Honr 301: 20th Century Art
Political Theatres
Fall 2006 Prof.
Melanie Blood
TR 11:20-12:35 121
(Old 325) Brodie
208 (Old 356A) Brodie x5840,
blood@geneseo.edu
Office
hours: MWF 1, TR 9:30
The successful student will
1.
Read and analyze (using a variety of methods) primary and
secondary sources in political theatre
2.
Examine various styles and definitions of political theatre
and evolve his/her own theory of the relationship between (theatre) art and
society
3.
Understand how various literary and social theories can be
applied to theatre art, and be able to use key terms in post-colonial and queer
theory.
4.
Analyze performance, not only in a traditional theatrical
context, but in broader cultural contexts
We will first look at various models for the relationship
between art and society, reading material from the Ancient Greeks, contemporary
US policy, Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, and performance studies. Then we will
turn to two discrete political theatre traditions in two different societies:
1) pre- and post-apartheid plays in South Africa, and 2) AIDS plays in the US.
We will look at historical factors, apply specific theoretical frameworks, read
plays, and look at performance conventions for each. As a short conclusion to
the course, we will look at the war in Iraq and look at recent theatrical and
cultural performances around it.
Required texts at
Sundance Books:
Bertolt Brecht. The Threepenny Opera. Grove Press. ISBN 080215039X
Athol Fugard. Master Harold and the Boys. ISBN 0140481877
Larry Kramer. The Normal Heart and Destiny of Me. ISBN 0802136923
Therese Jones, ed. Sharing the Delirium: Second
Generation AIDS Plays and Performances. Heineman.
ISBN 0435086332
Tony Kushner. Angels in America Part I. ISBN 1559362316
Peter Morris. Guardians.
Oberon. ISBN 1840026421 (release date Sept 1, 2006)
Paul Rudnick. The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. ISBN 1585670529
Required Articles on
electronic reserve: http://eres.geneseo.edu
password: honors
The majority of the reading for the semester is
available this way.
Required Performance:
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told by Paul Rudnick. Sept 28-30, 8 pm, Black Box
theatre. Tickets $5. bbo@geneseo.edu or x5833.
Course Requirements:
1)
Three position papers 6 pages each; one for each of the first three
units. In each position paper you should review the readings; identify what you
see as strengths and weaknesses of each; identify the authorsÕ biases,
underlying assumptions, and historical/theoretical approaches; and construct
your own argument about the performance genre, itÕs history and theory. You
will be graded upon how thoroughly you understand the readings and how well you
define your own ideas in reaction to the readings. 45%, or 15% each
2)
Lead a class discussion. You will select a day and topic in consultation
with me. The reading for the day you select must be over ten pages, and you
canÕt pick the second day on a play or topic. You should plan to take the class
through 1) the authorÕs major arguments, 2) the authorÕs position (bias,
historical/theoretical approach, underlying assumptions) and 3) connections
between the reading and other class readings, historical events, and/or
parallel topics. Turn in your notes and prepared questions at the end of the
class. 10%
3)
Group presentations on web sites. There will be two web assignments; one on US
theatre today and how political theatres fit into overall US theatre and one to
introduce each of the three case studies. I will divide you into three groups.
Each group member should take a different web site, and the group should
communicate online about its findings to present a coherent view based on
everyoneÕs work. 10%, or 5% each
4)
Term paper.
A topic and three additional sources, beyond class readings, is due M
11/8. An outline of your argument
or a complete rough draft is due by F 12/3; you are encouraged to turn it in
earlier. The final essay, with an abstract, is due at the final examination,
Tuesday 12/21 at 8 am. Select one of the two genres covered, research further
some area that interested you, and apply a specific historiographic or
theoretical approach to your material. Or, you can see me to select another
area related to political theatre. Your essay should argue an original thesis.
It should be approximately 12 pages in length, and you should summarize it in a
brief, one-paragraph abstract, placed after the title page and before the
essay. You will also distribute the abstract to the class and present it at the
final exam. Students are strongly urged to submit final papers to the
Undergraduate Humanities Symposium or other departmental essay competitions.
25%
5)
Participation.
You should be present and prepared for each class. A great deal of what you can
learn in this class you learn from one another, but this will not work if you
do not attend and do assigned readings before we are scheduled to discuss them.
10%
Computation of final grades
Four position papers: 45%,
15% each
Term
paper: 30%
Participation
in class: 10%
Syllabus:
T 9/5 Read:
PlatoÕs Laws (Ereserve)
Overview
of theatre in US today; 1st group web presentation
R 9/7 Political
theatre in US and US support of the Arts:
2nd
and 3rd group web presentations
Web
sites for everyone: National Endowment for the Arts: http://www.nea.gov New
York State Council or the Arts: http://www.nysca.org/
Alternate
Roots: http://www.alternateroots.org/
Read:
Tony KushnerÕs speech at ArtNow (handout)
1998 Supreme Court case on NEA and
free speech: Read (handout) of ACLU press release from http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/intro.html
Optional trip to Stratford Festival; Sat-Sun Sept. 9-10; one price for two plays, talk
back with
actors, housing, breakfast, and tour of theatre.
T 9/12 Read:
The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht
R 9/14 Read:
ÒShouldnÕt We Abolish Aesthetics?Ó, ÒEpic Theatre and its DifficultiesÓ
and ÒLiterarization of the
theatre: Notes to Threepenny OperaÓ
by Bertolt Brecht; (Ereserve). Finish The Threepenny Opera; movie
T 9/19 Skim
Chs. 1-2 of Legislative Theatre by
Augusto Boal, (Ereserve)
Read: ÒInvisible Theatre:
Reflections on an Overlooked FormÓ by Martin Maria Kohtes, (Ereserve)
R 9/21 ÒBoal
and the Shifting Sands: The Un-Political Master SwimmerÓ by David
Davis and Carmel
O'Sullivan; (Ereserve)
Required production:
SOTA presents The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told by Paul Rudnick, directed by Renee
Hartz. Thurs-Sat, 9/28-9/30, 8 PM. Black Box Theatre. Tickets $5, call box
office at 245-5833 or bbo.geneseo.edu.
UNIT II. Theatrical
Responses to the US AIDS Crisis
History of Gay
Activism; Stonewall to present
http://www.aegis.com/
In a frames browser, select ÒreferenceÓ then Òhistorical timelineÓ for a
history of AIDS (near the bottom of a long list, which you may also browse)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/index-am.html
on history of Gay and Lesbianism in the US. Try Òchapter 21.Ó Just browse; this
is mostly links.
T 10/3 Read
Paul RudnickÕs The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told; class discussion and presentation
by Geneseo director and cast
R 10/5 Read:
The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer
T 10/10 FALL
BREAK – No Classes
R 10/12 Read:
pp. 3-14, 245-59 from CrimpÕs AIDS:
Cultural Analysis, Cultural Activism (Ereserve);
finish Normal Heart
T 10/17 Read:
Angels in America Part I by Tony Kushner
R 10/19 Read:
ÒKramer vs. KushnerÓ Interview
(Ereserve). Finish Angels, movie
Optional show: SOTA presents Kaleidoscope. Fri 10/20, 8 pm. Wadsworth Auditorium,
free.
Optional show: VegSOUP presents TBA, Thurs-Sat 10/19-21, 8 pm. Black
box theatre. Tickets $5. Call Brodie Box Orfice x5833 or bbo.geneseo.edu.
Thurs-Sat 10/20-22, Black Box
Theatre. Tickets $2. student. Call x5833 to reserve.
T 10/24 Read:
ÒIt's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To!: Gay Men, AIDS, and the
T 10/31 Read:
My Queer Body by Tim Miller in Sharing
the Delirium
UNIT III. Anti-Apartheid Theatre in South Africa
Optional show: SOTA and MTC present Urinetown by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman. Alice
Austin Theatre. Wed 11/1-Sun 11/5, 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm. Tickets $5. Students,
at the Union (x5873) or Brodie (x5833) box office or bbo.geneseo.edu.
R 11/2 Position
paper for Unit II due in class
2nd
Group Presentations: History of South
Africa, Apartheid, theatre in South Africa
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~cale/cs201/apartheid.hist.html
Skim:
ÒPost-Colonial DramaÓ by Helen Gilbert and Joanne Tompkins (Eres)
T 11/7 Read:
Master Harold and the Boys by Athold
Fugard
T 11/14 Read:
Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Fugard, Kani,
Ntshona (Ereserve); and ÒNo Way Out:
Sizwe Bansi is Dead and the Dilemma of Political Drama in South AfricaÓ
by Andre Brink; Eres
R 11/16 Read:
ÒEnactments of Power: The Politics of Performance SpaceÓ by Ngugi wa ThiongÕo
(Ereserve); finish Sizwe Bansi, movie
Optional show: Musical
Theatre Club revue. Thurs-Sat 11/16-18, 8
pm. Alice Austin
Theatre, free.
T 11/21 Read:
History of student uprising on which Sarafina is based:
http://africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa060801a.htm
Movie: Sarafina
R 11/23 THANKSGIVING
BREAK –No Classes
T 11/28 Finish
Sarafina
Read:
So WhatÕs New by Fatima Dike (Ereserve)
UNIT IV. Conclusion – Performances of the Iraq/Gulf
Wars
R 11/30 Position
Paper for Unit III due in class
3rd
Group Web Presentations: fact, fiction and
performance in the Iraq war and
contemporary media coverage
Read:
Neal Gabler ÒLife the MovieÓ
Cindy
SheehanÕs protest ÒperformancesÓ as covered by news media (google this)
Read/view:
Stephen ColbertÕs performance of news: http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/4/30/1441/59811
Recommended show: GENseng presents Kimchee and
Chitlins by Elizabeth Wong. 7 pm Thurs
11/30, 4 pm Fri 12/1, 2 pm Sat
12/2, Black Box Theatre. Tickets $6., call
Brodie box office at x5833 or bbo.geneseo.edu.
F 12/1 Final
date to turn in outline or complete rough draft
Optional show: SOTA presents the fall Dance Concert. Fri-Sun 12/8-10, 8 pm, Sun at 2
pm. Tickets $6.,
call Brodie box office at x5833 or bbo.geneseo.edu.
M 12/11 Final
Essay due in my mailbox by 5 pm
Honors 301, Fall 2006
Web Assignment Number 1
Group 1: Overview of theatre in the US
Due Tuesday 9/5
www.playbill.com -- Broadway today
www.tcg.org -- organization for non-profits, both
in NYC and regional theatres
regional
theatres in your areas ie Syracuse Stage
Semi-professional
theatres in regions ie. Downstairs Cabaret
Summer
stock, educational theatres, community theatres
Group 2: Political theatres from the 60Õs that are still
performing
Due Thursday 9/7
Bread
and Puppet www.breadandpuppet.org/
Living
Theatre www.livingtheatre.org/
San
Francisco Mime Troupe www.sfmt.org/
El
Teatro Campesino www.elteatrocampesino.com/
Negro
Ensemble Company www.negroensemblecompany.org/
Spiderwoman
staff.lib.muohio.edu/nawpa/spdrwmnarchv.html
Pan
Asian Rep www.panasianrep.org/
Group 3: Contemporary Groups, founded 1985 and on
Due Thursday 9/7
LAPD
– LA Poverty Department lapovertydept.org/
Cornerstone
Theatre www.cornerstonetheater.org/
About
Face Theatre www.aboutfacetheatre.com/
Tectonic
Theatre Project www.tectonictheaterproject.org/Home.html
V-Day;
Vagina Monologues www.vday.org/main.html
365
Days 365 Plays www.publictheater.org/365/
Find
more, especially small grassroots companies, on Alternate Roots Site: www.alternateroots.org/
Each group should divide up web sites and discuss them
online. Make a coherent presentation of about 20 minutesÕ length as a group
that includes everyoneÕs work and represents the range of what you found.
Everyone in the group should do something for the presentation. Remember that
you are not critiquing web design but looking for content.