Teaching Critical Performance Theory: In Today's Theatre Classroom, Studio, and Communities

Description

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 critical 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. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of contents Figures Tables Contributors Acknowledgments Introduction: Teaching critical performance theory in today’s educational landscape References Part I Course design 1 Doing things with theory: Situated cognition and theatre pedagogy Individualist versus situative The puzzle of sociocultural production and reception Class 1: form your teams Class 2: establish workflow Class 2 objectives: Classes 3, 4, and 5 Class 6 (and 7, if needed) The journal: metacognitive reflection Notes on assessment Discussion: pedagogy that is grounded in critical theory References 2 Feminist musical theatre pedagogy Overture: revisiting Oklahoma! Historical perspective, contemporary reverberations Musical theatre at the undergraduate level Entr’acte: a (re)visitation A feminist approach enacted Outmarch: beyond the classroom Notes References 3 Theory over time: Asian American performance, critical theory, and the theatre history survey Beyond the anthology: critical theory and post-1965 Asian American theatre Chronology over geography: syllabi and organization Theory over time: concluding thoughts Notes References 4 From systemic dramaturgy to systemic pedagogy: Rethinking theatre history and technology The way we do then, now Backward-and-forward compatibility Zeami the Constructivist: reorganizing our topics Conclusion: the principles of systemic dramaturgy Sample syllabus: Systemic dramaturgy: An introduction Course description Course goals Course schedule Notes References 5 Contemporary playwriting pedagogies: A survey of recent introductory playwriting syllabi Introduction Literature review Methodology Results Discussion and conclusion Notes References Part II Classroom identities 6 Performing blackness, ecodramaturgy, and social justice: Toward a radical pedagogy Early errors Identity formation and radical pedagogy Conclusion References 7 Casting Christopher: Disability pedagogy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Casting Christopher: cripping up, disability drag, and faithful representation Siobhan’s pedagogical work Curious online: a “site at which autism is under construction” Concluding concerns: theatre’s commitments to the “real” Notes References 8 Greening the curriculum: Introducing ecocriticism and ecodrama to students in the classroom and rehearsal studio Introducing ecocriticism Greening the curriculum: from the rehearsal studio to the undergraduate stage Greening the curriculum: within undergraduate classrooms Notes References 9 Teaching African American plays as “reality checks”; or, why theatre still matters Exploring A Raisin in the Sun as “reality check” Interrogating the real and representational in Barbecue Conclusion Notes References Part III Studio 10 Deep thought: Teaching critical theory to designers Research methods revisited (Jeanmarie) The Assignment (Michael) Three spins on A Doll’s House (Jeanmarie) Conclusion Notes References 11 Reimagining the actor’s presence through contemporary neuroscience Memory Prediction Note References 12 Drag evolution: Re-imaging gender through theory and practice What worked What didn’t work What I would recommend End results Notes References 13 The “best” bad idea: Decentering professional casting practices in university productions Notes References Part IV Communities 14 Life first: Interdisciplinary placemaking for the theatre #1: Who is not in the room? #2: What places have already been made? #3: How many “what’s” can be included? #4: How do you know that? Case study: Hunger/Here #1: Who is not in the room? #2: What places have already been made? #3: How many “what’s” can be included? #4: How do you know that? References 15 Growing applied theatre: Critical humanizing pedagogies from the ground up Overview Underpinning Coming to the table Stories from seeds Curation What’s so critical about these pedagogies? Working knowledge of citizenship Self-reflection on balance with passion about the common good Examination of how ideas are translated in the public realm Home Note References 16 Up close and wide awake: Participating in Anna Deavere Smith’s social theatre Facing the noise: Urgency for participatory responses On the road: Smith’s territories for teaching Making the strange familiar: activating emotional intelligence Students get closer—inhabiting social performances Future acts for social theatre Notes Reference 17 Tricksters in the academy: “Find the gap, then look for the people” Susan Kikora Susan Kikora Susan Kikora Susan Kikora Susan Finale References Index