Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1993 - 14

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Founded as lhe Goodman School oi Drama in 1925. nOl\ in our 6,th :'eason. I\e uiler a disringuishe(i
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THE
THEATRE
SCHOOL
DePaul University
2135 \onh I\enmore .-\\enue. Chicago. Illinois lilllil·1
Call (312) 362· '31~. or (outside Illinois) 1· 'IIII·~ DE P.-\U
B.F.A. in Acting, Costume Design, Lighting DeSign, Playwriting, Production Management.
Scenic Design, Theatre History/Criticism, General Theatre Studies.
Theatre Management and Theatre Technology.
Certificate in Actrng and Costume Construction.
M.FA In Acting, Directing, Costume Design, Lighting Design and Scenic Design.

1993 SPRING

TD&T

expressioll-tllld desigllers bear t/ll etilica!
alld /110m! respollsibilif)'.for tile i/llages tilat
tile)' create, tile positioll ofrileir IIrt ill tileir
socief)\ alld tile lISes to wilicil tile)' put tilat
art.
i\ Iany artisrs find rhis idea strange and

old-fashioned. "Art has a moral dimension? Artisrs have a moral responsibiliry?"
The idea seems irrelevanr ro rheir processes. In rhis derached and aloof view of
art, sraremenrs such as: "Art only reflecrs
sociery" or "I have only quesrions in my
art-nor answers" or "The art is whar ir
is; whar you see in ir is your responsibiliry, nor mine" embody rypical conremporary arrirudes rhar disavow responsibiliry.
The arrirudes are cypical because we live
in an age rhar does nor wanr ro accepr
any responsibiliry for anyrhing. The idea
of responsibiliry for our anions is roo
uncomfortable for us ro accepr. W/e have
become confused and we rhink rhar
moral responsibiliry does noc exisr in a
relarivisric universe. Indeed, our popular
culrure reinforces rhis crippling idea wirh
irs powerful, all-pervaisve message of
immediare, violem, self-grarifying consumprion. Bur jusr because we exisr in a
universe char offers mulriple, relarivisric
choices, we do noc escape che moral
responsibilicy comained in rhe choices
we make.
An reflecrs sociecy, ro be sure, bur if
all art had ro do was ro reflecc society or
reali!)', rhen mirrors would hang in museums rarher rhan paimings. No, art has a
higher responsibiliry chan rhal. Art
reflecrs reali!)', bur ir also adds somerhing
new ro reali!)'. The anisr gers ro choose
whar rhe somerhing new is-rhar is rhe
special perk of being an artisr-and rhar
choice has a moral dimension. Artisrs ger
ro add somerhing ro rhe sum of human
experience. They ger ro celeb rare rhe
human condition. They ger ro elevare
ir-nor debase ir and cenainly nor jusr
merely record ir.
Ir is a paradox rhar when we abdicare
rhis moral responsibiliry-when we srop
behaving like artisrs-we unleash rhe
forces rhat debase human life. The forces
of absolurism rhar an has hisrorically
srood againsr-ignorance, narrow-mindedness, aurhorirarianism, and repression-are srrengrhened when we artisrs
refuse ro, or are incapable of, assuming
rhe moral responsibilicy for our choices.

The designer can only ilollesr(y design his
response ro rhe play, norhing else. As rhe
designer collaborares wirh his fello\\'
arrisrs, rhis response will change and

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1993