WGS 3324 Performance Seminar: Theatre in The Community

This course will examine how theatre and performance can serve as a forum for community building and dialogue. In the first half of the course, students will study the theory and practice of Playback Theatre, Augusto Boal146s Theatre of the Oppressed, and techniques for devising non-scripted theater. In the second half, students will apply what has been learned by working with two underserved populations from the local area. Special emphasis will be placed on studying patterns of oppression and power. Prior knowledge of Playback Theatre and/or Theatre of the Oppressed is recommended. Prerquisite: Creative Process. Enrollment by interview. READINGS Local Acts: Community-Based Performance in the United States, Jan Cohen-Cruz Acts of Service: Spontaneity, Commitment, Tradition in the Nonscripted Theatre, Jonathan Fox Improvising Real Life: Personal Story in Playback Theatre, Jo Salas Theatre of the Oppressed, Augusto Boal Strategies for Playbuilding: Helping Groups Translate Issues Into Theatre, Will Weigler Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice, Paul Kivel

Credits

3

Prerequisite

Prerequisite: DTH.1000 and permission of instructor.