This book is a compendium of resources largely by and for artists and scholars interested in engaging in conversations of justice, diversity, and historiography in the fields of theatre and performance studies.
For these students, and for the future instructors in our field who will use this book, we hold a tripartite hope: to expand, to enable, and to provide access. In its whole, we intend for this book to provoke its readers to question the narratives of history that they’ve received (and that they may promulgate) in their artistic and scholarly work. We aim to question methods and ethics of reading present in the western mode of studying drama and performance history. The contributions in the book—not traditional chapters, but manifestos, experiences, articles, conversations, and provocations—raise questions and illuminate gaps, and they do not speak in a unified voice or from a static position. These pieces are written by artists, graduate students, teachers, administrators, and undergraduates; these are expressions of hope and of experience, and not of dogma.
This book is aimed toward instructors of undergraduates, both graduate students and faculty at all levels of seniority within theatre and performance studies, as well as at artists and practitioners of the art that wish to find more just ways of viewing history.
Preface by Charles O’Malley Interlude: What / How by Willow James Part One: Our Art The Alternative Canon: A Collaborative Discussion Panel One: A Look at the Past A Conversation with Sharai Bohannon, David Clauson, Monty Cole, Lavina Jadhwani, Coya Paz, Denise Yvette Serna, and Dan Smith On the Move: A Methodology for Teaching Theater Histories of Latinxs in the Americas by Nahuel Telleria Roundtable on Teaching and Studying Asian Theatre in the American Academy A Conversation with Arnab Banerji, Jyana S. Browne, Po-Hsien Chu, Tarryn Chun, Jennifer Goodlander, Claire Pamment, Shayoni Mitra, Yining Shang, and Satoko Shimazaki. Facilitated by Amanda Culp Interlude: An Intimate Night with Theatrical Black Excellence. by Cleopatra Mavhunga Part Two: Our Field The Alternative Canon: A Collaborative Discussion Panel Two: Practices for the Present A Conversation with David Clauson, Monty Cole, Kee-Yoon Nahm, Coya Paz, Denise Yvette Serna, and Dan Smith When We Meet: Intercultural Theatre Before and After the Coronavirus Pandemic by Nikhil Mehta Choosing the “Best” Translation for Plays Outside the Western Canon on the Syllabus by Kee-Yoon Nahm The Geography of Our Discernment: What it Means to Show Up as Our Full Selves by Nithya Nagarajan and Zainab Syed From Dissertation Page to Stage: Applying Graduate Studies to the Regional Theater Production Process by Taylor Barfield Responsible Gatekeeping: Or, Questions I'm Asking Myself by Kari Olmon Interlude: The Lesser of Two Evils(?): How Not To Create Spaces for Brown Trans Artistry by Catherine Alam-Nist Part Three: Our Teaching The Alternative Canon: A Collaborative Discussion Panel Three: Toward Utopia by A Conversation with Sharai Bohannon, David Clauson, Kee-Yoon Nahm, and Dan Smith How Liberal Arts Theatre Programs Are Failing Their Students of Color by Miranda Haymon Interlude: Double Communication: Artist as Critic and Critic as Artist by Lil Wenker Close Reading: How Do Texts Perform? by Ariel Sibert and Charles O’Malley On the Ethics of Reading: A Suggestion and a Plea by Charles O’Malley Better Worlds through Pedagogy: A Vision for the Theater Classroom by Jake Allen, Kyara Mahlan, and Kelli Shermeyer with contributions by Allison Bialas and Elyssa Armenta Adaptation as Historiography: An Approach for Undergraduate Teaching by Elise Morrison
Charles O'Malley is a writer and dramaturg.
