Irish Drama and Performance

Catalog description

This course will explore Irish drama and the history of the Irish stage; including plays by prominent Irish playwrights- Yeats, Lady Gregory, Synge, Shaw and others. By relating each play to Irish nationalism, students will gain an understanding of what it means to be Irish and the importance of literature during the Irish Literary Revival and Gaelic Revival during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. As a final project, students will devise their own theatre piece using the themes and ideas presented during their study of Irish dramatic literature, exploring what it means to have a national identity and the importance of theatre in Ireland. Using their knowledge of Irish dramatic literature, students will travel to Ireland to work with the Gaiety School of Acting in their actors training program and to explore Irish culture through theatre's lens. Note: This course includes a required travel component and has additional travel expenses associated with it.