THEA 4703 - Contexts: Historical Plays, Then and Now

This course is an exercise in advanced analysis of a range of representative plays from the pre-nineteenth century history of theatre, including works of female and non-Western playwrights. Students will conduct close readings of the assigned plays. They will study the plays structures and their particular contexts: political, socio-economic, cultural, philosophical, and aesthetic and analyze how the plays establish, reinforce, or challenge values within these contexts. They will study themes, strategies, multiple meanings, dramatic genres and movements, reactions, and innovations. The course will focus on bridging the gap between the plays original context and the perspectives and production possibilities of today. The particular plays studied will vary to some degree each time the course is taught, depending on the live performances of historical plays available during the term, specific curricular needs, and the instructor's expertise.