Concluding Statement

When I started this class I thought it was just going to be another liberal studies class. It is a one hundred level class so usually the workload for those aren't too much. I actually did not need this class because I took my elective Freshmen year in music. This class for me was something to fill up my schedule because I did not want to graduate in December. Well let me say, I was definitely wrong. This class was not a breeze and it was not another liberal studies class. The workload is way more than a lot of one hundred level classes and I am learning that as I am trying to finish my work here at the end of the semester. I don't think that it is a bad thing that this class required a lot of work. It required you to use your brain in different ways. We have to write these blog entries, take quizzes, and write posts on a discussion board. The blog entries are requiring essay writing and formally putting your ideas together. The quizzes required you to read the information in the book, view PowerPoint presentations, read plays, and view videos. The quizzes then tested the knowledge of this information. The discussion boards required your creativity. There are no right or wrong answers but to see what ideas you could come up with certain scenarios.

Even though I was unable to manage my time effectively throughout the semester to get the work done, I have enjoyed doing that work that I have done. I liked theater and only paid attention to the aspects of it that I liked. This basically meant musicals. Musicals have always been my favorite productions to watch because of the singing and dancing. Doing the blog entry on Broadway let me find information on the shows and Broadway itself. I have always wanted to go and see a show there, but never have. I liked being able to research the different shows that are playing. Taking this class has also shown me the different types of theater that exist. I enjoyed researching The Public Theater in New York City. They had such a clear mission to produce the works of Shakespeare as well as works from artists trying to get established for students and the residents of New York City. They also offer workshops for students to give them a chance to perform Shakespeare and develop their writing as an artist. Researching that and doing the readings opened my mind to different kinds of theater.

At the end of this class I am able to say that I am taking away a new respect for Theater. I have realized that theater is not all about musicals. It is something that is very popular among our culture, but not in others. Also from the readings, I learned that many forms of art have come from other cultures through interculturalism. It is nice to see that cultures are blending together their cultural traditions as well as others. The discussion posts have given me the chance to express my creativity. I am not the most creative person, but art doesn't require the most original ideas. As long as you have an original idea then it can be considered an art form. Being in this class makes me want to explore theater more. It has taken me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing. It is good to stray away from the comfort zone because you learn new things like I have. I am taking an interest in the different kinds of theater now. I would like to go see other types of productions away from musicals. I wish that I would have gone to see some of the smaller shows that have came to campus. I always wanted to see the popular shows, but what makes theater interesting is all the other types of theater that exist. From taking this class as well, it has made me want to see not only other types of American works but works from other cultures. Theater doesn't just exist in America, but all over the world in different forms and I see that. I have a new appreciation for the different types of theater that exist. I would like to add that one of my theaters that is not American is the Irish dancing. Riverdance and Lord of the Dance originally aired in Ireland and recently came to America in the late 1990's. I now realize that is a type of theater and I would love to see what other cultures produce.