How the Teatro Olimpico and the Drottningholm Slottsteater “Perform” their Pasts

Is it possible for audiences to be transported to the theatrical past? Dr. Ed Menta joins us to explore this question and more, taking a closer look into the history and architectural design of the Teatro Olimpico (Vicenza) and the Drottningholm Slottsteater (Stockholm). His talk will analyze how these theatres “perform” their pasts, examining how their distinctive features employ motion and space; the presence of their silent ghost audiences; their similarities as one-room theatres; the “democratic nature” of their auditoriums; and the use of trompe l’oeil in their construction. From 1986-2018, Professor Emeritus Ed Menta taught Directing, Theatre History, and Playwriting at Kalamazoo College, directing/producing more than 100 plays for the college’s Festival Playhouse. Menta’s articles have appeared in multiple journals, including Theatre Topics, Theatre Research International, Shakespeare Bulletin, and The Baseball Research Journal. He is also the co-founder, composer, and guitarist of the Kalamazoo blues band, BlueBack.