Modern Theatre timeline.

George Bernard Shaw's play "Major Barbara" plays a vital role in modern theatre by bringing light to social issues. "The sweeping breakthroughs in technology promoted accompanying social changes: now that droves of people were moving to densely populated cities, individuals of differing economic class were mixing in new ways" (Portland Center Stage, para. 4). When a lot of people move to one place in abundance that can lead to poverty. This play brings awareness to how people view poverty.

Konstantin Stanislavski was an actor who developed an acting system known as the Stanislavski system. "The Stanislvaski system held that an actor's main responsibility was to be believable as well as understood" ("About Stanislavski", para. 1). Stanislavski felt like actors needed to add in their own emotions and read between the lines. When they do this it allows the audiences to empathize right along with the actors and feel all the emotions from the scene.

Antonin Artaud was a producer who created the concept of "Theory of Cruelty," which meant he did not want the audience to have to rely on narrative or realism to get the emotional effect. "Artaud's breaths, groans, and screams were attempts to transmit the disabling pain he experienced his entire life and the impossibility of sharing that suffering with an audience" (Diquattro, page 26). He wanted the audience to experience everything he felt and not have to imagine it without seeing it.

Eugene O'Neill was a playwright and his form of writing led him to win a Nobel prize. "O'Neill experimented with new dramatic techniques and dared tackle controversial issues as interracical marriage, the equality of the sexes, the power of the unconscious mind, and the hold of materialism on the American soul." ("Who Was", para. 3). Addressing these issues throughout plays allows for the audiences to see them in a new light and understand that the ways of life are changing.

Peter Brook was a director who played an important role in finding a way for different cultures to understand each other on set. "The participants in the workshop led by Brook, although belonging to different traditions, come to identify a common language hidden cultural stereotypes" (Cozma, page 40). Finding common ground allows for actors to better understand each other and can lead to fewer problems. This is still very important in the modern day due to the diversity of cultures now.

Bob Fosse was a choreographer who changed the face of dance moves. "His dances were sexual, physically demanding of even the most highly trained dancers, full of joyous humor as well as bleak cynicism - works that addressed the full range of human emotion" ("Bob Fosse", para. 1). By demonstrating these dance moves it allowed for audiences to experience a new style of theatre and showed the actors it was okay to put themselves out their in that aspect.

Stephen Sondheim was a choreographer who tended to focus on themes of love and loss. "Sondheim consistent ability to merge words and music that hint at the deeper personality beneath the prototype character distinguished him as a composer of rare ingenuity and talent" ("Stephen Sondheim", para. 12). He uses his way with music to also match the fact that he focuses on characters not getting their happy ending. Instead, he wants the audience to feel the emotions of a sad ending.

Josef Svodoba was a designer during the modern theatre era. "In his cancer, he pushed the boundaries of theatre and performance design, and redefined the creative role of the designer" ("An Artist", para. 6). He did this by including items in his designs that audiences were not used to. Svdoba learned to incorporate technology into his designs, which led to ever-changing and dynamic environments. By learning to do this, he opened the door for future designers to use technology advancements.

One movement that became very important was postmoderism. "The term is associated with scepticism, irony and philosophical critiques of the concepts of universal truth and objective reality" (Tate, para. 1). Nobody would question traditional theatrical form without this movement. When people do not question how something is done, that doesn't lead to experimenting with new theatrical forms. Questioning how theatre is portrayed then leads to advancements within theatre.

The musical "Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda was an important part of modern theatre. "With a diverse cast and hip hop music style, the show tells American's history in a way that relates to an audience in America today" (Created by Renee Rhodes, para. 1). This musical tells the history of Alexander Hamilton while engaging the audience. The cast is mainly made up of African-American, Hispanic, and Latinx actors, leading to other productions seeing that it's okay to have a diverse cast.