Oh, what a wonderful thing theater is! I thoroughly enjoyed the Shakespeare Theatre's new production of Euripides' Ion, billed as a "Greek tragedy with a happy ending." Though the "happy" part of the "happy ending" is always subject to nuance and debate, as the viewer must necessarily question the tidiness with which that "happy ending" …
Renaissance/Restoration Theater History
Last Wednesday, we had one of the best classes this term, I think--it was sad to see that some students were missing! We spent the first bit of class going over the midterm exam, especially the matching section, which many students found more difficult than I'd expected--this gave us the opportunity to talk about test-taking …
Ushering for “Fabulation; or, The Re-Education of Undine”
On Saturday, I immensely enjoyed ushering for the CenterStage's production of Fabulation; or, The Re-Education of Undine. This season has been fabulous--with only one exception, The Matchmaker, I've seen every show through the magic that is volunteerism, and I'm not quite sure what my favorite's been. The Kushner musical Caroline, or Change; the infamous Albee's …
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Dog in the Manger Discussion, Presentations, and Incest Plays!
Last Wednesday we were finally able to get back together as a class and contemplate our response to the Shakespeare Theatre's production of Dog in the Manger, and I was very gratified to see how eager everyone was to discuss! Many students had questions that, significantly, we couldn't really find good answers to--like the significance …
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Fuente Ovejuna, Midterms, Essays and World Literature
It's been a while since I've posted, so these next few will be a bit spare, sadly. The midterm crunch is getting to me just as much as to my students, I think! The past week, in 203, we spent most of our time on Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna, which students really seemed to …
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Live Theater in DC
Lope de Vega's Dog in the Manger, tonight, at the Shakespeare Theatre in DC! Reread the program online if you forget to pick one up or lose yours before turning in the review.
Early Roman and Medieval Theater
Last class, we discussed David Wiles' essay on theater in early Rome and Medieval Christian Europe, though we paid most attention to the materiality of Medieval performance. Students were generally surprised by the real heterogeneity of performance modes in the Medieval period--from processionals to place-and-scaffold to Church interiors and the halls of private dwellings, the …
Ancient Greek Theater, Lysistrata
Last class period, we had our first real session--filled with fun facts and close reading! Instead of a lecture, I wanted to encourage students to participate in their own learning by "specializing" on a question from the reading guide for Oliver Taplin's essay on ancient Greek theater. I handed out key questions from the guide …
Theater History: The Use of Theater?
The first evening of Theater History, we went over the syllabus as usual, spending a bit of time going over each of the texts we're reading and the major assignments--students seemed interested in the performance project option, though I think many will choose to do the essay, instead. We're starting with the typical, ancient Greek …
Tonya Howe 