Show Time i For vi Class I By CHICO STATE COLLEGE 1 I I I I r I I I I I I I r r I J r I I I I I I. I THE T E VALUE OF DRAMATICS IN COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY COl Of all the Instincts In human life Ufe perhaps one of the most elemental Is to dramatize The life me of or primitive man manas manas as os well as modern man offers abundant proof of this fact We read of or ancient man acting out his experiences while hunting and later when the white man came to America he found the Indians costuming themselves In bear skins and painting their faces and bodies ami ancI an dancing to Impress their gods Today the smallest child likes to put on his cowboy suit and play How much more fun tun It Is to dress up In suggestive garb and play cowboys and Indians I Tho early Christian church c h u r c h In medieval days took advantage of mans man's natural love for tor drama by Introducing episodes from the scriptures or from the lives of the saints in the form of mysteries and miracle plays The Bible Eible has Its drama In The Song of or Solo Solo- Solomon Solomon Solomon mon Esther and the Book of Job Today this love of drama has spread Into every town and village In the world where almost without exception every high school and college presents one or more plays every year ye Many communities communities com ties have their own Little Theatres as well Up to now the reason for these many productions has In many Instances merely been for show and noise But today In many schools personality de development de- de development development has begun to play an Import import- Important ant part In dramatic activity People whose personalities are maladjusted are arenow arenow arenow now cast In plays to help adjust them Take the timid shy girl who Is cast In Inthe inthe the part of the beautiful heroine and watch her develop Into a a. beautiful well oriented personality I do not mean to say that this will take place In one week or even a month but over a a. period of time a new personality may be devel devel- Many times tunes have I had students come cometo cometo cometo to me who have never been In a a. play and would like to try but they are arc too frightened Give them a a. chance and some may develop Into real leaders Dramatics In the schools s Is of the highest high high- highest highest est value In promoting poise self con and self possession In all situa It gives gl the student the opportunity opportunity opportunity to orientate himself In new sit sit- situations situations situations to develop his Imagination and to study human nature The Tho usual situation In the school Is that the natural leader or the best looking boy bo In the school will play the hero and the prettiest girl the heroine In the community theatre it is more likely to be the man or woman who has donated the most money No attention Is paid to that unobtrusive personality who sits quietly in the background wishing he could have any part no matter how small and willing to work till he dropped in order to do a a. good Job There are many like this quiet boy or girl waiting to prove to themselves as well as to others that they could take their place In a a. group When this method of play production Is worked out with the emphasis on the individual Individual individual dual then the amateur theatre will have contributed a a. part to a a. better under under- understanding understanding understanding standing of a a. complex society If II education education education tion Is to develop all of the student drama cannot be entirely neglected Understand the purpose of the college theatre th atro Is not to train professional actors but to create Individuals PROFESSOR LLOYD JONES Creative Dramatics Chico C State College California |