Shadow theater and the evaluation of the shadow theater used in the stage repertoires of Kocaeli city theater in the last 20 years

The research aims to explain; the relation between the shadow theater and the drama on the stage, the results of using the shadow theater in staging the drama, its benefits from todays drama perspective, its negative sides or effects, or for the directors; using this togetherness on the stage; which techniques are used and for which purposes, its effects on the atmosphere where the technique is used, the new opportunities it creates for the actor, for the director or for the action, or even the possibility of leaving the actor behind the scene. The artists using the shadow theater; their tendency to use the technique in future plays, the contribution of the script in the performance, the researchers to determine the positive and negative effects of this togetherness; to place the views of the directors, actors, choreographers, and designers who previously experienced or used it. The research also covers the evaluations of different researchers comparatively to better explain the potential problematics of this togetherness. This research also aims to better explain the use of shadow theater in the drama performances and the interactions in between with and from the view of the above detailed perspectives. For this purpose of the research; the historical development of the shadow theater and all its inclusive techniques, its relation with different disciplines are supported with the informations found in the literature together with its examplary use in the stage performances having the elements of shadow thaeater. Following these examples, the research also includes the historical development of shadow theater and its interaction with the other disciplines of the shadow theater in countries like India, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, UK, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Brazil, and USA. Also, the visual examples and explanations of how the technique is used together with views of the directors are included in the research.To better explain the problematics and to limit it to a certain extent, Kocaeli City Theater with its past 20 years repertoire where shadow theater is used, has been chosen as an examplary one among the subsidized theaters. The evaluation of the interviews as well as the relevant literature information will be made in the light of the; the interviewed artists who used the technique, how they have used the technique, the relationship between the shadow theater and the drama itself, the views of the artists who has taken the roles in these performances, the results obtained through these interviews together with the views of different academicians having similar experiences in the field of this research. As it has been explained in the last part, the research is an important source for the future studies of the same topic since it provides an extensive information about the development of the shadow theater, its connection with drama, the reasons of its existence and results of it. The findings obtained through the interviews with the artists taking role in Kocaeli City Theater plays, covering shadow theater elements as well as the views of different researchers were comparatively evaluated.