20th Century American Playwrights

1
20th Century American Playwrights

• Purpose
• To explore Modern American Theatre
• To develop research skills
• To create an original performance
• To understand and explore authors intent
• You will choose a Modern American Playwright and
• Research their life and plays
• Develop an original performance of 4 minutes to
  highlight either their life, their characters, or
  some other aspect of their work
• Write a script for that performance
• Rehearse present or rehearse, film, edit
  present that performance

2
Some Modern American Playwrights

• Arthur Laurents
• Israel Horowitz
• John Cander
• August Wilson
• Lanford Wilson
• Sam Shepard
• David Rabe
• David Mamet
• Terrance McNally
• John Guare
• Robert Shenkkan
• Suzan-Lori Parks
• Nilo Cruz
• David Auburn
• Donald Margulies
• Margaret Edson
• Paula Vogel

• William Saroyan
• Clifford Odets
• Eugene ONeill
• George S. Kaufman
• Moss Hart
• Thornton Wilder
• Rachel Crothers
• Susan Glaspell
• Lillian Hellman
• Tennessee Williams
• Arthur Miller
• Edward Albee
• William Inge
• Neil Simon
• Arthur Kopit
• Horton Foote
• Richard Rogers

• John Patrick Shanley
• Wendy Wasserstein
• Marsha Norman
• Beth Henley
• Lorraine Hansberry
• Tony Kushner
• Eve Ensler
• Luis Valdez
• Christopher Durang
• David Ives
• Romulus Linney
• A.R. Gurney
• Aaron Sorkin
• Paula Vogel
• David Lindsay-Abaire
• Doug Wright

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Some ideas

• Talk Show/Jerry Springer type show
• Tabloid newspaper
• Eulogy/Obituary-Funeral Service
• Board Game
• Scenes from this persons life
• Prequel/Sequel scene to one of this persons
  plays
• Filmed Trailer for a movie version of a play or
  this persons life

4
Timeline- 6th Block

• 3/19- Research in the Library- Choose research
  material write an outline/ideas for performance
• 3/24- Finish Albee Film- Discuss issues and
  project ideas for film, develop project
• 3/26-3/28- TBA
• 4/1- Compose presentation script, find partners
  for scenes/performances
• 4/3- Rehearse/Film Performances
• 4/7- Rehearse/Film Performances
• 4/9 4/11- Finished Performances

5
Timeline- 7th 8th Blocks

• 3/19- Finish Albee Film- Discuss issues and
  project ideas for Albee film, Discuss new project
• 3/24- Research in the Library- Choose research
  material write an outline/ideas for performance
• 3/26-3/28- TBA
• 4/1- Compose presentation script, find partners
  for scenes/performances
• 4/3- Rehearse/Film Performances
• 4/7- Rehearse/Film Performances
• 4/9 4/11- Finished Performances

6
Questions to Explore

• What are the major characteristics of this
  authors work?
• What personal or familial influences dominate
  this authors works?
• What social, political or geographical influences
  are behind this authors works?
• Where is or was this author most influential?
• What are the differences between this author and
  other 20th Century authors?

• What are the similarities between this author and
  other 20th Century authors?
• What sorts of people show interest in watching
  this authors works?
• How do the costumes, sets or lighting
  representative of this authors work appear?
• What major theatres have prroduced this authors
  works?
• What are some key visuals that would help us
  understand the authors works?