Assignment Prompt & Instructions
Please see attached for instructions
– a year ago
**files (1)**
– ## Playwrights.docx
**## Playwrights.docx**
Pick any theater play. You need to prepare a presentation about the playwright of your choice, including where he is from, which period they belong to (you can mention other plays to give an example of their works), when it was presented, and the reaction the play received. Then, select a scene from the play you choose that gives an example of the theme or central idea the playwright wanted to present. You need to see if there is a video presentation of the play, look for the scene you chose, and compare the performance and the written play. You can use PowerPoint for the presentation. The PowerPoint will be submitted here on Blackboard. It is due by the end of week 3.
Important!!! Try to choose a playwright you are not familiar with.
Here is a list of some of the most important and influential playwrights in the history of theater, spanning different eras and cultures:
**Ancient Greek Playwrights**
1.
**Aeschylus** – Known as the "Father of Tragedy," his works include
_The Oresteia_ trilogy.
2.
**Sophocles** – Famous for
_Oedipus Rex_ and
_Antigone_.
3.
**Euripides** – Known for
_Medea_ and
_The Bacchae_.
4.
**Aristophanes** – The greatest comic playwright of ancient Greece, known for
_Lysistrata_ and
_The Clouds_.
**Roman Playwrights**
1.
**Seneca** – A Stoic philosopher and tragedian, known for his influential tragedies like
_Thyestes_.
2.
**Plautus** – A comedic playwright known for
_Menaechmi_ and
_Pseudolus_.
3.
**Terence** – Known for his comedies, such as
_The Brothers_ and
_The Eunuch_.
**Elizabethan and Jacobean Playwrights**
1.
**Christopher Marlowe** – Known for
_Doctor Faustus_ and
_Tamburlaine_.
2.
**Ben Jonson** – Known for
_Volpone_ and
_The Alchemist_.
**French Classical Playwrights**
1.
**Molière** – The master of French comedy, known for
_Tartuffe_ and
_The Misanthrope_.
2.
**Jean Racine** is known for his tragedies, such as
_those of Phèdre_ and
_Andromaque_.
3.
**Pierre Corneille** – Known for
_Le Cid_.
**Modern Playwrights (19th–20th Century)**
1.
**Henrik Ibsen** – The father of modern drama, known for
_A Doll's House_ and
_Hedda Gabler_.
2.
**Anton Chekhov** – Known for
_The Cherry Orchard_ and
_Uncle Vanya_.
3.
**George Bernard Shaw** – Known for
_Pygmalion_ and
_Man and Superman_.
4.
**August Strindberg** – Known for
_Miss Julie_ and
_The Father_.
5.
**Bertolt Brecht** – Known for
_The Threepenny Opera_ and
_Mother Courage and Her Children_.
6.
**Tennessee Williams** – Known for
_A Streetcar Named Desire_ and
_The Glass Menagerie_.
7.
**Arthur Miller** – Known for
_Death of a Salesman_ and
_The Crucible_.
8.
**Samuel Beckett** – Known for
_Waiting for Godot_ and
_Endgame_.
9.
**Eugene O'Neill** – Known for
_Long Day's Journey into Night_ and
_The Iceman Cometh_.
10.
**Luigi Pirandello** – Known for
_Six Characters in Search of an Author_.
**Contemporary Playwrights (20th–21st Century)**
1.
**Harold Pinter** – Known for
_The Birthday Party_ and
_The Homecoming_.
2.
**Tom Stoppard** – Known for
_Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead_ and
_Arcadia_.
3.
**Caryl Churchill** – Known for
_Top Girls_ and
_Cloud Nine_.
4.
**August Wilson** – Known for
_Fences_ and
_The Piano Lesson_.
5.
**Tony Kushner** – Known for
_Angels in America_.
6.
**Lorraine Hansberry** – Known for
_A Raisin in the Sun_.
7.
**Suzan-Lori Parks** – Parks is Known for
_Topdog/Underdog_ and
_The America Play_.
This list is not exhaustive but highlights some of the most significant figures in theater history.
Influential African American playwrights who have made significant contributions to theater:
1.
**Lorraine Hansberry**
o Known for
_A Raisin in the Sun_ (1959), the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. It explores themes of racial discrimination and the pursuit of the American Dream.
2.
**August Wilson**
A Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Wilson is best known for his
_Pittsburgh Cycle_ (or
_Century Cycle_), a series of ten plays that depict the African American experience in the 20th century. Notable works include
_Fences_ (1985) and
_The Piano Lesson_ (1987).
3.
**Suzan-Lori Parks**
A Pulitzer Prize winner for
_Topdog/Underdog_ (2001), Parks is known for her innovative and poetic style. Other notable works include
_The America Play_ (1994) and
_Venus_ (1996).
4.
**Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones)**
Baraka was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement. Baraka's works often address racial and social issues. His most famous play is
_Dutchman_ (1964), a provocative exploration of race relations in America.
5.
**Ntozake Shange**
Best known for her groundbreaking choreopoem
_for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf_ (1976), Shange's work blends poetry, music, and dance to tell the stories of Black women.
These playwrights have shaped American theater and brought critical perspectives on race, identity, and social justice to the stage.
Here is a list of
**10 of the most important Spanish-speaking playwrights** from Spain and Latin America, spanning different eras and styles:
**From Spain**
1.
**Lope de Vega** (1562–1635)
· A towering figure of the Spanish Golden Age, known for
_Fuenteovejuna_ and
_The Dog in the Manger_. He wrote over 1,800 plays and helped define the
_comedia_ genre.
1.
**Pedro Calderón de la Barca** (1600–1681)
· A master of Baroque drama, famous for
_Life is a Dream_ (
_La vida es sueño_) and
_The Mayor of Zalamea_.
1.
**Tirso de Molina** (1579–1648)
· Known for creating the character of Don Juan in
_The Trickster of Seville_ (
_El burlador de Sevilla_).
1.
**Federico García Lorca** (1898–1936)
· A leading voice of 20th-century Spanish theater, known for
_Blood Wedding_ (
_Bodas de Sangre_),
_Yerma_, and
_The House of Bernarda Alba_ (
_La casa de Bernarda Alba_).
1.
**Miguel de Cervantes** (1547–1616)
· Though best known for
_Don Quixote_, Cervantes wrote influential plays like
_The Siege of Numantia_ (
_El cerco de Numancia_).
**From Latin America**
1.
**Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz** (1651–1695, Mexico)
· A nun and one of the most important literary figures of the colonial era, known for
_The Divine Narcissus_ (
_El divino Narciso_) and
_Loa to the Divine Narcissus_.
1.
**Rodolfo Usigli** (1905–1979, Mexico)
· Often called the "father of modern Mexican theater" and is known for
_The Gesticulator_ (
_El gesticulador_), a critique of political corruption.
1.
**Griselda Gambaro** (1928–, Argentina)
· A leading figure in contemporary Latin American theater, known for
_The Walls_ (
_Las paredes_) and
_Information for Foreigners_ (
_Información para extranjeros_), which address themes of oppression and violence.
1.
**Mario Vargas Llosa** (1936–, Peru)
· Primarily known as a novelist, Vargas Llosa has also written significant plays, such as
_La señorita de Tacna_ and
_Kathie y el hipopótamo_.
1.
**Ariel Dorfman** (1942–, Chile)
· Known for
_Death and the Maiden_ (
_La muerte y la doncella_), a powerful exploration of justice and trauma in post-dictatorship Chile.
**## Playwrights.docx**
Pick any theater play. You need to prepare a presentation about the playwright of your choice, including where he is from, which period they belong to (you can mention other plays to give an example of their works), when it was presented, and the reaction the play received. Then, select a scene from the play you choose that gives an example of the theme or central idea the playwright wanted to present. You need to see if there is a video presentation of the play, look for the scene you chose, and compare the performance and the written play. You can use PowerPoint for the presentation. The PowerPoint will be submitted here on Blackboard. It is due by the end of week 3.
Important!!! Try to choose a playwright you are not familiar with.
Here is a list of some of the most important and influential playwrights in the history of theater, spanning different eras and cultures:
**Ancient Greek Playwrights**
1.
**Aeschylus** – Known as the "Father of Tragedy," his works include
_The Oresteia_ trilogy.
2.
**Sophocles** – Famous for
_Oedipus Rex_ and
_Antigone_.
3.
**Euripides** – Known for
_Medea_ and
_The Bacchae_.
4.
**Aristophanes** – The greatest comic playwright of ancient Greece, known for
_Lysistrata_ and
_The Clouds_.
**Roman Playwrights**
1.
**Seneca** – A Stoic philosopher and tragedian, known for his influential tragedies like
_Thyestes_.
2.
**Plautus** – A comedic playwright known for
_Menaechmi_ and
_Pseudolus_.
3.
**Terence** – Known for his comedies, such as
_The Brothers_ and
_The Eunuch_.
**Elizabethan and Jacobean Playwrights**
1.
**Christopher Marlowe** – Known for
_Doctor Faustus_ and
_Tamburlaine_.
2.
**Ben Jonson** – Known for
_Volpone_ and
_The Alchemist_.
**French Classical Playwrights**
1.
**Molière** – The master of French comedy, known for
_Tartuffe_ and
_The Misanthrope_.
2.
**Jean Racine** is known for his tragedies, such as
_those of Phèdre_ and
_Andromaque_.
3.
**Pierre Corneille** – Known for
_Le Cid_.
**Modern Playwrights (19th–20th Century)**
1.
**Henrik Ibsen** – The father of modern drama, known for
_A Doll's House_ and
_Hedda Gabler_.
2.
**Anton Chekhov** – Known for
_The Cherry Orchard_ and
_Uncle Vanya_.
3.
**George Bernard Shaw** – Known for
_Pygmalion_ and
_Man and Superman_.
4.
**August Strindberg** – Known for
_Miss Julie_ and
_The Father_.
5.
**Bertolt Brecht** – Known for
_The Threepenny Opera_ and
_Mother Courage and Her Children_.
6.
**Tennessee Williams** – Known for
_A Streetcar Named Desire_ and
_The Glass Menagerie_.
7.
**Arthur Miller** – Known for
_Death of a Salesman_ and
_The Crucible_.
8.
**Samuel Beckett** – Known for
_Waiting for Godot_ and
_Endgame_.
9.
**Eugene O'Neill** – Known for
_Long Day's Journey into Night_ and
_The Iceman Cometh_.
10.
**Luigi Pirandello** – Known for
_Six Characters in Search of an Author_.
**Contemporary Playwrights (20th–21st Century)**
1.
**Harold Pinter** – Known for
_The Birthday Party_ and
_The Homecoming_.
2.
**Tom Stoppard** – Known for
_Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead_ and
_Arcadia_.
3.
**Caryl Churchill** – Known for
_Top Girls_ and
_Cloud Nine_.
4.
**August Wilson** – Known for
_Fences_ and
_The Piano Lesson_.
5.
**Tony Kushner** – Known for
_Angels in America_.
6.
**Lorraine Hansberry** – Known for
_A Raisin in the Sun_.
7.
**Suzan-Lori Parks** – Parks is Known for
_Topdog/Underdog_ and
_The America Play_.
This list is not exhaustive but highlights some of the most significant figures in theater history.
Influential African American playwrights who have made significant contributions to theater:
1.
**Lorraine Hansberry**
o Known for
_A Raisin in the Sun_ (1959), the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. It explores themes of racial discrimination and the pursuit of the American Dream.
2.
**August Wilson**
A Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Wilson is best known for his
_Pittsburgh Cycle_ (or
_Century Cycle_), a series of ten plays that depict the African American experience in the 20th century. Notable works include
_Fences_ (1985) and
_The Piano Lesson_ (1987).
3.
**Suzan-Lori Parks**
A Pulitzer Prize winner for
_Topdog/Underdog_ (2001), Parks is known for her innovative and poetic style. Other notable works include
_The America Play_ (1994) and
_Venus_ (1996).
4.
**Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones)**
Baraka was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement. Baraka's works often address racial and social issues. His most famous play is
_Dutchman_ (1964), a provocative exploration of race relations in America.
5.
**Ntozake Shange**
Best known for her groundbreaking choreopoem
_for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf_ (1976), Shange's work blends poetry, music, and dance to tell the stories of Black women.
These playwrights have shaped American theater and brought critical perspectives on race, identity, and social justice to the stage.
Here is a list of
**10 of the most important Spanish-speaking playwrights** from Spain and Latin America, spanning different eras and styles:
**From Spain**
1.
**Lope de Vega** (1562–1635)
· A towering figure of the Spanish Golden Age, known for
_Fuenteovejuna_ and
_The Dog in the Manger_. He wrote over 1,800 plays and helped define the
_comedia_ genre.
1.
**Pedro Calderón de la Barca** (1600–1681)
· A master of Baroque drama, famous for
_Life is a Dream_ (
_La vida es sueño_) and
_The Mayor of Zalamea_.
1.
**Tirso de Molina** (1579–1648)
· Known for creating the character of Don Juan in
_The Trickster of Seville_ (
_El burlador de Sevilla_).
1.
**Federico García Lorca** (1898–1936)
· A leading voice of 20th-century Spanish theater, known for
_Blood Wedding_ (
_Bodas de Sangre_),
_Yerma_, and
_The House of Bernarda Alba_ (
_La casa de Bernarda Alba_).
1.
**Miguel de Cervantes** (1547–1616)
· Though best known for
_Don Quixote_, Cervantes wrote influential plays like
_The Siege of Numantia_ (
_El cerco de Numancia_).
**From Latin America**
1.
**Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz** (1651–1695, Mexico)
· A nun and one of the most important literary figures of the colonial era, known for
_The Divine Narcissus_ (
_El divino Narciso_) and
_Loa to the Divine Narcissus_.
1.
**Rodolfo Usigli** (1905–1979, Mexico)
· Often called the "father of modern Mexican theater" and is known for
_The Gesticulator_ (
_El gesticulador_), a critique of political corruption.
1.
**Griselda Gambaro** (1928–, Argentina)
· A leading figure in contemporary Latin American theater, known for
_The Walls_ (
_Las paredes_) and
_Information for Foreigners_ (
_Información para extranjeros_), which address themes of oppression and violence.
1.
**Mario Vargas Llosa** (1936–, Peru)
· Primarily known as a novelist, Vargas Llosa has also written significant plays, such as
_La señorita de Tacna_ and
_Kathie y el hipopótamo_.
1.
**Ariel Dorfman** (1942–, Chile)
· Known for
_Death and the Maiden_ (
_La muerte y la doncella_), a powerful exploration of justice and trauma in post-dictatorship Chile.