Fullbright

It's a start...

Personal Statement
Donald R. Rebar, United States

If chosen for the Fulbright award, I would like to examine contemporary theatre in South Korea—particularly how new works and aesthetic values gestate in a country that has seen an explosion of Westernization, both culturally and economically, throughout the past century. Three main areas peak my interest. Given the deep placement of traditional forms of performance (Dance, Shamanism, etc.) within the Korean culture, I would like to examine how realistic forms of theatre can be influenced by these traditional forms—are they included, dismissed, neglected? Given the abstract nature of many forms of traditional performance, I would also like to see what steps are being taken by contemporary artists to continue or disengage this form of abstraction, when more literal, linear forms of entertainment—such as Shakespeare and Chekhov—are abundantly accessible. Furthermore, as one of the most technologically advanced cultures on the planet, I would like to perform a close examination of how technology plays itself into the themes and aesthetics of the Korean theatre.

The nature of my study would include a formalized mentoring with an expert on traditional Korean forms, as well as extensive field research into the contemporary theatre scene of the country. As a classically trained dramaturg, I attempt to link texts and theatrical experiences to their historical origins so that they can be best realized in production. In this case, my findings would not be applied to a specific production, but to the state of the American Theatre in general. Historically, the appearance of the abstract on the American stage has become less and less palatable for the theatergoing public. While it is easy to throw the blame at the extreme realism of film and television, that is not only a base answer, but it is an admission of defeat by the American Theatre. Through close exposure to a culture where the logic of Western theatre has taken hold, I would like to see the ways that the abstract and the logical can cross paths, hopefully leading to the creation of a theatre where imagination is truly valid, and that is accessible to all.