Contemporary Plays by Women of Color is a ground-breaking anthology of eighteen new and recent works by African American, Asian American, Latina American and Native American playwrights. This compelling collection includes works by award-winning and well-known playwrights such as Anna Deavere Smith, Cherrie Moraga, Pearl Cleage, Marga Gomez and Spiderwoman, as well as many exciting newcomers. Contemporary Plays by Women of Color is the first anthology to display such an abundance of talent from such a wide range of today's women playwrights. The plays tackle a variety of topics - from the playful to the painful - and represent numerous different approaches to playmaking. The volume also includes: * an invaluable appendix of published plays by women of color * biographical notes on each writer * the production history of each play Contemporary Plays by Women of Color is a unique resource for practitioners, students and lovers of theatre, and an inspiring addition to any bookshelf.

Explores how women playwrights illuminate the contemporary world and contribute to its reshaping

In tracing black feminism in contemporary drama by black women playwrights, Lisa M. Anderson reviews the history of black feminism through analysis of plays by Pearl Cleage, Glenda Dickerson, Breena Clarke, Kia Corthron, Suzan-Lori Parks, Sharon Bridgforth, and Shirlene Holmes.Black Feminism in Contemporary Dramarepresents a cross section of women who have diverse writing and performance styles and generational differences that highlight the artistic and political breadth of black feminist theater. Anderson closely investigates each play's construction and the context of its production, including how the play critiques, shifts, or alters dominant culture stereotypes; how it positions goals of the "community"; and how it engages with the concept of art's function. She not only discusses what shapes the black feminism of these writers but also points out how the meaning of the term black feminism shifts among them.

Focusing on dramatic works by contemporary British and American playwrights, in conjunction with feminist political and theoretical texts, this book discusses feminist constructions of the category "Woman".

First full-scale revision since 1987.

An innovative collection demonstrating the rich potential for interdisciplinary learning found within the network of university-based humanities centers. Remapping the Humanities celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Wayne State University Humanities Center by bringing together essays that illustrate the richness of public conversations developed in interdisciplinary humanities centers. The contributors to this collection represent more than a dozen disciplines--including philosophy, English, political science, history, law, comparative literature, and Spanish--and, taken together, their essays illustrate an ongoing remapping of the intellectual landscape as scholars from across university departments engage one another in unpredictable ways. This volume is divided into four thematic sections: Identity and Community, Remembering and Forgetting, Nationalism and Globalism, and Toward (Post)Modernity. Yet the essays deliberately represent a range of theoretical perspectives that interact synergistically, such as feminism and postcolonial studies, or literary criticism and art history. They also tackle topics as varied as the formation of the modern family in France and the inculcation of civic virtue in American cities, and they draw freely from different sources of evidence like newspaper accounts, popular literature, paintings, and diaries. Remapping the Humanities includes unique touches such as a portfolio of full-color images and an audio CD of Celtic-inspired jazz. In addition, a preface by Walter Edwards, academic director of the Humanities Center at Wayne State University, gives some background on this institution and the work being done there. The importance of Remapping the Humanities ultimately lies in its refusal to say that learning has ended and the example it provides of the value of calculated ferment and intellectual instability. Educators involved with or wanting to learn more about interdisciplinary research will appreciate this unique collection.

An accessible introduction for students and theatregoers of Chicano theatre, first published in 2000.

A study exploring the role of Latina women in theater performance, literature, and criticism. Arrizón’s examination of Latina performance spans the twentieth century, beginning with oral traditions of corrido and revistas. She examines the soldadera and later theatrical personalities such as La Chata Noloesca and contemporary performance artist Carmelita Tropicana. Latina Performance considers the emergence of Latina aesthetics developed in the United States, but simultaneously linked with Latin America. As dramatists, performance artists, protagonists, and/or cultural critics, the women Arrizón examines in this book draw attention to their own divided position. They are neither Latin American nor Anglo, neither third- or first-world; they are feminists, but not quite “American style.” This in-between-ness is precisely what has created Latina performance and performance studies, and has made “Latina” an allegory for dual national and artistic identities. “Alicia Arrizón’s Latina Performance is a truly innovative and important contribution to Latino Studies as well as to theater and performance studies.” —Diana Taylor, New York University “Arrizón’s . . . important book revolves around the complex issues of identity formation and power relations for US women performers of Latin American descent. . . . Valuable for anyone interested in theater history and criticism, cultural studies, gender studies, and ethnic studies with attention to Mexican American, Chicana/o, and Latina/o studies. Upper—division undergraduates through professionals.” —E. C. Ramirez, Choice

In the late nineteenth century, Asian American drama made its debut with the spotlight firmly on the lives and struggles of Asians in North America, rather than on the cultures and traditions of the Asian homeland. Today, Asian American playwrights continue to challenge the limitations of established theatrical conventions and direct popular attention toward issues and experiences that might otherwise be ignored or marginalized. While Asian American literature came into full bloom in the last 25 years, Asian American drama has yet to receive the kind of critical attention it warrants. This reference book serves as a versatile vehicle for exploring the field of Asian American drama from its recorded conception to its present stage. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for 52 Asian American dramatists of origins from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and China. Each entry includes relevant biographical information that contextualizes the works of a playwright, an interpretive description of selected plays that spotlights recurring themes and plots, a summary of the playwright's critical reception, and a bibliography of primary and secondary works. The entries are written by expert contributors and reflect the ethnic diversity of the Asian American community. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography, which includes anthologies, scholarly studies, and periodicals.

The first scholarly collection to discuss the intersection of feminism and dramatic theory