Performer

There are theatre practices and traditions around the world that are performer-led, from the Balinese dalang to the American stand-up comic. In some instances the performer generates his or her own material and controls the vision and “look” of the piece. In other instances, such as Kathakali, the performer re-enacts an extant piece. In these instances there is usually no other director, designer or creator. Although the performer may collaborate with others, he or she has ultimate control of the piece.

The role of the performer

During your IB Theatre course you must develop an understanding of the skill set and key responsibilities associated with the role of the performer, as outlined below.

 

Role	Key responsibilities	Skill set
Performer	The performer is responsible for the presentation of ideas, character, emotions and story to an audience using body and voice.	The ability to communicate and express ideas, character, narrative and location using body and voice An understanding of the art form of theatre (plot, tension, symbol, space, character and so on) and different styles of presentation An understanding of the performance conventions of particular theatre practices and traditions The ability to interpret text and transform text/ideas/story into action using body and voice The ability to develop clear intentions regarding how his or her performance will impact on an audience The ability to work creatively with physical space An understanding of how a piece is structured, paying attention to pace, sequence, rhythm and continuity The ability to focus the audience’s attention An understanding of how production elements work together with performance The ability to collaborate and work independently The ability to research