THEA 203 Productions in Times of Crisis
In this course we investigate a variety of 20th and 21st century theatrical productions across the globe staged during times of conflict and crisis: from online performances to amateur stages in restaurant back rooms in workers' clubs and cafes to professional and Broadway theaters. From the 1920's agitation trials (Agitsudy), mass spectacles and agitprop theater during the Russian Revolution to contemporary theater's responses to COVID 19, anti-blackness, and other forms of racism and social oppression, we will examine how artists and activists use theater to respond to social and political unrest: sometimes as a tool to fight oppression and at other times as a tool to encourage obedience and propagate national political ideals. From performances staged in Sarajevo to Rio de Janeiro, from Mexico City to New Orleans, and from the streets of Moscow to the streets of New York City and beyond, the class thinks through art as activism and activism as art, examining how theatrical tactics transcend the boundaries of traditional performance spaces. We examine the performance theories and strategies emerging from these theatrical moments as we study seminal plays from these periods. For the final project, students in the class will develop performance projects in response to a contemporary crisis.
Core Requirements Met
- Fine Arts
- Global Connections