Feminist theatre groups

169 Pages·1980·33.767 MB·English

by  Dinah Luise Leavitt

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Dinah Luise Leavitt
Feminist
Theatre Groups
McFarland & Company, Inc.,
Publishers
Jefferson, N .C., 1980
Leavitt, Dinah Luise.
Feminist theatre groups.
"Directory of American feminist theatre groups": p.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Feminist theater-United States. 2. Feminist
theater-Minnesota-Minneapolis. I. Title.
PN2270. F45L4 792'. 09'093 52042 80-10602
ISBN 0-89950-005-6
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Copyright© 1980 by Dinah Luise Leavitt
Manufactured in the United States of America
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction v
I FEMINIST THEATRE IN AMERICA 1
Why a Feminist Theatre? 1
What Is Feminist Theatre? 7
Feminist Theatre Groups: Four Pioneers 18
II THE ALIVE AND TRUCKING THEATRE COMPANY 23
III THE LAVENDER CELLAR THEATRE 43
IV CIRCLE OF THE WITCH 53
V AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN 66
VI COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS 79
Political Theatre of the 19301s 85
The Black Theatre Movement 89
VII OBSERVATIONS ON FEMINIST THEATRE 93
Feminist Theatre and the Women's Movement 93
Feminist Drama 94
Unique Aspects of Feminist Theatre 99
Successes of Feminist Theatre 103
Feminist Theatre Criticism 104
Problems for Feminist Theatres 106
Future Prospects for Feminist Theatres 108
Chapter Notes 111
Bibliography 124
List of Plays Cited 133
List of American Feminist Theatre Groups 137
143
Index
iii
372818

INTRODUCTION
Through experiments in radical theatre, feminists in
the United States have recently been developing additional
ways of affecting social and political change. Although the
average life span of such theatres is short, they are
nevertheless quickly revitalized or replaced and currently
number over ninety. They have a vast and diverse poten
tial audience which crosses ethnic, religious, age, social
and political lines.
Feminist art is emerging as a direct consequence of
the feminist movement. To tlescribe feminist theatre art
merely as by, for and about women would be superficial;
and to approach it only as a gender-substitute in the
male-dominated tradition would be nonsense. The fact
that feminism has widely adopted creative media for polit
ical expression justifies a sensitive analysis to determine if
a distinct aesthetic is developing. Within such an analysis
it would be important and useful to know what the aes
thetic is, how it differs from other forms, what are its
origins, evolution, current directions and, ultimately, its
impact not only on its audience but on mainstream play
wrights and theatres.
This study of feminist theatre concerns four groups
in Minneapolis, a city of great traditional strengths in
theatre. They are the Alive and Trucking Theatre Com
pany, the Lavender Cellar Theatre, the Circle of the Witch
Theatre, and the At the Foot of the Mountain Theatre.
The four groups consitute a generally representative
sample of such groups across the United States; each was
willing to contribute information. Since these groups are
in the same city, impact from cultural factors related to
location has been reduced.
This book deals with several questions concerning
feminist theatre groups. For example, what is feminist
theatre? What are its beginnings, organization, structure,
finances activities, plays, playwrights, philosophies,
objectiv;s, audiences and methods of working? What and
where are the feminist theatre groups? Who are the fem-
v