about the method gun hasya (humor, cheekiness), karuna (pity, grief), vira (courage, energy, also translated as ‘like a stallion’), bhayanaka (shame, regret), raudra (anger), smaronmada (insanity), and bib- hatsa (disgust, also translated as “disdain”). The RasaBoxes method also incorporates modern ideas such as those of French playwright, actor, and director Antonin Artaud, who demanded that actors be “athletes of the emotions,” capable of hopping in and out of a scene’s needed sensibilities with the same dexterity that an athlete uses when moving between the bench and live action. The Natyasastra gives very specific instructions on the portrayal of each emotion; RasaBoxes uses an improvisational approach that allows for each actor’s individual expression. In the RasaBoxes exercises, participants move through nine boxes of equal size drawn on the floor. Each represents a rasa
state. Participants spend time allowing the rasa state to possess them, rather than attempting to portray the state.
RESIDENT THEATRE COMPANY Rude Mechs is proud to serve as the Resident Theatre Company for The University of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance. From now through the 2014/15 scholastic year, Rude Mechs will serve as the Resident Theatre Company. Through this innovative partnership of a renowned Tier 1 research university and Rude Mechs, a generation of new undergraduate and graduate students will gain a unique perspective on collectively creating new plays and managing a mid-size theatre.
about texas theatre and dance The Department of Theatre and Dance is a world-class educational environment that serves as the ultimate creative incubator for the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in theatre and performance.
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