THAR 281 1st Edition Lecture 25 Outline of Last Lecture I Asian American Theaters II Stephen Sondheim III Company IV Andrew Lloyd Webber V A Chorus Line VI Sweeney Todd Outline of Current Lecture I Theater in the 1980 s Background II Storefront III Chicago Theater IV Sam Shepard V David Mamet VI August Wilson VII Wendy Wasserstein VIII The AIDS Crisis IX William Finn X British Invasion XI Phantom of the Opera Current Lecture I Theater in 1980 s Background a Broadway is not safe b Theater is not as relevant II Storefronts a Start to emerge in 1970 s b Non New York equivalent to Off Off Broadway c Smaller spaces smaller budgets d Keep audience and performers close to each other e Playwrights begin to get noticed III Chicago Theater a Where Storefronts are started in 70 s b Has a vibrant theater scene c Companies get started here i Steppenwolf 1 Founded by 3 actors in 1974 in church basement 2 In 1980 s moved into own space 3 Has become one of Chicago s best theaters well known 4 Known as the place for actors ii The Second City 1 Started in 1959 2 An improve comedy troop and school 3 Large number of well known performers come from here iii The Goodman 1 Been around since 1920 s biggest oldest theater in Chicago iv Looking Glass Theater v Victory Gardens IV Sam Shepard a Actor and Playwright still alive b Won Pulitzer in 1989 c Works deal with topics about family and connection of family bond the American West nostalgia d Famous Works True West Buried Child Fool for Love V David Mamet a Playwright still alive b Won Pulitzer 1984 and 1988 c Outspoken about pretty much everything d Aggressive in style pretty profane generally writes male characters e Mamet Dialogue i Instead of characters explicitly stating what they will do characters will instead very quickly state their thoughts f Famous Works Glen Garry Glen Ross Speed the Plow Olenna American Buffalo VI August Wilson a Playwright won Pulitzer in 1987 and 1990 b Known for poetic realism of his works c The Pittsburgh Cycle i 10 plays that tells African American experience over the course of the plays ii Tells stages throughout 20th century but all stories do not necessarily connect might not be in chronological order iii Famous Works Ma Rainey s The Piano Lesson Fences VII Wendy Wasserstein a Playwright won Pulitzer in 1989 b Gave voice to pressures frustrations of being a woman in 1980 s America c Famous Works Uncommon Women and Others The Heidi Chronicles VIII The AIDS Crisis a Seen in gay male population of San Francisco and NY also because sharing of needles b Began affecting population in late 1970 s c Originally known as GRID Gay Related Immunodeficiency IX X XI d 1986 is when they called if AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome e Artistic communities very much affected by AIDS because they had large number of gays f Spawned numerous artists into action i AIDS plays were being produced Rent Ages in America William Finn a Composer and lyricist still alive b Works are highly specific usually about something that happened in his life c Themes about loss and struggle d Famous Works Falsettos The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee New Brain British Invasion a Starts the rebirth of Broadway b Where the I Love NY theme starts Phantom of the Opera a Debut in Broadway in 1988 b Music by Webber c A love triangle about Christine and 2 men d Gothic in style because of tone and content e Original production staged by Hal Prince f Longest Running Show on Broadway g Known for its spectacle
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