Concluding Statement

When it comes to what I’ve learned throughout this course, and where I’ve arrived at with this course I think I have a pretty good understanding of where I am at. Also I think most of my classmates are at about the same point I am.

When I started this course, and even when I signed up for it I had no clue what to think. I really only took this class because I needed three more credits to graduate, I didn’t want to schedule another course on campus, and my wife was taking this class. Theater was not really the option I wanted to choose but I ended selecting it anyways. Now that I am done with this class however I am glad I did take it.

I have learned a great deal about theater, learned to think more critically about things, and learned how theater relates to everyday life, and especially my life. Before this class J had never thought before at all how theater could relate to my life, like how sports and public speaking are performances like theater, and how my roles in life change like the roles of an actor change. Assignments in the discussion postings really helped me understand a lot of this and helped me see what my classmates were thinking. Some of my favorite discussions that helped me learn and that were fun include performance reflections, Be a playwright, creative interpretation, and stories. These all helped me reach down inside and get in touch with my creative side and made me think critically.

Another thing I liked in this class was reading the Beauty Queen of Leenane. It was a very interesting play and a very well written and funny one at that. It was easy to understand and I could imagine all of the scenes playing out in my head. I learned a lot about creative interpretation from reading this play as there were some parts that you just had to imagine what was happening. I had the exact opposite experience from reading the tempest however. I did not understand it at all, and just couldn’t get what it was about. I guess it was just to deep for me and I couldn’t just think creatively enough to get it.

From taking this class I did something that I probably never would have done otherwise, and that is go see a play on the IUP campus. My wife and I went to see A Servant to Two Masters and we thoroughly enjoyed it! I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it going into the theater but I ended up liking it a lot. It was a very funny play that was really easy to understand and relate to. I would definitely recommend it to other people and I am glad I got to see a play at IUP.

The thing that got me going the most creativity wise and theater wise is actually posted in this blog. And that is the write your own play. I wrote my own short play entitled Guns and Doughnuts: A Police Tale. I’m not sure how the whole story came to me. I kind of just started off of what I had written for the creative interpretation and went from there. I want to be a police officer some day so I guess it is kind of easy for me to think creatively about things that are police related. It was fun to think about how things would come together, and play the lines and scenes out in my head. That is the experience I will remember most from this class.
I really did learn a lot from this class. I learned a lot about the many different kinds of theaters, the many different things that are considered theater, the elements that go into putting on a production, how to interpret different aspects of theater critically, and some of what goes into writing a theater style story. I got to use some of my creative skills in this class that I have never used before, and got to interpret things like never before.

When it comes to where I stand now I can honestly say I have a new found understanding and respect for theater, and all the art associated with it. I have a respect for how much work goes into a production, and how much dedication it takes to put on a good show. I will never look at theater the same way, whether it be on a stage, on the street, or on TV because now I know a lot of background and truly understand how much work it takes to keep people entertained.