ENGL 387 Contemporary Drama
(Guide Syllabus)
Prof. Melanie Blood
Welles 217
blood@, x5840
Student Learning Outcomes
The successful student of ENGL 387: Contemporary Drama will
1. Examine major global figures and theories of drama for social action in the
last 60 years.
2. Analyze performance, not only in a traditional theatrical context, but in
broader cultural contexts
3. Apply literary and social theories to dramatic art, in reading response papers
and final research paper
4. Experience and discuss the differences between various dramatic styles on the
page and one the stage
In addition, with this section’s focus on drama for social change, the successful student
will:
5. Examine two traditions of drama for social change in some depth: antiapartheid theatre in South African and documentary theatre, with a focus on
the United States
6. Evolve his/her own theory of the relationship between (dramatic) art and
society
We will first look at various models for the relationship between art and society, reading
examples from contemporary US policy around free speech and funding of the arts,
Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, and performance studies. Then we will turn to two discrete
theatre traditions in two different societies: 1) pre- and post-apartheid plays in South
Africa, and 2) recent documentary theatre (primarily) in the US. We will look at
historical factors, apply specific theoretical frameworks, read plays, look at performance
conventions, and examine the social effect for each.
Required texts at College Bookstore and Sundance Books:
Blank, Jessica, and Erik Jensen. The Exonerated. Dramatists Play Service. ISBN:
0822219468
Brecht, Bertolt. The Threepenny Opera. Grove Press. ISBN 080215039X
Fugard, Athol. Master Harold and the Boys. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140481877
Kaufman, Moises and Tectonic Theatre Project. The Laramie Project. Vintage Books.
ISBN: 0375727191
Mtwa, Percy, Mbongeni Ngema, and Barney Simon. Woza Albert. Methuen Drama.
ISBN: 0413530000
Smith, Anna Deveare. Fires in the Mirror. Dramatists Play Service. ISBN: 082221329X
Required Readings in mycourses under “Course Materials.” The majority of the reading
for the semester is available this way. They are detailed under the day they are due on the
syllabus.
Course Requirements:
1) Three hour exams of short essay questions; one for each of the three units. You
will be asked to demonstrated an understanding of each reading, compare across
readings, and analyze the performances you view. 45%, or 15% each
2) Group presentations on web sites/other introductory research. There will be
three potential assignments; one on US theatre today and how political theatres fit
into overall US theatre and one to introduce each of the two case studies. I will
divide you into three groups. Each group will divide into subgroups based on
interest; subgroups should take a group of web sites and research area. Further
directions are on the syllabus for each unit, and I will assist you in choosing
subtopics for each group member, if you wish. 10%
3) Term paper. The final essay is due at the final examination, Thursday 12/15 at
noon. Topics for the final essay will be distributed. The essay will not require
additional research or reading additional texts, but it is permissible to extend the
course topics with some additional material. The final essay should be 7-8 pages,
typed, double-spaced and follow the MLA Manual of Style for all citations. 20%
4) Class Participation. 15% Students are expected to be on time and have
completed all assigned readings prior to the start of each class. Participation in
class discussion, in class writing assignments, and bulletin board postings
assigned in class all count toward a final participation grade.
5) Required films screenings, workshops, and/or performances. We will see
three films, attend a workshop on Boal’s techniques of devised theatre for social
action, and see a performance in Rochester. Students have more than one option
for each required event, and those who cannot attend any will have to find their
own way to screen the films or see the performances.
Unexcused late work will be graded, but reduced by one full letter grade per day, and is
likely to be returned later than work submitted on time. Excused lateness must be
individually arranged, well ahead of deadlines.
Computation of final grades
Three position papers:
45%, 15% each
Group presentations on web sites 10%
Term paper:
20%
Class participation:
15%
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS POLICY
SUNY Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented
physical, emotional or learning disabilities. Students should contact the Director in the
Office of Disability Services (Tabitha Buggie-Hunt, 105D Erwin) and their faculty to
discuss needed accommodations as early as possible in the semester.
Daily Syllabus:
UNIT I. International Models of Social Action Theatre
Week 1
Course Introduction
Overview on the relationship of Art to the Society that produces it; all the
way back to Aristotle and Plato. Historical examples of artist as instigator,
from the romantic hero to contemporary examples.
Week 2
1st Group presentations: Overview of theatre in US today;
How does social action theatre fit into the overall practice of theatre across
the country, from
Broadway to youth performance?
Social action theatre in the US and financial support for the arts:
Web sites for everyone: National Endowment for the Arts:
http://www.nea.gov,
New York State Council or the Arts: http://www.nysca.org/
Alternate Roots: http://www.alternateroots.org/
Read: Tony Kushner’s speech at ArtNow (handout)
1998 Supreme Court case on NEA and free speech: Read ACLU press
release, other documents of your choice, from
http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/intro.html
Week 3
BRECHT
Read: Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht
Finish Mother Courage, movie clips
Read: “Short Organum” and “Literarization of the theatre: Notes to
Threepenny Opera”by
Bertolt Brecht; (mycourses).
Film screening: Threepenny Opera 6 pm Friday and Saturday, 7 pm, classroom.
Week 4
BOAL
Skim Chs. 1-2 of Legislative Theatre by Augusto Boal, (my courses,
ereserve folder)
Classwork in Boal’s Forum Theatre
Read: “Invisible Theatre: Reflections on an Overlooked Form” by Martin
Maria Kohtes, (mycourses, ereserve folder)
Boal classwork
Boal workshop: select one of 2 2-hour sessions to attend, classroom.
Week 5
BOAL and PERFORMANCE THEORY
Finish and discuss Boal classwork; read: “Boal and the Shifting Sands:
The Un-Political Master Swimmer” by David Davis and Carmel
O'Sullivan; (my courses, ereserve folder)
Read: Catherine Bell “Performance and other Analogies,”,Judith Butler
“Performative Acts and Gender Constitution” (mycourses, ereserve folder)
Hour Exam 1
UNIT II. Anti-Apartheid Theatre in South Africa
Week 6
Introduction to South Africa unit
2nd Group Presentations: History of South Africa, Apartheid, PostColonial Art, Theatre in South
Africa
Week 7
Read: Master Harold and the Boys by Athold Fugard; video clips in class
Read: “Some Problems of a Playwright from South Africa” by Athol
Fugard
(my courses, ereserve folder); finish Master Harold, movie
Class trip to show in Rochester; I will buy group rate tickets and arrange transportation
for Friday at 8 pm. If you cannot attend at that time you will be responsible for
purchasing your own ticket and arranging your own transportation.
Week 8
Read: Woza Albert
Read: Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Fugard, Kani, Ntshona (mycourses,
ereserve folder)
Discuss Sizwe Bansi, movie
Week 9
Read: “No Way Out: Sizwe Bansi is Dead and the Dilemma of Political
Drama in South Africa” by
Andre Brink; (mycourses, ereserve folder)
Skim: History of student uprising on which Sarafina is based:
http://africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa060801a.htm
Read: So What’s New by Fatima Dike (mycourses, ereserve folder)
Film screening: Sarafina: Friday and Saturday, 7 pm, classroom.
Week 10
Read: “Making Sense Project: Promoting Entrepreneurship in S Africa…”
(my courses, ereserve
folder); and “As Fish out of
Water” Link to article in ProQuest
on mycourses.
Read: “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by
Ngugi wa Thiong’o (my
courses, ereserve folder);
Wrap up Unit II
Hour Exam 2
UNIT III. Documentary Theatre; the Real in Art and Art in Reality
Week 11
Introduction to Unit 3 on documentary theatre and current trends in theatre
of reality
3rd Group Presentations: What is documentary theatre? Combinations of
real and performative:
Entertainment news
(Daily Show/Stephen Colbert); news media as entertainment; reality TV;
documentary film and how
film constructs a reality; tourism
All Read: Neal Gabler “Life the Movie” and “WELCOME TO THE
DESERT OF THE REAL”
by Slavoj Zizek(mycourses, ereserve folder)
Week 12
Topic and 3 sources for final essay due in class
Read: Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deveare Smith and “Oh, But for a
Fool” by Smith (mycourses),
video clips
Read: The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre
Project
video clips; browse http://community.laramieproject.org/ for 10 years later
project
Film screening: The Laramie Project, Friday and Saturday, 7 pm, classroom
Week 13
Read: The Exonerated by Blank and Jensen
Read “Toward a Poetics of Theatre and Public Events: In the Case of
Stephen Lawrence” by Janelle Reinelt (mycourses)
Read: Stuff Happens by David Hare (excerpt)
Final Essay topics distributed
Week 14
Read: “Post -1990’s Verbatim Theatre in South Africa: Exploring an
African Concept of Truth” by Yvette Hutchinson
and Intro and Text of “RE-wind: A Cantata for Voice, Tape and
Testimony” by Philip Miller (mycourses)
Read: “Bodies of Evidence” by Carol Martin; wrap up Unit III
EXAM WEEK scheduled 12-3: Hour Exam 3, Final Essay due at exam, scheduled
Hour Exam 3