THEA 319 - Acting: Expressionism & Epic Theatre

2 credit(s)
Since the late nineteenth century, Expressionism has had a powerful influence on Western theatre. Plays such as Woyzeck, From Morn to Midnight, The Hairy Ape, The Adding Machine, and Machinal put Modernist experimentation and the effects of mechanization center-stage. Building on the strategies of Expressionism, Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre went on to assert a new vision, posing the great questions of Socialism through a confrontational, frankly theatrical style in plays such as The Good Woman of Setzuan, Threepenny Opera, and Mother Courage. In this course, we will investigate the demands of Expressionism and Brecht’s theories through performances from these plays and others.
Prerequisite(s): THEA 112