THE2000:Notes:4-4-07
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Diversity
- Mix of culture, race, gender, sexuality, history, politics, and spirituality in one population
- Multiculturalism: A wide variety of social groups and concerns.
- Stereotype: A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image
- All diversity performance acknowledges and uses stereotypes
Mixing and Matching
- Diverse groups influence one another
- Today's theatre is made up of various nationalities and ethnicities
- Contemporary theatre is complex
Contemporary Theatre: Chicago
- Traditional Broadway style commercial theatres
- Not-for-profit theatre
- Off-loop theatres
- Shakespeare
- Multi-cultural theatre
Multiethnic Theatres
- African American
- Asian American
- Latino
- Native American
- Feminist
- Gay and Lesbian
- Political
African American Theater
- "Black theatre"
- Theater written for and by black Americans and/or performed by black Americans.
19th Century
- Comic black servants were popular characters � played by white characters � rare to see black actors on stage in the 19th century
- EXCEPTION � the African Grove Theater: company founded in NYC during the 1820-1821 season; noted for Shakespearean plays
The African Grove Theatre
- James Hewlett was the first black to play Othello
- King Shotaway believed to be 1st play written/performed by African Americans
Ira Aldridge
- African American artist of the early 19th century who became renowned Shakespearean actor in such countries as England, Poland, and Russia; famously played the title role in Othello.
The Minstrel Show
- Popular 19th century form of entertainment which caricatured blacks
- Usually white performers
African American Theater from 1900-1950
- 'A Trip to Coontown (1898) � first black musical comedy, written produced and directed by Bob Cole and William Johnson
- In 1902- first time black actors on b'way stages without burnt-cork makeup, speaking without dialects, and wearing high fashion.
- Federal Theater Project- possibly most significant development for black theatre during 1930's which employed thousands of black writers, performers, and technicians.
- Raisin in the Sun (1959) � written by Lorraine Hansberry; directed by Lloyd Richards (first black director on b'way)
- August Wilson (1945) � 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1984), Fences (1985), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1986), The Piano Lesson (1990), Seven Guitars (1995).
- African American plays of the 60's and 70's dealt with political, sociological, and psychological issues confronting African Americans, namely civil rights
- George C. Wolfe � author director of Jelly's Last Jam and Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk ; also directed Angels in America
African American Theater of today
- Topdog/Underdog � by Suzan-Lori Parks: won 2002 Pulitzer Prize
- 2 other black woman playwrights:
- ??? Cleage
- Cheryl West
- 2004 Revival of Raisin in the Sun � one of the most profitable productions of b'way's last season.
