Theatre in Context: Analysis & Research (140-2-22)

Topic

Adaptations

Instructors

Chelsea Marie Taylor

Meeting Info

Wirtz 240 Seminar Room 2: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

At its core, the artistic process of adaptation requires change, and yet anxiety about changing too much or diverging too far from the original source material continues to dominate critiques of new adaptations. So much so, it is nearly impossible to reach a consensus about when an adaptation drifts too far from its original and becomes something new altogether. In this class, we will move beyond the limited comparisons of the original-versus-copy, faithful-versus-loose by approaching theatrical adaptations not just as artistic products but also as complex processes of creation and reception. We will explore how multiple playwrights interpret the same source material in radically different ways and infuse their adaptations with unique points of view. We will also discuss how specific cultural and historical contexts influence audience reception, foregrounding different themes within the source material.

This course is divided into three units: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, and Beckett's absurd tragicomedy Waiting for Godot. We will investigate how adaptations of these stories—including Broadway's hit musical Hadestown, Paula Vogel's feminist parody Desdemona, and Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu's politically-charged Pass Over—critique the original source material while simultaneously ensuring the sources remain cultural touchstones. This course combines brief lectures, discussion, in-class activities, and writing exercises to teach students methods of play structure and analysis. Also, this class introduces students to university-level research and writing skills.

Class Materials (Required)

None

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Registration is reserved for Theatre Majors only.