THEATRE HISTORIES II
THP 2890 Spring 2017
Tuesday/Friday 12:30-1:50 // Room: Social Sciences 1001
Dr. Jordan Schildcrout jordan.schildcrout@purchase.edu
Office: Humanities 018 Office Hours Tu/F 2:00-3:15 and by Appointment
Teaching Assistant: Bridget Dease
Course Description: Through lectures and discussion, this course explores key dramatic
texts, theories of theatre, and performance practices in historical context, from the
nineteenth century to the present. The course will highlight the relationship between
theatre and social, political, and aesthetic movements.
Student Learning Outcomes: With the successful completion of this course, the student
will be able to:
Have an understanding of key plays, playwrights, genres, artistic movements, and
performance practices in relation to their historical contexts
Conduct and present research, synthesizing historical fact and creative
interpretation to create original analysis of dramatic art
Identify and analyze key factors in the complex relationship between art and
society, including the representation of gender, race, and class
Develop original thoughts about artistic, social, philosophical, and personal issues,
and enrich the ability to express those thoughts in writing and in conversation
TEXTS: All required reading will be posted on Moodle.
PERFORMANCES: Students must attend a performance of the THP Spring Mainstage
CollaborationTown production, running March 24, 25, 30, 31, and April 1 in the
Underground Theatre, as well as a performance of ONE of the Senior Projects.
REQUIREMENTS: Quizzes 20%
Research & Participation 15%
Essay 15%
First Exam 25%
Second Exam 25%
EXAMS: The exams will cover readings, lectures, and discussions. The first exam
(3/17) will cover material from the first half of the course, and the second exam (5/9)
will cover material from the second half. Students must take exams on the scheduled
dates.
QUIZZES: There will be 9 multiple-choice pop quizzes on the assigned readings. Eight
of the quizzes will count towards the final grade, with the students lowest quiz grade
dropped. Quizzes are given at the beginning of class, and missing a quiz because of
tardiness is no excuse. There will be no makeups or extensions on quizzes or exams.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to come to class on time. Every two
absences will lower the final grade by one level. Note: Involvement in theatrical
production or other university activities is never a valid reason for missing class.
DISCIPLINE: Any student who disrupts the learning of other students will be asked to
leave the classroom and will be marked absent for the day. If the student disrupts the class
more than once, the student will automatically receive an F in the class.
TECHNOLOGY: The use of computers, cell phones, and text messaging devices is not
permitted during class time. Students who use these devices will be counted as absent and
graded accordingly.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, un-permitted collaboration, forged attendance, knowingly permitting another
student to plagiarize or cheat from one's work, or submitting the same assignment in
different courses without consent of the instructor. Misconduct will result in penalties
ranging from an F on the assignment to expulsion, depending on the seriousness of the
offense.
CLASS SCHEDULE THEATRE HISTORIES II
F 1/27 Introduction
Tu 1/31 Minstrelsy: Old Zip Coon
F 2/3 Boucicault: The Octoroon (1859)
Tu 2/7 Realism and Directors
F 2/10 Ibsen: Ghosts (1882)
Tu 2/14 Fin de Sicle: Independent Theatres + Bohemians
F 2/17 Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
Tu 2/21 Chekhov: The Cherry Orchard (1904) + Stanislavski
F 2/24 Artaud: No More Masterpieces + The Avant Garde
Tu 2/28 Nichols: Abies Irish Rose (1922)
F 3/3 Brecht: Theatre for Pleasure or Theatre for Instruction
Tu 3/7 Brecht: Man Equals Man (1926 / 1931 / 1938)
F 3/10 NO CLASS
Tu 3/14 First Exam Review
F 3/17 FIRST EXAM
Tu 3/21 Beckett: Endgame (1957) + Esslin: Theatre of the Absurd
F 3/24 Mishima: Yoroboshi (1960)
Tu 3/28 Fugard/Kani/Ntshona: Sizwe Bansi is Dead (1972)
F 3/31 Video Selections: Performance Art / CONNECTIONS ESSAY DUE
Tu 4/4 Discussion: Spring Mainstage Production
F 4/7 Shange: For Colored Girls... (1975)
SPRING BREAK April 8 16
Tu 4/18 Muller: Hamletmachine (1977) + Jameson: Postmodernism
F 4/21 Churchill: Cloud 9 (1979)
Tu 4/25 Kane: Blasted (1995)
F 4/28 Khemiri: Invasion! (2011)
Tu 5/2 Miranda: Hamilton (2015) [Cast Album]
F 5/5 Second Exam Review
Tu 5/9 SECOND EXAM
Research Assignment: Page From The Dramaturgs Sourcebook
When a play is in production, the dramaturg is responsible for conducting research that
will illuminate the play for the creative team and the audience. At the beginning of
rehearsals, the dramaturg presents a dramaturgs sourcebook which contains information
explaining all of the scripts references to history, culture, philosophy, geography,
mythology, obscure words, obsolete objects, etc. The dramaturgs sourcebook serves as
the encyclopedia of the play, providing the extra knowledge that leads to a deeper
appreciation of the play. Each student will be responsible for creating one such page and
presenting the research in class.
Topic: Each presentation should focus on ONE factual piece of information relevant to the
play under discussion. Research something mentioned in the text of the play which is
particular to the plays historical moment, and which might need to be explained to an
audience in 2017. I encourage you to avoid broad topics; it is better to focus on specific
details, and even elements that might seem trivial upon first glance can actually be quite
revealing.
Presentation: Be prepared 1) to share your factual information with the class and 2) to
explain, in your own words, why it is relevant to the play under discussion. Be clear and
be concise. Your presentation shouldnt take more than two minutes.
Dramaturgs Page: Before you make your presentation, you must upload to Moodle a
one-page document that includes: 1) the line of text from the play that references your
topic (with proper citation: act, scene, and/or page number from text), 2) basic factual
information on your topic (one paragraph or bullet points), 3) at least one image, 4)
complete citation of your source(s), and 5) a short paragraph, written in your own
words, explaining the significance of this information to the play. Be creative, and do
something original with the information youve uncovered.
The goal of this assignment is for you to add to our discussions by contributing
information that will illuminate the play and its historical contexts. You will be graded on
your organization, originality, and ability to connect factual information to the play under
discussion.
Logistics: Your last name determines which play you must research, and you must present
your research on the day that the play is discussed in class.
A-Be Octoroon L-N Yoroboshi
Bh-By Ghosts O-Pa Sizwe Bansi
C Earnest Pe-Ra For Colored Girls
D-E The Cherry Orchard Re-Ry Hamletmachine
F-G Abies Irish Rose Sa-Sh Cloud 9
H Man Equals Man Si-Tz Blasted
I-K Endgame U-Z Invasion
SAMPLE DRAMATURGS PAGE
NYMPHS
Shakespeare: A Midsummer Nights Dream
Theseus: But soft, what nymphs are these? (IV.i.126)
DEFINITION
Wikipedia: A nymph in Greek mythology is a female spirit typically associated with a
particular location or landform. Other nymphs, always in the shape of young nubile
maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess,
generally Artemis. Nymphs were the frequent target of satyrs. They live in mountains and
groves, by springs and rivers, also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes.
Nymphs are associated with nature, divinity, and sexuality. The word nymph forms the
basis of the modern term nymphomania, meant to indicate an obsession with sex.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymph
Painting: John William Waterhouse - Hylas and the Nymphs (1896)
SIGNIFICANCE
Theseus has just discovered the young loversHermia, Helena, Demetrius, and
Lysanderasleep in the woods. He probably isnt expecting to run into people so far from
the city of Athens, so at first he assumes that they are nymphs, who exist between
civilization and nature, between the human and the divine. At this point in the play,
Shakespeare is taking the audience away from the fantastic world of the faeries and back to
the normal world of Theseuss court, but Theseuss mistake makes the audience think of
the ways in which these young people have been frolicking in the woods like nymphs.
Even with the return to normality, theres a trace of the previous fantasy and sexuality.
Essay Assignment: Connections
For this assignment, you must attend ONE of the following Senior Project performances:
Feb. 23-25 Funnyhouse of a Negro
March 2-4 True West
March 9-11 Blunt Civility
March 16-18 Hello Out There
March 23-25 Attempts on Her Life
March 30-April 1 Dutchman
In this course, well discuss many different elements of theatre from a variety of different
perspectives. For this paper, you should focus on ONE specific element discussed in the
course and then analyze how it also appears in or relates to the Senior Project performance
you attended. Write a two-page (approx. 400-word) essay, following these guidelines:
1) PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION: As concisely as possible, describe the performance
you attended. Describe the space, the audience, and the style of the performance, as well
as a brief description of the plays plot and any pertinent information (title, author,
director, etc.). If appropriate, use concepts and terms discussed in class.
2) TOPICAL FOCUS: Describe the one specific element youre going to use to connect
this production to material covered in the course. This topical focus could be a type of
character (mother, soldier), a specific dramatic action (a marriage proposal, a murder), a
physical element (costume, prop), an instance of an aesthetic method or technique (subtext,
Artaudian or Brechtian techniques), etc. Quote a play, theoretical text, or other historical
source from the course materials to clarify the readers understanding of this specific
element. Be as clear and descriptive as possible.
3) CONNECTION: How, then, does this specific element appear in or relate to your
performance? Use all your powers of observation to describe as clearly and colorfully as
possible how you saw and experienced this element in the theatre. How, exactly, does this
element function in the performance? What effect might it have?
4) CONCLUSION: Whats your personal perspective on this specific element? What
conclusions can you draw by comparing/contrasting how this element appears in the
course materials and how it appears in the contemporary production you attended? Go
deep, and make your insights as original as possible.
The essay must be written completely in your own words. No form of plagiarism
will be tolerated.
Pay attention to correct spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. Your thoughts
deserve the clearest and strongest expression possible, and good writing is good
thinking. Proofread your paper before turning it in.
This essay is worth 15% of your final grade, and it must be submitted on Moodle no later
than Friday, March 31 at 6pm.
WRITING AND PROOFREADING TIPS
The names of plays should be in italics, NOT in quotes. (General rule: short forms like
songs or short stories are in quotes, long forms like plays, films, and novels are italicized.)
Example: Susan Glaspell sets Trifles in the kitchen of a farmhouse.
Choose either the present tense or the past tense when describing the action in a play, but
dont switch back and forth. I prefer the present tense, since it is more active.
Example: In The Hairy Ape, Yank goes on a journey of self-discovery. Through this
journey, ONeill creates an allegory about identity in modern society.
Try to avoid passive sentence structure, which can make your ideas vague and generalized.
Always aim for clarity and specificity.
Example: Death of a Salesman has been called one of the great American plays.
PASSIVE (WHO has called it? The sentence lacks an active subject.)
Contemporary critics such as Chris Jones have called Death of a Salesman
one of the great American plays. ACTIVE and SPECIFIC
Try to avoid using indicators (this and that) without a noun directly attached.
Example: Through this, ONeill creates an allegory about identity. VAGUE
Through this journey, ONeill creates an allegory about identity. CLEAR
Always use quote marks when including words directly from a play, and cite the page
number. Note that the period goes AFTER the citation. Be sure to list the correct edition
in the Works Cited at the end of your essay.
Example: At the end of the play, Maggie identifies Brick as one of the weak,
beautiful people (81).
Works Cited: Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New York: Dramatists Play
Service, 1986. Print.
ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES. When citing research materials, follow standard
MLA format, which you can read about here:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/.
FORMAT: Indent one tab for each new paragraph. Make sure your lines are double-
spaced, but do not skip an extra line between paragraphs. Use a standard font (Times New
Roman 12pt) and standard margins (1 or 1.25).
Proofread for correct spelling. Proofread for correct grammar. Never plagiarize!
