FT3NTA: North American Theatre

Module Provider:

Film, Theatre & TV

Number of credits:

20 [10 ECTS credits]

Level:

H (Honours)

Terms in which taught:

Autumn and Spring

Module Convenor:

Ms EJ Taylor

Pre-requisites:

Co-requisites:

Modules excluded:

Current from:

2005/6

Aims:
This module aims to introduce students to the main developments in North American Theatre from the early twentieth century to the present day; to encourage them to relate these developments to recurring themes in American Drama, such as concerns with the notion of the 'American Dream' and tensions between individuality and collective responsibility; to enhance their understanding of the relationships between the work of playwrights, theatre practitioners and theatrical institutions; to extend their awareness of the ways in which theatre practice may be related to specific historical, social and cultural contexts; and to enhance their skills of critical analysis, informed by appropriate critical frameworks of both play scripts and theatre performances.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that students will be able to:

Additional outcomes:
The module plays a significant role in the continuing development of other skills and competencies which are central to the course. It is expected that the level of skills and competencies achieved in the following will be appropriate to the level of study: oral communication and argument in group situations; deployment of research using printed and electronic resources; critical analysis and coherent argument; undertaking self-directed, independent work; presentation of written work using IT; identifying and addressing problems in the analysis of theatre.

Outline content:
This module examines the development of North American Theatre from the early twentieth century to the present day. In particular it will focus on the notion of the American Dream and consider the ways in which playwrights and theatre practitioners have interrogated and exposed its ideology. The module will examine the development of American Theatre up to the 1950s, including the work of The Group, writers such as Eugene O'Neill, Arthur Miller and Lillian Hellman, movements such as The Method and institutions such as Broadway. It will also consider the significance of theatre as a political platform in contemporary society for writers such as Mamet and Shepard as well as the challenges to traditional forms posed by writers seeking to use theatre to explore issues of cultural identity such as Ntosake Shange, Amiri Baraka, Tony Kushner and Robert Lepage.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Within the normal two hour class, teaching styles will be flexibly used and may vary week by week. Lectures will introduce the students to relevant theatrical, institutional, political and historical contexts. Seminars will focus mainly upon the analysis of texts in the light of contextual issues. Occasional workshops will be used to enable students to develop their understanding through the visual realisation of moments from particular texts.

Contact hours:

Assessment:
Coursework:
In the Autumn Term, students will write two essays, equivalent to 3000 words in total. Students may choose whether to submit their final assignment, a 3,000 word essay, in the Spring or Summer Terms.
Relative percentage of coursework:100%
Examinations
None
Requirements for a pass
Minimum 40%
Reassessment arrangements
Re-submission of course work and/or a take-away examination in September.