Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 09-20-2022 12:50
    I typically teach Greek Theater when looking into where we get some of our modern theater ideas.  I'm looking to change & adapt that curriculum to include BiPOC history as well.  What have you added or changed in your curriculum instead of or in addition to Greek Theater?
    Thank you in advance for your brilliant ideas!

    ------------------------------
    Cindy Skelton
    Drama Teacher
    Burlingame High School
    CA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 09-21-2022 03:40
    Edited by Tim Sullivan 09-21-2022 03:42
    Definitely check out Luis Alfaro's Greek trilogy, which includes modern adaptations of Medea, Electra, and Oedipus Rex set in the LA barrio. There's probably too much profanity to teach the plays in full, but I took excerpts and my kids loved it - we also looked at costumes from some productions to see how modern designers approach the idea of a Chorus.

    ------------------------------
    Tim Sullivan
    Lowell High School
    CA
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 09-21-2022 08:54
      |   view attached
    Thank you for including more than Euro-Asian history.  I've also been looking for more inclusive material. The other day, I came across a resource from Georgia's educational theatre database; it could be used as a jumping-off point for your research (attached). 

    I would be wary of resources like what's found here though as to me, it has a discrediting tone for theatre found below the Mediterranean Sea.

    happy hunting,  


    ------------------------------
    Charity Phalo-Davis
    Theatre Teacher
    Bronx, New York
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 09-21-2022 16:43
    Here's a source (updated periodically) "Alternative Canon" (a Google doc) for material from MANY countries: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HwAHAwU83bW_jSzxbMrqWyyuAYmsOWtqK-7HxKA9yek/edit 

    The Griot is an African storyteller. Those tales surely began even earlier than Greek theatre.
    The origins of Japanese theatre go way back, too (although Kabuki is contemporary with Shakespeare's era!).

    Track down the IB Theatre curriculum. Their entire outlook is international. Marvelous training workshops are run by the International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) https://ista.co.uk/

    ------------------------------
    Douglas "Chip" Rome
    Theatre Consultant
    Educational Stages
    Burke VA
    http://EducationalStages.com
    https://bit.ly/RWTEOview
    https://bit.ly/eTeachTech
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 10-03-2022 16:27
    I just want to thank everyone for these great ideas and resources!
    Much appreciated!!
    Cindy


    ------------------------------
    Cindy Skelton
    Drama Teacher
    Burlingame High School
    CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Instead of or In addition to Greek Theater?

    Posted 09-22-2022 10:20
    I taught in a 90% African American school for 29 years. I always started with a unit on African Storytelling and then discussed Egyptian theatre. 

    Regarding Greek theatre, a performance focus changed my thoughts on it.  I "borrowed" the unit  from a friend and adapted it to suit my kids. They change a modern comedy to a Greek tragedy complete with a chorus and  masks. It allowed for great representation of all my kids since they could choose films they knew with people who "looked like them". The BEST was the group that changed the film Friday into a Greek tragedy by making Smokey the main character.  HIlarious!

    This year we are doing a whole trilogy and cycle. They've adapted the three new Spiderman films with Diary of a Wimpy Kid as the satyr play. 

    Feel free to email me if you want the scoring guides, etc.

    ------------------------------
    Dr. Doug Erwin
    Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair--St Louis Priory School
    Thespian Troupe 4702
    ------------------------------



Related Content