Richard Schechner

Richard Schechner (b. 1934) is an American theatre director, performance theorist, and university professor who pioneered the field of Performance Studies. His work spans theatre directing, academic writing, and theoretical contributions to understanding ritual, play, and performance across cultures. Through his experimental theatre work with The Performance Group in the 1960s-70s, Schechner developed the concepts of "environmental theatre" and "restored behavior," which became influential frameworks for analyzing performance. His productions often broke traditional theatrical conventions by involving audience participation and using unconventional spaces. His major written works include Environmental Theater (1973), Between Theater and Anthropology (1985), and Performance Theory (1988), which explore the intersections between ritual, play, social drama, and theatre. Schechner established the field of Performance Studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he continues to serve as University Professor. As founding editor of The Drama Review (TDR), Schechner helped document and shape avant-garde theatre and performance art movements while building bridges between anthropology, sociology, and theatre studies. His theoretical frameworks continue to influence contemporary understanding of performance in both artistic and cultural contexts.

Readers value Schechner's academic contributions but frequently note his dense, theoretical writing style. Students and scholars cite Performance Theory and Environmental Theater as thorough examinations of performance studies fundamentals. What readers liked: - Clear breakdowns of complex performance concepts - Integration of anthropological research with theatre studies - Detailed documentation of experimental theatre history - Practical examples alongside theoretical frameworks What readers disliked: - Complex academic language that can be hard to parse - Repetitive points across different works - Text organization that some find scattered - Limited accessibility for non-academic readers One graduate student on Goodreads wrote: "His ideas are brilliant but buried under layers of academic jargon." Another reader noted: "The concepts revolutionized how I think about performance, but getting through the text was a struggle." Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (Performance Theory) Amazon: 4.1/5 (Environmental Theater) Average review scores skew higher among academic readers vs general audiences.

Environmental Theater (1973) Examines experimental theater practices that break traditional venue boundaries and merge spectators with performances.

Performance Theory (1988) Analysis of the relationships between ritual, play, and performance across different cultures and time periods.

The Future of Ritual: Writings on Culture and Performance (1993) Explores ritual behaviors in modern theater, sports, popular entertainment, and political demonstrations.

Performance Studies: An Introduction (2002) Comprehensive overview of performance studies methodology, covering theater, ritual, play, and social performance.

Between Theater and Anthropology (1985) Examines the intersection of theatrical performance and anthropological research methods.

The End of Humanism: Writings on Performance (1982) Collection of essays discussing the transformation of theater and performance in contemporary society.

Essays on Performance Theory 1970-1976 (1977) Early theoretical writings establishing foundational concepts in performance studies.

Theatres, Spaces, Environments: Eighteen Projects (1975) Documentation of environmental theater productions and experimental performance spaces.

Performative Circumstances from the Avant Garde to Ramlila (1983) Analysis of avant-garde performance practices and traditional Indian theater forms.

Rasaesthetics (2001) Investigation of Indian performance aesthetics and their application to contemporary theater practice.

Victor Turner - Anthropologist who explored ritual, performance, and social drama through ethnographic studies. His concepts of liminality and communitas influenced performance theory and theatrical analysis.

Jerzy Grotowski - Theatre director who developed methods of actor training focused on psychophysical techniques and the sacred aspects of performance. His work on "poor theatre" stripped performances to essential elements between actors and audience.

Eugenio Barba - Theatre practitioner who founded the Odin Teatret and developed theatre anthropology through cross-cultural performance research. His studies of pre-expressive behavior and performer presence connect to Schechner's performance theories.

Augusto Boal - Creator of Theatre of the Oppressed who developed techniques for using theatre as a tool for social change. His methods of forum theatre and invisible theatre expanded performance into everyday life and political action.

Erving Goffman - Sociologist who analyzed social interaction through a dramaturgical lens, viewing everyday behavior as performance. His work on frame analysis and the presentation of self in daily life parallels performance studies approaches.