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AMST287
Modern American Political Theatre 1920s-1980s
AMST287 SP
Next Offered in 9798 SP
One aim of the course is to shake up our canonical notions
of what modern American theatre was, is, can be and can
do. We will accomplish this by studying a tradition of
political theatre in America from the 1920s to the present.
Our survey includes 1930s radical theatre, 1960s black
"revolutionary" theatre, native American drama, chicano
theatre and contemporary feminist plays. We will also
raise theoretical questions about the concept of "political"
theatre and reconsider the less overt political,
ideological and historical content of several "classic"
plays by O'Neill and Williams. Some theoretical works
(Brecht, O'Neill, Miller, Roth, Boal), and plays by Gold,
Odets, Federal Theatre Project, Blitzstein, O'Neill,
Williams, Hellman, Miller, Baraka, Shange, Shepard, Mamet,
Maria Irene Fornes, El Teatro Campesino, San Francisco Mime
Troupe. Students will be taught how to use bibliographic
resources for independent research.
MAJOR READINGS
Mike Gold, STRIKE!: A MASS RECITATION,
MONEY
Arthur Arent/Federal Theatre Project, ONE THIRD OF A NATION
Marc Blitzstein, THE CRADLE WILL ROCK
Clifford Odets, WAITING FOR LEFTY, AWAKE AND SING
Eugene O'Neill, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
Lillian Hellman, THE CHILDREN'S HOUR
Maria Irene Fornes, FEFU AND HER FRIENDS
Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones), THE DUTCHMAN, THE SLAVE, "The
Revolutionary Theatre"
Lorraine Hansberrry, A RAISIN IN THE SUN
Hanay Geiogamah, BODY INDIAN, FOGHORN, 49
David Mamet, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Arthur Miller, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, "On Social Plays"
Augusto Boal, THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED
Martha Roth, "Toward a Feminist Performance Aesthetic"
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Two papers (5 pages, 12
pages). Each student will compile an anthology of several
plays, some of which will not have been included in our
reading. The final paper will be a critical introduction
to this anthology.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
Each student will
take a turn at initiating class discussion.
This course counts toward the English Department's
historicity requirement.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting
or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the
first class, they will be dropped from the class list.
NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form
to the Registrar's Office.
COURSE FORMAT: Discussion Seminar
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level: UG Credit: 1.00
Gen Ed Area & Dept: HA ENGL
Prerequisites:
None
Last Updated on MAR-10-1997
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Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459