This Business of Theater
DEALDON WATSON
Professor of Appreciation of Theater
University of Louisville
The class begins with an exercise in remembering
the names of those around you. It seems very
simple at first, until all thirty (30) names in the
circle are called and one individual must recall
each one! “Why is this important?” groans one
student. The instructor gently reminds the business
student, that when they meet with other companies
as businesspersons, they will have to instantly
remember the names of those they are working
shoulder-to-shoulder with. The student reconsiders
his question, and jumps wholeheartedly back into
the exercise. This is a reoccurring theme in a theater
class that is taken mostly by business students.
One would usually not consider that two wildly
different disciplines, theater and business, could have
anything in common. Indeed, why would a business
student ever need to take a theater class? A
theater class can be truly beneficial for business
students. They develop critical thinking skills, and
theater classes teach students to work effectively in
teams, and develop the confidence they need in
order to be leaders and innovators in a business
environment. They develop numerous skills that
can allow one to become a better thinker, more
observant, more focused and overall a better
proponent of the business world.
moods by manipulating metal, wood, light and
various other materials.
Theater classes teach critical thinking skills. Critical
thinking involves observation, interpretation,
analysis, inference, evaluation and explanation.
These notions are at the heart of what creates
great theater. Actors, designers, directors, and
numerous other theater artists observe, interpret
and evaluate as a way of life. The art of theater
requires its participants to routinely think “outside
of the box”. Actors routinely use a number of
methods, including historical study, the placement of
words in the script, and even altering the manner
in which they breathe in order to connect with a
character. Designers make use of obscure motifs
to suggest different settings, time periods and
Theater classes can help business students learn
to work effectively in teams. Teamwork is a
cornerstone of a good business, as delegating and
being accountable for various responsibilities can
result in either the success or failure of an enterprise.
Theater is by nature a collaborative art. It takes
many different individuals: actors, directors,
seamstresses, carpenters etc., in order to create
a complete work of theater. These individuals may
have varying backgrounds and beliefs, but they
come together with one common goal in mind:
In the business world, observation, interpretation
and evaluation of trends related to specific
products, goods or services is critical in the
creation and maintenance of a successful company.
Theater classes undoubtedly teach students,
business students included, how to use these
specific skills. One activity involves two students
observing each other for thirty (30) seconds. Both
students then stand back to back and change
three (3) things about their appearance. Then, the
students turn back around and try to analyze
whatever changes that their partner has made.
This exercise hones the skills of evaluation and
analysis in an outside-the-box format. Another
activity involves positioning static actors in various
positions onstage so as to tell a story or suggest a
relationship. These tableaus are known as “stage
pictures”. Generally, these “stage pictures” are
imperfect at first and must be corrected. The creation
and correction of these tableaus involves much
inference, evaluation and explanation as the
students work together to create the most detailed,
complete tableau.
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