Professor Becky Boling
Spring 2006
Office Hours: Tuesdays:
10:00-11:00; Wednesdays: 3:10-4:30.
342: Introduction to key themes and
modes
of
production in twentieth century theater in Latin America. We will read
representative plays in translation from established playwrights such
as Rodolfo
Usigli, Griselda Gambaro, Manuel Puig, Sabina Berman, Emilio
Carballido, Susana Torres Molina among
others. The course will be organized around themes of national and
cultural identity, relations of power, and the (de)construction of
gender. Students will be asked to put on scenes and develop areas of
research. Some of the dramas for 342 are in
translation, but a significant number will be in Spanish. 6
credits, AL,
TEXTS: Holy Terrors, and
Thomas,
Charles
Philip. Latin
American theatre in translation :
an
anthology of works from Mexico,
the Caribbean and the Southern
Cone :
plays United States:
Xlibris Corp, 2000.
The major readings for this course can
be found and printed off from eReserves
through the library
webpage. Be sure to have copies
for class.
342:
To receive credit for 342, specifically
designated class work must be
completed in Spanish. Several of the
plays we will read as a class, you will read in Spanish (although the
English
version will be available to you to help in most cases).
In addition to the plays all students will
read, you will be given one play to read in Spanish for which I have no
translation. In small groups, you will do
a powerpoint
presentation of this play for the non-Spanish speaking students
in the class
in an effort to enrich their experience and to give them a perspective
also on
the issues of reading in Spanish vs in English. More information
will be given during the term regarding this powerpoint presentation.
As often as is feasible, I will group those of
you in 342 together to
discuss the plays in Spanish.
Two Position papers
in Spanish. The
first will be due toward the end of the
2nd week. The second will be due toward the end of the sixth
week. The papers (2-3 pages typed)
should take a perspective on the play that illuminates it, whether it
is an
analysis of a particular scene, a character, a speech, a discussion of
the
theme of the play or a historical report on its significance in the
nation’s
cultural history or a report on its theatrical history, modes of
production,
etc… Proper terminology must be used
when referring to aspects of the drama text. The
paper must incorporate textual quotations to support the
points.
Final Performance Project. A play will be selected
and read and discussed among the members of each group.
A scene will be selected, parts
memorized,
props and costumes improvised as time and materials permit. Each student in the group will be responsible
for writing an individual 5 page essay which introduces and summarizes
the key issues/themes in the play as a whole, describes and explains
the production decisions in its staging, and how the specific scene
relates to the play as a whole. To allow for the greates
flexibility possible, I will allow the groups to present from a
translation or from the Spanish original. This allows us to
consider possible plays from the collection by Thomas or from Holy Terrors.
20% discussion (in
Spanish when possible, English when involved with full class)
20% position papers
in Spanish
25% two exams in
Spanish
25% performance
project in English or in Spanish
(final paper in Spanish)
10% presentation in
powerpoint on extra play read in the original (presentation to whole
class in Spanish)
Tentative Schedule
|
WEEK
|
date
|
Reading 342
|
Assignments
|
|
Una
|
Mon. 27 March
|
Introduction to the
Course: What is drama? What is theater? What is the object of this course? Luisa
Josefina Hernández, Dialogues
|
|
|
Wed. 29 March
|
Umberto Eco,
“Semiotics of Theatrical Performance”
Martin Esslin, “The Nature of Drama”
William I. Oliver, “Introduction” Voices
of Change in the Spanish American Theater.
Sebastian Doggart,
“An Introduction to Latin American Theatre.”
|
Concepts and
Terminology: Consult Keir Elam, Martin Esslin for
terminology related to theater.
Umberto Eco Guide.
|
|
Fri. 31
|
Confronting Katrina
No Class
|
|
|
Dos
|
Mon.
3 April
|
El
Gesticulador Rodolfo Usigli, Spanish version
(Mexico)
|
Pick a scene and
describe the importance of the mise-en-scene
|
|
Vanguardist and Experimental Theater
|
|
Wed.
5
April
|
El
Gesticulador Rodolfo Usigli, Spanish version
|
What is the Theater of
the Absurd? (possible source: Martin Esslin)
|
|
Fri.
7
April
|
El cepillo de dientes,
translation, Jorge Díaz (Chile) "Toothbrush"
|
Position
Paper # 1 due
Violence, Artaud,
Grotesco Criollo
|
|
Tres
|
Mon.
10
April
|
El
campo Griselda Gambaro
(Argentina) |
The Absurd. How do these plays challenge concepts of
reality?
|
|
Wed. 12
April
|
The Day they
Let the Lions
Loose Emilio Carballido (Mexico)
|
What is Brechtian
Theater?
|
|
Fri. 14
April
|
Presentación
1 y 2
|
|
|
Cuatro
|
Mon.
17
April
|
Roadhouse Teatro La
Candelaria (Colombia)
|
Collective
Theater?
|
|
Wed. 19
April
|
Exam
1
|
Exam
1
|
|
Issues of Citizenship, Political and Sexual Repression:
|
|
Fri. 21
April
|
Kiss of the Spider Woman,
Manuel Puig (Argentina)
|
Movie: Kiss of the Spider Woman (Optional) All
movies are in LDC lab 2nd floor.
|
|
Cinco
|
Mon. 24
April
|
Bill
Sabina Berman
(Mexico)
|
|
|
Wed. 26
April
|
Burning
Patience, Antonio Skármeta (Chile)
|
|
|
Fri. 28
April
|
Presentation
3, 4
|
Next week we
will be discussing two movie versions of plays. You might want to
organize your time to see one of the two early.
|
|
Seis
|
Mon.
1
May
|
Midterm Break. No class.
|
|
|
Wed.
3
May
|
Movie: Death and the Maiden, Dorfman (Chile)
Saying Yes, Griselda
Gambaro (Argentina)
|
Position
Paper #2 due
|
|
Fri.
5
May
|
Movie: Golpes a mi
puerta,
Juan Carlos Gene (Argentina)
Antigona
furiosa, Gambaro
|
|
|
Siete
|
Mon.
8
May
|
Zarilli, "Toward a
Phenomenological Model of the Actor's Body"
Y a
otra cosa mariposa, Torres Molina (Argentina)
|
|
|
Wed. 10
May
|
Jesusa Rodríguez
various…
Guillermo
Gómez Peña (México, U.S.)
|
|
|
Fri. 12 May
|
Presentation
5, 6
|
|
|
Ocho
|
Mon. 15 May
|
El
suplicio de placer, “Uno,” Sabina Berman (Mexico)
|
|
|
Wed. 17 May
|
Petrona de la Cruz
Cruz, A Desperate Woman (Mexico)
|
|
|
Fri. 19 May
|
Exam
2
|
Exam
2
|
|
Nueve
|
Mon. 22 May
|
Performance Preparation
Day NO CLASS
|
|
|
Wed. 24 May
|
Performances
Begin 1
|
|
|
Fri. 26 May
|
Performances 2
|
|
|
Diez
|
Mon. 29 May
|
Performances 3
|
|
|
Wed. 31 May
|
Performances
4
Course
Evaluations
|
|
Major Texts
Articles:
Umberto Eco, “Semiotics of
Theatrical Performance”
Martin Esslin, “The Nature of
Drama”
William I. Oliver, “Introduction”
Voices of Change in the Spanish American Theater.
Sebastian Doggart, “An Introduction
to Latin American Theatre.”
Early 20th Century Realism
El Gesticulador Rodolfo
Usigli
Vanguardist
and Experimental Theater
El cepillo de
dientes, translation, Jorge Díaz
The Camp,
Griselda Gambaro
El campo Griselda Gambaro
The Day they Let the Lions Loose Carballido
In the Right Hand of God Enrique
Buenaventura
Roadhouse Teatro La Candelaria
Issues of Citizenship, Political and
Sexual Repression
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Yankee (Bill), Sabina Berman, Bill Sabina Berman
Burning Patience Skármeta
Saying Yes, Gambaro
Antigona furiosa Gambaro Antigona
furiosa, Gambaro
“Fighting Fire with Frivolity:
Diana Raznovich’s Defiant Acts” Diana Taylor “Combatiendo
el fuego con frivolidad: Los actos
desafiantes de Diana Raznovich” de Diana Taylor
Disconcerted,
Diana Raznovich El
desconcierto,
Raznovich
Over and Done With, Susana Torres Molina
Y a
otra cosa mariposa, Torres Molina
Holy Terrors
Jesusa
Rodríguez
various…
Berman The
Agony of Ecstasy “El bigote”
El
suplicio de placer, “Uno,” Sabina Berman
Petrona
de la Cruz Cruz A Desperate Woman
Movies/Videos:
Death and the Maiden
Golpes a mi puerta
Kiss of the
Spider Woman
Ardiente Paciencia
Guillermo de la Peña
Women series on artists in Mexico City
|
342: Plays in
Spanish
for Group Presentations
(prof. will make these available as needed)
Los frutos caídos, Luisa
Josefina Hernández
Una
guerra que no se pelea
Pedro
y el capitán, Mario
Benedetti
Aguila
o sol, Sabina Berman
Entre
Pancho Villa y una mujer desnuda, Berman
Cocinando
con Elisa, Lucía
Laragione
El
color de nuestra piel, Gorostiza
Guadalupe
sin años, La Candelaria
Círculo
vicioso, José Agustín
Cada
quien su vida, Luis
Basurte
Falsa
crónica de Juana la loca, Miguel Sabido
Los
invasores, Egon Wolff
La
mudanza, Vicente Leñero
Puesto
en clara, Griselda Gambaro
Los
siameses, Griselda Gambaro
Funeral
Home, Walter Beneke
Los
empeños de una casa, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
|
Plays
Available for Final Performance Project for 243 and 342 student groups:
Any piece from the anthology that was ordered for the class:
Thomas,
Charles
Philip. Latin American theatre in translation :
an
anthology of works from Mexico,
the Caribbean and the Southern
Cone :
plays United States:
Xlibris Corp, 2000.
Information for Strangers, Griselda
Gambaro
The Night of the Assasins, José Triana
My Son the Lawyer,
Florencio Sánchez
From the Waist Down, Diana Raznovich
Inner Gardens, Diana Raznovich Jardín
de otoño, Raznovich
(I will consider proposals from groups who
find alternative plays among the closed reserve anthologies of
translations.)
|
Materials
for further study and for resources:
Encyclopedia
of Latin American theater / edited by Eladio Cortés
and Mirta Barrea-Marlys. 2003 REFERENCE
BOOK
Latin American
dramatists. First series / edited by Adam Versényi. 2005 REFERENCE BOOK
Latin American
play index
/ by Herbert H. Hoffman. Metuchen,
N.J.
: Scarecrow Press, 1983- REFERENCE
BOOK
Journals/Periodicals:
GESTOS (Periodicals)
LATIN AMERICAN THEATRE REVIEW (Periodicals)
MODERN DRAMA (Periodicals)
THEATER JOURNAL (Periodicals)
Closed Reserve:
General
Books on Theater and Latin American Theater
Albuquerque,
Severino Joao. Violent Acts: A Study of Contemporary
Latin American Theatre. Detroit: Wayne
State UP, 1991.
Artaud,
Antonin. The Theater and
its Double
Austin,
Gayle. Feminist Theories for
Dramatic Criticism. Ann
Arbor: U of Michigan
P, 1990.
Ball,
David. Backwards
& Forwards. A Technical Manual for
Reading Plays. Carbondale:
Southern Illinois
UP, 1983.
Boal,
Augusto. Teatro del oprimido. Volumes 1 and 2.
Case,
Sue-Ellen. Feminism and Theatre. NY: Methuen,
1988.
Dauster,
Frank. Ensayos sobre teatro hispanoamericano.
Mexico: SepSetentas, 1975
De
Costa, Elena. Collaborative
Latin American popular theatre : from theory to form, from
text to stage. New York : P. Lang, 1992.
De Toro, Fernando. Semiótica
del teatro: Del texto a la puesta en escena. Buenos Aires: Galerna,
1987.
Elam, Keir. The
Semiotics of Theatre and Drama NY: Methuen,
1980.
Esslin, Martin. An anatomy of drama.
New York :
Hill and
Wang, 1977, 1976. Edition 1st American ed.
-----.
The
field of drama : how the signs of drama create meaning on stage and
screen London
: Methuen, 1987.
-----. Reflections;
essays on modern theatre. Garden City, N.Y.,
Doubleday,
1969.
-----.
The theatre of the absurd
Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England
; New York, N.Y.
: Penguin ; [London] : Eyre
&
Spottiswoode, 1987, c1980. Edition 3rd ed.
Flores,
Yolanda, The
drama of gender : feminist theater by women of the Americas / Yolanda Flores.
New York : P. Lang, 2000. St. Olaff
Fusco, Coco ed., Corpus
delecti : performance art of the Americas. London
; New
York : Routledge, 2000.
Helbo,
André; Johansen, Dines J.; Pavis, Patrice; Ubersfeld, Anne. Approaching
Theatre. Indiana
UP, 1987.
Larson,
Catherine, Games
and play in the
theater of Spanish American women. Lewisburg : Bucknell
University Press, 2004. St. Olaff
Larson, Catherine and
Margarita Vargas Eds. Latin American women
dramatists : theater, texts, and theories. Bloomington
: Indiana University Press, c1998.
Luzuriaga,
Gerardo (ed.) Popular Theater
for Social Change in Latin America: Essays in Spanish and English. Los Angeles: University
of California, Latin
American Center,
1978.
Lyday, Leon
F. & George W.Woodyard, eds. Dramatists in
revolt : the new Latin
American theater. Austin
: University of Texas
Press, c1976.
Marting,
Diane E. (ed.). Spanish
American Women Writers: A
Bio-Bibliographical Source Book. Ed. New
York: Greenwood,
1990: 186-198.
Ruiz Lago, Marcela and Ariel
Contreras. Glosario de
Términos del arte teatral.
Suárez Radillo, Carlos Miguel, 1919-
Lo
social en el teatro hispanoamericano contemporáneo.
Caracas : Equinoccio, c1976.
Taylor, Diana (Ed.) En
busca de una imagen: ensayos
críticos sobre Griselda Gambaro y José
Triana. Ottawa: Girol, 1989. 25-28.
-----. Theatre
of Crisis: Drama and Politics in Latin America.
Lexington: UP
of Kentucky, 1991.
Taylor, Diana and Juan
Villegas, editors. Negotiating performance : gender,
sexuality, and theatricality in Latin/o America Durham
: Duke University Press, 1994.
Versényi,
Adam. Theatre
in Latin America : religion, politics, and
culture from Cortés to the 1980s. Cambridge
[England]
; New York, NY,
USA
: Cambridge University
Press, 1993.
Villegas, Juan. Ideología
y discurso crítico sobre el teatro de España y
América Latina. Minneapolis: Prisma Institute, 1988.
Villegas Morales, Juan, Para la interpretación del teatro
como construcción visual.
Irvine, Calif. : Gestos, 2000.
Weiss,
Judith A. Latin American popular
theatre : the first five centuries / Judith A. Weiss with Leslie
Damasceno ...
[et al.] Albuquerque
: University of New
Mexico Press, c1993. Edition 1st ed.
Wright,
Edward. Understanding Today’s
Theater or Para
comprender el
teatro Actual Mexico: Colección de Fondo Económico.
Sources for
Translation:
Berman, Sabina. The theatre
of Sabina Berman: The agony of ecstasy and other plays. Trans. Adam Versényi .
Introd. Jacqueline E. Bixler. Carbondale
: Southern Illinois University
Press, 2003.
Cajiao
Salas,
Teresa and Margarita Vargas, Eds. Women Writing Women: An
Anthology of
Spanish-American Theater of the 1980s. (Suny Series in Latin
American
and Iberian Thought and Culture) NY: SUNY P, 1997.
Colecchia, Francesca Maria and Julio Matas. Selected
Latin American One Act Plays. Pittsburgh:
U of Pittsburgh P, 1973.
Doggart,
Sebastian. Latin American plays : new drama
from
Argentina, Cuba, Mexico and Peru. London:
Nick Hern, 1996.
Gambaro,
Griselda. Information for foreigners : three plays.
Marguerite Feitlowitz, Ed. Trans. Evanston,
Ill. : Northwestern University
Press, 1992.
Graham-Jones,
Jean, Trans. Reason Obscured: Nine Plays by Ricardo Monti.
Lewisburg:
Bucknell UP, 2004.
Milleret,
Margo, Latin
American women on/in stages. Albany
: State University of New York Press, 2004.
Oliver,
William
I. Voices of Change in the Spanish American Theater.
Austin:
U of Texas P,
1971.
Taylor,
Diana and
Roselyn Costantino. Holy Terrors. Latin American Women
Perform.
Duke U, 2003.
Thomas,
Charles
Philip. Latin American theatre in translation :
an
anthology of works from Mexico,
the Caribbean and the Southern
Cone :
plays United States:
Xlibris Corp, 2000.
Weiss,
Judith
A. Colombian theatre in the vortex : seven plays.
Lewisburg, Pa.
: Bucknell University
Press, 2004.
Woodyard,
George,
ed. The Modern Stage in Latin America:
Six Plays. An Anthology. New York:
E. P. Dutton, 1971.
Some sources
in Spanish:
Berman, Sabina. Entre Villa y una mujer
desnuda ; Muerte súbita ; El suplicio del
placer. Ciudad de
México : Grupo Editorial Gaceta : DDF, Secretaría General
de Desarrollo Social,
1994.
Dauster, Frank and Leon F.
Lyday, (Ed.), En un acto : diez piezas hispanoamericanas
Boston, Mass.
: Heinle & Heinle, c1983.
Dauster, Frank, Leon Lyday, George Woodyard.
Eds. 9 dramaturgos hispanoamericanos
:
antología del teatro hispanoamericano del siglo XX Ottawa,
Canada : GIROL Books, 1983.
Eidelberg, Nora and
María Mercedes Jaramillo, Eds. Voces
en escena
: antología de dramaturgas latinoamericanas. Medellín,
Colombia : Universidad Antioquia, Departamento de Publicaciones, 1991.
Gambaro, Griselda. Teatro Griselda
Gambaro.
Buenos Aires, República Argentina : Ediciones de la Flor, 1984-
(7 volumes)
Giella, Miguel Angel, Peter
Roster, Leandro Urbina, Eds. 7 dramaturgos argentinos:
antología del
teatro hispanoamericano del siglo XX : 7 piezas en un acto
representadas en el
ciclo de Teatro Abierto 1981 Ottawa, Canadá : GIROL Books, 1983.
Magaña, Sergio. Los signos del
zodíaco / Los frutos caídos /
Luisa Josefina Hernández. Las cosas
simples / Héctor Mendoza. México, D.F. : Secretaría de Educación
Pública, Cultura SEP : Fondo de
Cultura Económica, 1995.
Neglia, Erminio G. (Erminio Giuseppe) Repertorio selecto del teatro
hispanoamericano contemporáneo. Erminio G. Neglia y Luis
Ordaz. Tempe :
Center for Latin American Studies, Arizona State University, 1979.
Solórzano, Carlos. Teatro
latinoamericano en el siglo xx. México,
Editorial Pormaca 1964.
Teatro mexicano
contemporáneo. Prólogo de Antonio
Espina. Madrid, Aguilar [1959]
Teatro mexicano
del siglo XX.
México:
Fondo de Cultura Económica [1956]-(5 vol.)
Woodyard, George W. and
Marion Peter Holt, Eds. Latin America : plays by Manuel Puig
... [et al.] New York : PAJ Publications, 1986.