Ethnodrama: An Anthology of Reality Theatre

by Johnny Saldaña (Editor)

Overview

Ethnodrama: An Anthology of Reality Theatre contains seven carefully-selected ethnodramas that best illustrate this emerging genre of arts-based research, a burgeoning but evident trend in the field of theatre production itself. In his introduction to ethnodrama and to the plays themselves, Salda-a emphasizes how a credible, vivid, and persuasive rendering of a research participant's story as a theatrical performance creates insights for both researcher and audience not possible through conventional qualitative data analysis. With their focus on the personal, immediate and contextual, these plays about marginalized identities, abortion, street life and oppression manage a unique balance between theoretical research and everyday realism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759114982
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	02/04/2005
Series:	Crossroads in Qualitative Inquiry
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Johnny Salda-a is a Professor of Theatre at Arizona State University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Acknowledgments
Chapter 2 Series Editors' Introduction
Chapter 3 Prologue: the theatre
Chapter 4 An Introduction to Ethnodrama
Chapter 5
Chapter One?Ethnodramatic Monologue
Chapter 6 Scenes from Voices in the Rain
Chapter 7 Scenes from 14
Chapter 8 Chalkboard Concerto: Growing Up as a Teacher in the Chicago Public Schools
Chapter 9
Chapter Two?Ethnodramatic Dialogue with Monologue
Chapter 10 Storm Tracking: Scenes of Marital Disintegration
Chapter 11 The Practice
Chapter 12 Wearing the Secret Out
Chapter 13
Chapter Three?Ethnodramatic Extensions
Chapter 14 Baddies, Grubs and the Nitty-Gritty
Chapter 15 Street Rat
Chapter 16 Hidden
Chapter 17 Appendix: Dramatic Models for Ethnodrama
Chapter 18 About the Contributors

Editorial Reviews

This book is long overdue. Those of us committed to the performance paradigm have not had, in a single source, a collection of ethnodramas that could be used for teaching and instruction. Saldaña's anthology gives us this book.. . .[His] magnificent introduction locates this field in its proper literatures, gives the reader a vocabulary of terms (plot, story line, dramatic structure, character, scenography) and a typology of forms.. . .Johnny Saldaña and his collaborators are to be thanked for giving us the platform from which this new form of critical qualitative inquiry can be launched.

Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln

This is a glorious book that breaks new ground in research methodology and data representation. Effectively advancing a form of performative arts-based research, its anthology of plays illustrates a blurring of the fields of theatre and ethnography. Through powerful examples, it teaches both qualitative researchers and producers of theatre important lessons about how to entertain audiences while also informing them about important social issues.

Tom Barone

What a splendid opportunity Professor Saldaña gives us here to help qualitative researchers learn more about the genre of research known as ethnodrama. Following his excellent overview, he provides examples of three types of reality theatre—monologue, dialogue, and ethnodramatic 'extension'—including the full text from seven of these productions. Bravo for this much needed resource.

Harry F. Wolcott

Overall, the ethnodramas take us on a roller-coaster ride of themes, issues and emotions that leave a lasting impression.. . Saldaña's outstanding collection will generate valuable conversation in teaching, research and theatre contexts regarding both ists contents and methods.. . the book will provide a valuable resource for my graduate arts-based research classes, and food for thought in my own quest for 'finding the proper balance between research as art and art as research'.. .. Rich with examples of high quality performative arts-based research, the book is a stimulating read—instructive and entertaining, as good theatre should be.

Stage Of The Art Journal

...[This] book is an important addition to the broad field of performance that extends into other disciplines and embraces more than aesthetic goals. Ethnodrama advocates for drama as a form of qualitative research that brings more voices to the public and as an occasion for valuable dialogue between actors and audiences.

Forum: Qualitative Social Research - Jan Cohen-Cruz