Feminist Theatres in the USA: Staging Women's Experience

by Charlotte Canning

Overview

Feminist Theaters in the USA is a fresh, informative portrait of a key era in feminist and theater history It is vital reading for feminist students, theater historians and theater practitioners. Their continued movement forward will be challenged and enriched by this timely look back at the trials and accomplishments of their predecessors.
Canning interviews over thirty women who took part in the dynamic feminist theater of the 1970s and 1980s. They provide first-hand accounts of the excitement, struggles and innovations which formed their experience. From this foundation Cannning constructs a compelling combination of historical survey, critique and celebration which explores:
* The history of the groups and their formation
* The politics which shaped their work
* Their methods and creative processes
* The productions they brought to the stage
* The reception from critics and audiences

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781134859634
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/28/2005
Series:	Gender in Performance
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Charlotte Canning is Assistant Professor in the department of Theater and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin. She has published a wide varieky of articles about feminism and theater history.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Dedication Epigraph Table of Contents Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction Two Projects 1 Writing the History of Feminist Theater Groups 2 Feminism, Theater, and Radical Politics: Intersecting at Experience 3 Collectivity and Collaboration 4 Representing Community and Experience: Plays About Mothers and Daughters 5 Representing the Patriarchy and Experience: Plays About Violence Against Women 6 The Community as Audience Conclusion: Changes and Legacies Appendix A List of Interviews Appendix B Interview Questions Appendix C Feminist Theaters and Producing Organisations Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"["Feminist Theaters in the U.S.A.] offers a comprehensive examination of the heady movement (early 1970s to mid-1980s) that had its roots in avant-garde theatre of the 60s with its left-wing politics and communally created work: lots of group improv before the curtain went up and frequent audience participation afterwards."
-"Back Stage

From the Publisher