THEATER 2040 1nd Edition Lecture 15 Outline of Last Lecture I Avant Garde Theatre a Antirealism b Verisimilitude II Avant garde elements III Symbolism IV Ism period of stylized theater a Symbols and metaphors represented by V Avant garde is truly born a Ubu Roi VI Surrealism a Salvador Dali VII Expressionism VIII Theatre of Alienation a Alienation Effect i Bertolt Brecht IX Theatre of the Absurd a Absurdity b Samuel Beckett Outline of Current Lecture I African American Theatre a In Dahomey 1903 b Bert Williams c Federal Theatre Project d Plays Playwrights mentioned II Feminist Theatre a Plays Playwrights mentioned III Gay Lesbian Theatre a The Boys in the Band 1968 b Stonewall Riots of 1969 c Plays Playwrights mentioned IV Latino a Theatre a Chicano Theatre i Luis Valdez ii Agit prop b Cuban American Theatre These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute c Play Platwright mentioned V Puerto Rican American Theatre a Nuyorican b Play Playwright mentioned VI Native American Indigenous Theatre a Spiderwoman Theatre b Native Theatre today is a blend of c Name of theatre mentioned d Significance VII Asian American Theatre a Play Playwright mentioned b Silk Road Theatre Project c Additional Notes Current Lecture I African American Theatre a In Dahomey 1903 i Usual stereotypes but also a song about universal experiences of bankruptcy beyond racial barriers ii This is the first time we see black performers b Bert Williams i Started to portray the all suffering everyman character ii Not the old minstrel stereotype character iii One of the most beloved performers on American stage iv Comic Vaudeville performer c Federal Theatre Project i Designed to help artists through Depression era ii Part of The New Deal sponsored by Works Progress Administration WPA iii Negro Theatre Project separate Black units in 22 cities 1 Mounted Black and White authors plays 2 Employed thousands of African American writers directors performers and technicians 3 1935 39 d Plays Playwrights mentioned i Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin in the Sun 1959 ii The Wiz 1970s iii Ruined by Lynn Nottage 2008 II Feminist Theatre a Question gender roles place of women in American society b Reexamine audience s own gender biases and society s c Plays Playwrights mentioned i Rachel Crothers A Man s World 1909 1 Attacks sexual double standard for women ii Paula Vogel How I Learned to Drive 1998 1 Explores idea of control and manipulation III IV V Gay Lesbian Theatre a Themes introduced before 1960s i Cross dressing performances in 19th Century early 20th Century ii Suggestions in The Children s Hour 1934 by Lillian Hellman b The Boys in the Band 1968 i First play to have characters living openly gay lives ii Stereotypical characters c Stonewall Riots of 1969 i A series of spontaneous violent demonstrations by members of gay community against a police raid of a gay bar in Greenwich Village NYC ii Started the gay liberation fight for equality movement 1 African American Civil Rights movement antiwar demonstrations had influence as well d Plays Playwrights mentioned i Angels in America by Tony Kushner 1993 ii RENT the musical Jonathan Larson 1996 iii More realistic portrayal of gays and lesbians where their only identity isn t being gay Latino a Theatre a Chicano Theatre west SW U S California i 1960s Civil Rights Movement Cesar Chaves organizing farmworkers in CA ii El Teatro Campesino Farmworkers theatre iii Luis Valdez 1 Wrote about lives of Chicano workers 2 Performed on the picket line iv Agit prop agitation propaganda plays with strong social or political agenda b Cuban American Theatre i Developed mostly in Florida ii Federal Theatre Project in 1930s 1 14 Cuban American productions iii Play Playwright mentioned 1 Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz 2003 c Puerto Rican American Theatre i Nuyorican 1 Referring to Puerto Rican culture in NYC or elsewhere ii Playwrights play produced in 60s 70s iii Play Playwright mentioned 1 Short Eyes by Miguel Pinero 1973 a Realistic portrayal of prision life 2 Network of Latino playwrights established in 1971 Native American Indigenous Theatre a Spiritual and social traditions that have theatrical elements b Spiderwoman Theatre founded in 1975 VI i Longest continually running women s Native American theatre in North America 1 Storytelling celebrate Native identity comment on stereotypes of women in general c Now theatre deals with problems and aspirations of today s Natives and fusing that with their heritage i Not just historical or ceremonial but everyman d Name of theatre mentioned i Autry e Significance i Get more people with native American heritage to be more involved Asian American Theatre a Cultural and Ethnic awareness movement of 60s and 70s helped establish theatres b Play Playwright mentioned i David Henry Hwang ii M Butterfly 1988 c Silk Road Theatre Project Chicago 2003 i Presents works from Asian Middle Eastern and Mediterranean playwrights