Alternative or Central? Technique or Ethos?

The standard history of Western theater is mainly a history of individuals. This traditional history also emphasizes the evolution of dramatic literature over the centuries, as well as the gradual appearance of the idea of a unified production under the leadership of one person (in modern times, the director) responsible for an overall concept that brings together the work of the theater artists to interpret the playwright's work. But there is a kind of alternative theater history, as well: one that does not see the development of theater (or other types of performance art, for that matter) that is the expression of the singular vision of one individual as a necessary or desirable progression in the evolution of the art form. This history places emphasis on the collectiveness of the theatrical enterprise, that is, on the fact that theater is created by a group of people, an ensemble. This review-article discusses two essay collections, _A History of Collective Creation_ and _Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance_, and the themes that emerge in the essays contained in the two books.