I agree with Else's Theory of Spontaneous Generation on the origin of theatre. I believe that the transition from ritual into theatre was not natural and actually came from the active choice that was made by Thespis to step away from the chorus. His decision to become the story, rather than just tell it was the real tipping point into theatre. Theatre differentiates itself from other storytelling methods because of the way it tells a story. Rather than explaining or telling the story, theatre shows it by living the story; the performers literally create the story with their own actions and emotions. Theatre is in all honesty an imitation and expression of human nature and it is able to show this in its unique way by physically reenacting it. When one crosses the line from explaining a story to being the story, they cross the line from storytelling to theatre.
While I believe in origin of theatre that Else's Theory of Spontaneous Generation depicts, I also agree with part of Richard Schechner's Theory of Transformation. I enjoy the idea that theatre is or causes a personal transformation for the audience and the performers. Theatre in its way of expressing human nature truly does have an effect on everyone involved. Similar to the previous theory, the transformation for the performer must happen because of their choice to become the story rather than tell it. They go through a transformation as a performer because they are experiencing their stories with the characters. The audience too goes through this transformation because they are witnessing a human story in front of them. It is human nature to feel along with other humans and theatre does that to an audience.
In summary, I believe that theatre came from the active choice to portray human actions and nature by becoming those people. I believe that the experience of "becoming" another person, or witnessing humans experience their lives as an audience, transforms people. Theatre is, to me, an expression of human nature. We as humans want to express and understand what it is to be human and I believe that is what theatre comes from.
While I believe in origin of theatre that Else's Theory of Spontaneous Generation depicts, I also agree with part of Richard Schechner's Theory of Transformation. I enjoy the idea that theatre is or causes a personal transformation for the audience and the performers. Theatre in its way of expressing human nature truly does have an effect on everyone involved. Similar to the previous theory, the transformation for the performer must happen because of their choice to become the story rather than tell it. They go through a transformation as a performer because they are experiencing their stories with the characters. The audience too goes through this transformation because they are witnessing a human story in front of them. It is human nature to feel along with other humans and theatre does that to an audience.
In summary, I believe that theatre came from the active choice to portray human actions and nature by becoming those people. I believe that the experience of "becoming" another person, or witnessing humans experience their lives as an audience, transforms people. Theatre is, to me, an expression of human nature. We as humans want to express and understand what it is to be human and I believe that is what theatre comes from.