Teaching Critical Performance Theory: In Today's Theatre Classroom, Studio, and Communities PDF
Preview Teaching Critical Performance Theory: In Today's Theatre Classroom, Studio, and Communities
Teaching Critical Performance Theory Teaching Critical Performance Theory offers teaching strategies for professors and artist- scholars across performance, design and technology, and theatre studies disciplines. The book’s seventeen chapters collectively ask: What use is theory to an emerging theatre artist or scholar? Which theories should be taught, and to whom? How can theory pedagogies shape and respond to the evolving needs of the academy, the field, and the community? This broad field of enquiry is divided into four sections covering course design, classroom teaching, the studio space, and applied theatre contexts. Through a range of intriguing case studies that encourage thoughtful theatre practice, this book explores themes surrounding situated learning, dramaturgy and technology, disability and inclusivity, feminist approaches, race and performance, ethics, and crit- ical theory in theatre history. Written as an invaluable resource for professionals and postgraduates engaged in performance theory, this collection of informative essays will also provide critical reading for those interested in drama and theatre studies more broadly. Jeanmarie Higgins is an Associate Professor in the School of Theatre at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA. Teaching Critical Performance Theory In Today’s Theatre Classroom, Studio, and Communities Edited by Jeanmarie Higgins First published 2020 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2020 selection and editorial matter, Jeanmarie Higgins; individual chapters, the contributors The right of Jeanmarie Higgins to be identified as the author of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Names: Higgins, Jeanmarie, editor. Title: Teaching critical performance theory: in today’s theatre classroom, studio, and communities / edited by Jeanmarie Higgins. Description: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019052865 (print) | LCCN 2019052866 (ebook) | ISBN 9780367409296 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367409302 (paperback) | ISBN 9780367809966 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Theater–Study and teaching. | Drama–Study and teaching. Classification: LCC PN2075 .T425 2020 (print) | LCC PN2075 (ebook) | DDC 792.02/807–dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019052865 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019052866 ISBN: 978- 0-3 67- 40929- 6 (hbk) ISBN: 978- 0-3 67- 40930- 2 (pbk) ISBN: 978- 0-3 67- 80996- 6 (ebk) Typeset in Sabon by Newgen Publishing UK For Sarah B.B. Contents List of figures x List of tables xi List of contributors xii Acknowledgments xv Introduction: teaching critical performance theory in today’s educational landscape 1 NOE MONTEZ PART I Course design: reimagining the syllabus 9 1 Doing things with theory: situated cognition and theatre pedagogy 11 JENNIFER EWING-P IERCE 2 Feminist musical theatre pedagogy 26 EMMA WATKINS AND STACY WOLF 3 Theory over time: Asian American performance, critical theory, and the theatre history survey 38 ANGELA K. AHLGREN 4 From systemic dramaturgy to systemic pedagogy: rethinking theatre history and technology 51 MICHAEL M. CHEMERS AND MIKE SELL 5 Contemporary playwriting pedagogies: a survey of recent introductory playwriting syllabi 66 LES HUNTER viii Contents PART II Classroom identities: engaging students in theory 79 6 Performing blackness, ecodramaturgy, and social justice: toward a radical pedagogy 81 LA DONNA L. FORSGREN 7 Casting Christopher: disability pedagogy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night- Time 94 SAMUEL YATES 8 Greening the curriculum: introducing ecocriticism and ecodrama to students in the classroom and rehearsal studio 108 MIRIAM KAMMER 9 Teaching African American plays as “reality checks”; or, why theatre still matters 122 ISAIAH MATTHEW WOODEN PART III Studio: theorizing praxis 135 10 Deep thought: teaching critical theory to designers 137 JEANMARIE HIGGINS AND MICHAEL SCHWEIKARDT 11 Reimagining the actor’s presence through contemporary neuroscience 145 ANDREW BELSER 12 Drag evolution: re-i maging gender through theory and practice 159 JEAN O’HARA 13 The “best” bad idea: decentering professional casting practices in university productions 169 MARIA ENRIQUEZ Contents ix PART IV Communities: applying theory 181 14 Life first: interdisciplinary placemaking for the theatre 183 JEN PLANTS 15 Growing applied theatre: critical humanizing pedagogies from the ground up 195 BETH MURRAY 16 Up close and wide awake: participating in Anna Deavere Smith’s social theatre 210 STEPHANIE L. HODDE 17 Tricksters in the academy: “find the gap, then look for the people” 225 SUSAN RUSSELL AND KIKORA FRANKLIN Index 237
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