is important.
III Community as an Historical Construct
One source describes “community” as an evolutionary process that is closely tied to the concept of citizenship. Beginning with the ancient Greeks, citizenship has been an integral and important part of community. “Citizenship” in this context means more than simply being born in a specific place, it means actually taking an active part in public life, being aware of the issues and taking part in governance. This democratic model that began in Greece was less apparent in the Roman Empire; in fact, “Greece gave us participatory citizen democracy, Rome gave us universal citizenship.” (“Historical Development of Citizenship and Community,” PG). That is, the Greeks were expected to take part in their government, whereas the Romans extended citizenship to the people in the Empire. “The idea of Alexander the Great, to create a brotherhood of mankind, became a reality in the Roman Empire. One did not have to be born in Rome to become...