Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1978 - 5

Theatre Design
&

Technology
Volume XIV. Number 2 * Summer, 1978
Journal of the United Stat..
Institute for Theatre Technology

Contents
5

The Origins, Evolution and Development of
Theatre Design since World War II in the United
States
by George C. Izenour

Old and New: The Rejection of the Fan-Shaped
Auditorium and the Reinstatement of the
Courtyard Form
by lain Mackintosh

A Space for Oedipus
by Arnold Aronson

Dyeing and Painting Fabric with Fibre-Reactive
Dyes
by Deborah M. Dryden

Technology as Art: The American Contemporary Theatre
by E. T. Kirby

Notes on a.non Graphics
byBruceEaton

Technical Report
A Fire for Hippolytos
by Roger B. Burch and John Scharres

New Products

Book Reviews
On the Cover: Batik by Deborah M. Dryden using
fibre-reactive dyes (see article on page 31).

Theatre Design & Technology is published four times a yearSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter-from editorial offices at 117-204
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may be submitted by anyone. A copy of the journal's "Editorial
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of $12.00 per year/Domestic and $18.00 per year/Foreign, payable in U.S. currency. Changes of address should be mailed to the
Circulation Manager, c/o of the New York office, 1501 Broadway,
New York, N.Y. 10036.

* * *

Back issues of Theatre Design & Technology are available from
Xerox University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI
48106.

* *

An Introduction
The articles and reports included in this issue touch upon
almost every aspect of technology and design in some way.
More importantly, perhaps, we feel it strikes a balance among
these elements. For instance, it has been several years since
an article on costuming has appeared in TD&T. It is hoped
that Deborah Dryden's piece on dyeing and painting fabric
will encourage other costumers to contribute material for
publication.
The central focus of this issue is the debate between
George Izenour and lain Mackintosh over the proper and
ideal shapes and designs for theatre architecture. While both
articles were solicited for publication here, they were adapted
from papers presented at the Eighth World Congress of the
International Federation for Theatre Research (Munich/September, 1977), whose theme was "Theatre Space: An Examination of the Interaction between Space, Technology, Performance and Society."
As in any debate, hard lines tend to be drawn, thereby
eliminating subtleties and, Ultimately, the middle ground in
which the solution probably lies. It is not simply a case of
idealism versus pragmatism, or economics versus art. There
are certain elements, as Mackintosh suggests, that cannot be
reduced to formulae, just as there are other considerations
that demand the practical solutions of Izenour.
The baroque playhouse evolved, in part, out of Renaissance misinterpretations of Vitruvius. One wonders if some
future, more knowledgable, generation might not laugh at the
results of our conjectures of Shakespeare's Globe? Likewise,
can there be a definitive style of playhouse since the needs
and realities of one era are not those of the next? The dialog
printed here raises many questions on these issues.
The article on the American Contemporary Theatre of Buffalo, New York, demonstrates again that the experimental
theatre can be involved in technical innovation. In their formal
explorations of light, sound, and space, the members of ACT
create problems In both technology and design that require
ingenious solutions. ACT has been doing important work in
the avant-garde but has been somewhat overlooked, largely
because of its location.
The Performance Group is more widely known but, despite
its reputation for innovative scenography, it has received little
notice from technicians and designers. TPG's setting for
Seneca's Oedipus, though atypical of the Group's work
posed unusual construction problems.
Finally, we would like to encourage the contribution of
"reports"-short pieces that fall somewhere between news
items and articles-on particular productions, research, or
anything else of interest to USITT members.

OlSTT News
The Hungarian Center of OISTT has announced two upcoming events: a General Assembly in Budapest, in late May,
marking the tenth anniversary of the Theatre Technical Section; and an exhibition in November, also in Budapest, of
Soviet Theatre Architecture.
Last October, a meeting of the Publication and Information
Commission was held in Budapest. USITT was represented
by Ned Bowman, who served as co-chairman. Certain items
may be of interest. The Commission has asked all National
Centers to compile data sheets on their major theatre buildings-a uniform data sheet has been devised. While there
currently exists a Scandanavian dictionary of theatre technology in eight languages (including English, French, and
German), OISTT is compiling an international dictionary. For
further information, contact Ned Bowman.
Kate Davy
Arnold Aronson

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1978