THEA 203 Productions in Times of Crisis

In this course we investigate a variety of 20th and 21st century theatrical productions staged during times of conflict and crisis: on amateur stages in restaurant back rooms in workers' clubs and cafes and in 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 disease war racism and social oppression we examine how artists and activists use theater to respond to social and political unrest: sometimes as a tool to fight oppression; at other times as a tool to encourage obedience and propagate national political ideals; and often as an escape from the discomfort of everyday life. We examine the performance theories and strategies emerging from these theatrical moments as we read the seminal plays of the periods; and as a culmination of theoretical analysis students in the class develop performance projects responding to a contemporary crisis.