African American Theatre

Catalog description

Exploration of the development of African American theatre from its roots in Africa through the diaspora, to the present time. THEA 412 / AFAM 412 African American Theatre (3) (US;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.In this course, we will explore the development of African American theatre from its roots in Africa and Europe, through the diaspora, to the present time. We will learn something of the rich diversity of African American people and their contribution to the world's creative mainstream. We will become acquainted with both historical and contemporary artists who created and continue to create this unique American art form. The goals of the course are: 1)to develop familiarity with African American theatre and the socio-historic context in which it was created 2) to develop an understanding of the relationship of African American theatre to mainstream American theatre 3) to acquire an appreciation of the schools, styles, and techniques of African American theatre We will do this by reading and engaging plays in the context of the period in which they were created, viewing films of plays, and attending relevant productions where possible.