This final unit of theatre history catches us up to present day. More theatrical experimentation led to new and various production experiences. The changing society led to new accomplishments and strides from various emerging communities such as African-American theatre and women’s theatre. New voices led to the theatrical landscape becoming its own melting pot of human experiences. New forms of theatre provoked social change from ordinary people, such as The Open Theatre in the midst of New York City’s Times Square. Even today, contemporary theatre is exciting because of these advances by people- their input creating stimulating new works and experiences.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
4/30/13- Female Playwrights
-any non-conflict models that can be used effectively for play structures?
Gertrude Stein, 1874-1946
-stream-of-consciousness writing style
-"The Mother of Us All" (libretto of 1946 opera)
Susan Glaspall, 1876-1948
-"Trifles", 1916
-won Pulitzer Prize
-worked with Federal Theatre Project
-Provincetown Players with Eugene O'Neill
Sophie Treadwell, 1885-1970
-Machinal, 1928 (The Life Machine in London premiere)
Clare Booth Luce, 1903-1987
-congresswoman, ambassador, & playwright
-1936, The Women
Lillian Hellman, 1905-1984
-The Children's Hour
-The Little Foxes
-blacklisted by Hollywood during the McCarthy era
Alice Childress, 1920-1994
-first black woman to produce her play AND direct it
-Trouble in Mind
Lorraine Hansberry, 1930-1965
-A Raisin in the Sun
-first Broadway-produced play written by a woman
Maria Irene Fornes (1930- )
-Mud, 1983
-Fefu & Her Friends, 1977 (rotate around rooms!)
-won 9 Obies (Obie = covers off-Broadway awards)
-mentor of Nilo Cruz
-immigrated from Cuba when she was just 15 years old
Adrienne Kennedy
-Funnyhouse of a Negro
-surrealist writing style
Megan Terry (1932- )
-Viet Rock, 1962
Tina Howe
-Coastal Disturbances
-Tony-nominated, 2-time Pulitzer nominee
Caryl Churchill
-Cloud Nine, 1979
-most famous Feminist playwright of 20th Century
-Vinegar Tom
-influenced by Brecht & Artaud
Marsha Norman, 1947-
-'night, Mother (1983)
-Getting Out, 1977
-Pulitzer winner
-wrote libretti for numerous Broadway musicals
(The Color Purple & The Secret Garden)
Ntozake Shange (1948- )
-For Colored Girls..... , 1975
-Obie winner
-Guggenheim fellow
Wendy Wasserstein, 1950-2006
-Tony & Pulitzer winner
-Guggenheim fellow
-Heidi Chronicles, 1988
Anna Deavere Smith, 1950-
-one woman shows
-Tony & Pulitzer-nominated
-known for many TV & film roles
-Fires in the Mirror, 1992
Paula Vogel
-How I Learned to Drive, 1997
-Pulitzer winner
-KCACTF Award named after her
-The Baltimore Waltz
-Brechtian devices (i.e. Chorus) to prevent audiences from getting too freaked out by subject matters
Beth Henley, 1952-
-Abundance
-Crimes of the Heart
-grad of SMU in Dallas
-Pulitzer winner
-Magic Realism or Realism
Theresa Rebeck, 1959-
-Omnium Gatherum, 2003 (visually difficult, but great play- like No Exit)
-MFA and PhD
-worked on NYPD Blue, Law & Order, & Smash
Yasmina Reza, 1959-
-Art, 1994
-God of Carnage, 2006
-French playwright
-International award-winner
Suzan-Lori Parks
-Topdog/Underdog
-MacArthur Award
-Pulitzer winner
Lynn Nottage, 1964-
-Ruined, 2008
-Intimate Apparel, 2003
-plays deal with issues in Africa
Rebecca Gilman, 1964-
-The Glory of Living
-really no catharsis in this piece
-Boy Gets Girl
-hard subject matters
Regina Taylor
-Crowns
-first black woman to play Juliet on Broadway
Julia Jordan, 1968-
-Tatjana in Color, 2004
-writes for As the World Turns
Sarah Ruhl, 1974-
-Eurydice
-Dead Man's Cell Phone
-In the Next Room
-MacArthur fellow & Pulitzer winner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gertrude Stein, 1874-1946
-stream-of-consciousness writing style
-"The Mother of Us All" (libretto of 1946 opera)
Susan Glaspall, 1876-1948
-"Trifles", 1916
-won Pulitzer Prize
-worked with Federal Theatre Project
-Provincetown Players with Eugene O'Neill
Sophie Treadwell, 1885-1970
-Machinal, 1928 (The Life Machine in London premiere)
Clare Booth Luce, 1903-1987
-congresswoman, ambassador, & playwright
-1936, The Women
Lillian Hellman, 1905-1984
-The Children's Hour
-The Little Foxes
-blacklisted by Hollywood during the McCarthy era
Alice Childress, 1920-1994
-first black woman to produce her play AND direct it
-Trouble in Mind
Lorraine Hansberry, 1930-1965
-A Raisin in the Sun
-first Broadway-produced play written by a woman
Maria Irene Fornes (1930- )
-Mud, 1983
-Fefu & Her Friends, 1977 (rotate around rooms!)
-won 9 Obies (Obie = covers off-Broadway awards)
-mentor of Nilo Cruz
-immigrated from Cuba when she was just 15 years old
Adrienne Kennedy
-Funnyhouse of a Negro
-surrealist writing style
Megan Terry (1932- )
-Viet Rock, 1962
Tina Howe
-Coastal Disturbances
-Tony-nominated, 2-time Pulitzer nominee
Caryl Churchill
-Cloud Nine, 1979
-most famous Feminist playwright of 20th Century
-Vinegar Tom
-influenced by Brecht & Artaud
Marsha Norman, 1947-
-'night, Mother (1983)
-Getting Out, 1977
-Pulitzer winner
-wrote libretti for numerous Broadway musicals
(The Color Purple & The Secret Garden)
Ntozake Shange (1948- )
-For Colored Girls..... , 1975
-Obie winner
-Guggenheim fellow
Wendy Wasserstein, 1950-2006
-Tony & Pulitzer winner
-Guggenheim fellow
-Heidi Chronicles, 1988
Anna Deavere Smith, 1950-
-one woman shows
-Tony & Pulitzer-nominated
-known for many TV & film roles
-Fires in the Mirror, 1992
Paula Vogel
-How I Learned to Drive, 1997
-Pulitzer winner
-KCACTF Award named after her
-The Baltimore Waltz
-Brechtian devices (i.e. Chorus) to prevent audiences from getting too freaked out by subject matters
Beth Henley, 1952-
-Abundance
-Crimes of the Heart
-grad of SMU in Dallas
-Pulitzer winner
-Magic Realism or Realism
Theresa Rebeck, 1959-
-Omnium Gatherum, 2003 (visually difficult, but great play- like No Exit)
-MFA and PhD
-worked on NYPD Blue, Law & Order, & Smash
 |
| Omnium Gatherum |
Yasmina Reza, 1959-
-Art, 1994
-God of Carnage, 2006
-French playwright
-International award-winner
Suzan-Lori Parks
-Topdog/Underdog
-MacArthur Award
-Pulitzer winner
Lynn Nottage, 1964-
-Ruined, 2008
-Intimate Apparel, 2003
-plays deal with issues in Africa
Rebecca Gilman, 1964-
-The Glory of Living
-really no catharsis in this piece
-Boy Gets Girl
-hard subject matters
Regina Taylor
-Crowns
-first black woman to play Juliet on Broadway
Julia Jordan, 1968-
-Tatjana in Color, 2004
-writes for As the World Turns
Sarah Ruhl, 1974-
-Eurydice
-Dead Man's Cell Phone
-In the Next Room
-MacArthur fellow & Pulitzer winner
 |
| Dead Man's Cell Phone |
Like African-Americans, women have made huge strides in their theatrical accomplishments. Lillian Hellman was a brilliant playwright, having written two of my favorite plays: The Children’s Hour and The Little Foxes. Unfortunately she was blacklisted by Hollywood during the McCarthy era. Anna Deavere Smith is a brilliant playwright and actress. She performs dozens of characters in her one-woman shows that deal with very serious topics in places where something catastrophic has recently occurred. Yasmina Reza and Sarah Ruhl are two of the best & biggest modern female playwrights. They have both already produces multiple hit plays that are currently influencing the landscape of contemporary theatre.
4/25/13- Hispanic Theatre
3 Primary Forms since 1970
-Puerto Rican/Nuyorican (/Dominican)
-Chicano/Mexican
-Cuban
Chicano/Mex-American
-El Teatro Campesino (farm workers' theatre)
-cultural arm of United Farm Workers (enacted events inspired by lives of audience)
Luis Valdez- Zoot Suit
Gente de Teatro (based in Houston!)
Cuban-American Writers
-Maria Irene Fornes (Fefu & Her Friends.... perception)
-Manuel Martin
-Ivan Acosta
-Nilo Cruz
-Mario Pena
-Dolores Prida
-Omar Torres
Miguel Pinero
-cofounder of Nuyorican Poets Cafe
-"Short Eyes"
Jose Rivera
-first Puerto Rican playwright/screenwriter to be Oscar-nominated
Asian-American Theatre
-David Henry Hwang---- M. Butterfly
-Puerto Rican/Nuyorican (/Dominican)
-Chicano/Mexican
-Cuban
Chicano/Mex-American
-El Teatro Campesino (farm workers' theatre)
-cultural arm of United Farm Workers (enacted events inspired by lives of audience)
Luis Valdez- Zoot Suit
Gente de Teatro (based in Houston!)
Cuban-American Writers
-Maria Irene Fornes (Fefu & Her Friends.... perception)
-Manuel Martin
-Ivan Acosta
-Nilo Cruz
-Mario Pena
-Dolores Prida
-Omar Torres
Miguel Pinero
-cofounder of Nuyorican Poets Cafe
-"Short Eyes"
Jose Rivera
-first Puerto Rican playwright/screenwriter to be Oscar-nominated
Asian-American Theatre
-David Henry Hwang---- M. Butterfly
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