Congress In Session

Distinguished Colleagues and Esteemed Opponents,

Today I present a rather lofty claim. Give me leave to present my case. I propose that:

Theatre is the highest art form because it holds the potentiality to incorporate all other art forms.

Granted, not every piece of theatre uses every other art form in it, but there is substantial precedent for all of the following:

• The Two- and Three-Dimensional Visual Arts – the set and lighting designs of a play are crucial elements in telling the story and bringing the director’s vision to life. Picasso, Dali, and Matisse all designed theatrical sets and/or costumes during their careers. In addition, the blocking of actors on the stage is a form of spatial arrangement and sculpture, albeit moving sculpture.
• Literary Arts – prose and poetry are brought to life onstage as the text of a play.
• Film and Multimedia – projections (clips of existing films, live feeds, original footage, etc.) are used frequently in theatrical endeavors as another means of telling a story to a modern, tech-savvy audience.
• Fashion – costume design is an inherent design component of a play.
• Music – this does not just go for musicals. As Mitchell Conway, my honored colleague from Massachusetts, once pointed out, it is exceedingly rare to see a production that does not utilize either canned or live music as part of the experience.
• Dance and Movement – again, not just for musicals. Movement is an intrinsic part of most theatrical training and “physical theatre” is very popular.
• The Culinary Art – disagree with me? I humbly offer you the examples of Brecht’s Baal or Killer Joe by Tracy Letts.

Undoubtedly, this is a cursory look at the other art forms and perhaps I have missed some. Yet I cannot think of any other art form that is so inclusive of the others (save Opera, but I am considering that a close sister of theatre and grouping them somewhat together). Challenge me if you wish, but in my mind, theatre will always be the Super Art.*

*Super Art: The Art that invites all of the other arts over for parties, that never forgets a birthday, and is all around the friendliest and best art form.

Written by Julie Congress