{"product_id":"the-necessity-of-theater-the-art-of-watching-and-being-watched-paperback-2","title":"The Necessity of Theater: The Art of Watching and Being Watched - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003ePaul Woodruff\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is unique and essential about theater? What separates it from other arts? Do we need \"theater\" in some fundamental way? The art of theater, as Paul Woodruff says in this elegant and unique book, is as necessary - and as powerful - as language itself. Defining theater broadly, including sporting events and social rituals, he treats traditional theater as only one possibility in an art that - at its most powerful - can change lives and (as some peoples believe) bring a divine presence to earth. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Necessity of Theater\u003c\/em\u003e analyzes the unique power of theater by separating it into the twin arts of watching and being watched, practiced together in harmony by watchers and the watched. Whereas performers practice the art of being watched - making their actions worth watching, and paying attention to action, choice, plot, character, mimesis, and the sacredness of performance space - audiences practice the art of watching: paying close attention. A good audience is emotionally engaged as spectators; their engagement takes a form of empathy that can lead to a special kind of human wisdom. As Plato implied, theater cannot teach us transcendent truths, but it can teach us about ourselves. \u003cbr\u003eCharacteristically thoughtful, probing, and original, Paul Woodruff makes the case for theater as a unique form of expression connected to our most human instincts. \u003cem\u003eThe Necessity of Theater\u003c\/em\u003e should appeal to anyone seriously interested or involved in theater or performance more broadly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaul Woodruff\u003c\/strong\u003e is Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 272\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.6 x 8.2 x 5.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 19, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42035324158032,"sku":"9780195394801","price":65.12,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0592\/9540\/0016\/files\/L3FjYUVidUtxWVJTbWtiSXdFQlU2QT09_bf810cda-91e3-4fb7-88a3-c532d6070630.webp?v=1771838096","url":"https:\/\/palm-malen-gift-shop-pmrc.myshopify.com\/products\/the-necessity-of-theater-the-art-of-watching-and-being-watched-paperback-2","provider":"Palm Malen Gift Shop -PMRC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}