How Do You Want To Do This?: Dungeons, Dragons & Magic Ifs
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Michelle MacArthur
Proposal
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many theatre productions have been moved online, resulting in the concept of digital theatre expanding from recordings of shows done on stage, to shows done exclusively on an online platform that take advantage of the digital medium. This change in definitions calls into question whether pieces of media not previously considered “theatre” could now be identified as such. This research will be a case study of the Dungeons & Dragons web show, Critical Role, to evaluate whether it, and by extension web shows like it, could be considered theatre. Specifically, the research will focus on Critical Role’s ongoing 2nd campaign, “The Mighty Nein”. It has been airing live on Thursday nights since January 11th, 2018 and features a main cast of eight professional voice actors. I will compare Critical Role to the digital theatre shows commissioned and performed by the University Players in the fall of 2020 to see what theatrical elements they have in common. I will also look at Stanislavski’s “magic if” realist acting technique and how it is used in the improvisation and chance gameplay inherent in the Dungeons & Dragons format. By classifying Critical Role as theatre, perhaps more digital content can be categorized and studied as pieces of theatre in the future.
Availability
All day 31st of March and 1st of April.
How Do You Want To Do This?: Dungeons, Dragons & Magic Ifs
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many theatre productions have been moved online, resulting in the concept of digital theatre expanding from recordings of shows done on stage, to shows done exclusively on an online platform that take advantage of the digital medium. This change in definitions calls into question whether pieces of media not previously considered “theatre” could now be identified as such. This research will be a case study of the Dungeons & Dragons web show, Critical Role, to evaluate whether it, and by extension web shows like it, could be considered theatre. Specifically, the research will focus on Critical Role’s ongoing 2nd campaign, “The Mighty Nein”. It has been airing live on Thursday nights since January 11th, 2018 and features a main cast of eight professional voice actors. I will compare Critical Role to the digital theatre shows commissioned and performed by the University Players in the fall of 2020 to see what theatrical elements they have in common. I will also look at Stanislavski’s “magic if” realist acting technique and how it is used in the improvisation and chance gameplay inherent in the Dungeons & Dragons format. By classifying Critical Role as theatre, perhaps more digital content can be categorized and studied as pieces of theatre in the future.