20th Century American Drama
This course explores the lives and works of the boldly iconoclastic pioneering playwrights who defined American drama and redefined American society and culture in the 20th century. Contextual lectures and class discussion will focus on their plays as artistic, literary, and historical documents while also considering their relevance in our 21st century lives. Theater is, as Shakespeare wrote, a mirror through which we can see ourselves and our world. By analyzing the social, creative, and autobiographical context of these plays, students will explore a range of ideas and topics such as family relationships, religion, politics, economics, race, gender, cultural assimilation, and the evolution of identity---both personal and national. Students will experience the plays as dramatic literature and as live performance and film.