Performing Arts Field Paper

Performing Arts Field Paper

For this assignment for will be writing on Performing Arts. However, one option that I will accept for this assignment is your viewing of any film from The Criterion Collection.  They have a great collection of art based films.  You may already have access to the Criterion Channel via one of your streaming services.  Otherwise, you may try to find one of these films by other means (e.g. renting or purchase).  

https://www.criterion.com/ (Links to an external site.)

Here is their streaming service (which is an amazing resource):

https://www.criterionchannel.com/ (Links to an external site.)  

If you choose to watch a Criterion movie, it needs to be a full length film (not a short film - shoot for 120 minutes, at least).  It cannot be a documentary.  

I strongly recommend any Akira Kurosawa film.  If you prefer a certain genre, you can search "horror," "comedy," etc... and then search "collections." 

Below are several links that connect to articles about current streaming  Performing Arts  events.  You can stream a stage production (play, ballet, etc) from any legitimate stage company or theater.  If you find something, but are unsure if it is appropriate, please send me a message.  There are also some live streams from comedy clubs, which may be fun.

The links below have some live musical concerts.  Note: you may also want to check directly with musical venues.  Some are providing livestreams, and by watching, you support the survival of a live music venue.

https://www.songkick.com/live-stream-concerts (Links to an external site.)

https://www.performingartslive.com/ (Links to an external site.)

Here is a theater link:

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-best-theater-to-watch-online-today-streaming (Links to an external site.)

Here is some live local comedy:

https://www.comedyoakland.com/

Write a four (4-5) page paper in which you will analyze and critically discuss the work. You should cover all of the points below, although not necessarily in this order. Your paper should be a coherent and organized whole.

(1) Describe the work of art.

(2) Describe your overall aesthetic experience.

(3) Give your reaction to the work.

(4) Interpret the work: What do you think the artist was trying to say, if anything? Are there any parts open to multiple interpretations? Support your interpretation with evidence from the work and from information about the work or the creator(s) of the work. (Information can often be found in the performance space itself. There may be information about the artist, director, or composer in the library or on the internet. Or you could interview the artist or someone else related to the performance. You need to do some research here.)

(5) Evaluate the work.

Was it better or worse than works similar to it which you have experienced (for example, other dance performances)? (If you have never experienced something in the same genre, for example ballet, then compare the work to ones in similar genres you know, for example flamenco.)

Did it provide a good aesthetic experience? Was the experience valuable? How does your interpretation and evaluation compare to that of a reviewer of the show and with other people who viewed it? (Again, you might have to get creative here. Perhaps there is a review of the same play or dance performed in another city.)

(6) Explain and defend your evaluation.

and answer the following questions:

(7) What role did emotions play in your experience?

(8) Did the work teach you anything? Does it help us to know something?

Finally, and most importantly :

Relate your discussion of the work to the ideas in one of the readings we have done in this class.

Demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical argument at hand. Use textual citations from the text to support your analysis of the topic. Then relate the discussion to your aesthetic experience in a relevant way.

Appropriate philosophical articles to apply to this paper are the ones by Hume, Cohen (this would be appropriate for a comedy show), Dewey, Chernoff (Music), and Brown/Adorno (Music).

Please make sure the article is appropriate to the event you experienced.

Be sure to use only one of these philosophical articles and go into detail regarding the argument at hand.

Be sure to write out contractions, write out all numbers under 10, and include proper textual citation (as well as ample citations to strengthen your philosophical explications).