Class Syllabus

Introduction to the Course

Greek Theatre, 475 - 400 B. C.
Required reading:
John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 1.
Graham Ley, A Short Introduction to the Greek Theatre.
Also required:
View Images of ancient Greek theatres and modern productions of ancient plays.

Lecture: Ritual and Performance in Ancient Greece

Required reading:
Aeschylus, The Oresteia: Agamemnon

Required reading:
Aeschylus, The Oresteia: The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides**

Required reading: Sophocles, Antigone

Required group assignment for preparation outside class:
Develop a production and design concept for a contemporary New York production of Antigone, or of an adaptation of Antigone-either one already published or one of your group's own making. One person in each group should be assigned to read Jean Anouilh's adaptation of Antigone; another should be assigned to read Bertolt Brecht's adaptation of Antigone. Images from modern productions of Greek plays that may spark your imagination can be viewed on the course webpage. Each group's written proposal (which one member should be chosen to write), explicating and outlining the group's choices, is to be posted on the class electronic bulletin board by Wed, Oct 10. All of these postings must be read by everyone by Mon, Oct 15.

Required reading: Aristophanes, The Frogs

Roman Theatre and Spectacle, 340 B. C. - 549 A. D.
Required reading: John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 2, pp. 49-64 (ending with "and a cross stood above the altar").

Required reading:
Seneca, Thyestes, trans. Caryl Churchill

Medieval Performance, 900 ­ 1550
Required reading:
John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 2, pp. 65-92 (till the end of the chapter).
Required viewing:
Explore images of medieval performance and links to medieval drama sites.

Required reading:
Gassner, ed.: "The Murder of Abel" (Wakefield cycle, pp. 57-71), "Noah and His Sons" (Wakefield cycle, 72-88), "The Second Shepherd's Play" (Wakefield cycle, pp. 102-27)

Presentation of Antigone projects to class and invited professional producers from the New York theater.
Midterm paper due: 5-7 pp. Topic TBA.

Italian Renaissance Theatre, 1550 ­ 1700
Required reading:
John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch.4.
Also required:
Explore Italian Renaissance theater links and images on course webpage.

Commedia workshop with Steve Friedman and Amy Trompetter

Spanish Renaissance Theatre, 1580 ­ 1680
Required reading:
John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 5.

Required reading:
Lope de Vega, Fuente Ovejuna

English Renaissance Theatre, 1550 ­ 1642
Required reading:
John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 6, pp. 173-203 (through "was not the people's").
Also required:
Explore English Renaissance images and links on course webpage.

Marlowe and Shakespeare on film

English Restoration Theatre, 1660 ­ 1700
Required reading: John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 6, pp. 203-219 (till end of chapter).

Required reading: Aphra Behn, The Rover

French Baroque Theatre, 1625 ­ 1700
Required reading: John Russell Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, ch. 7.