Award-Winning Playwrights
ENGL 281Z
Winter 2025
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AFAM 279Z, THEA 280Z |
With textual analysis and intellectual criticism at its core, this course examines the dramatic work of award-winning playwrights through theoretical, performative, and aesthetic frames. The first third of our investigation explores companion texts written by premier playwrights. In the latter end of the course, we examine singular texts written by acclaimed newcomers. A select range of reviews and popular press publications help to supplement our discussions. In all cases, we are interested in surveying the ways in which these playwrights work within varying modes of dramatic expression and focus their plays on such topics as class, ethnicity, era, disability, gender, locale, nationality, race, and/or sexuality. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ENGL) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
In addition to critical scholarship and production reviews, major readings include the following plays:
Tony Kushner, ANGELS IN AMERICA (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 1993)
Matthew Lopez, INHERITANCE (Tony Award, 2020)
Paula Vogel, INDECENT (Obie Award, 2017)
Tom Stoppard, LEOPOLDSTADT (Laurence Olivier Award, 2020)
Lynn Nottage, SWEAT (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 2017)
Lynn Nottage, CLYDE¿S (Drama League Awards, 2022)
Stephen Karam, THE HUMANS (Drama Desk Awards, 2016)
Martyna Majok, COST OF LIVING (Lucille Lortel Awards, 2018)
debbie tucker green, BORN BAD (Laurence Olivier Award, 2004)
Katori Hall, THE MOUNTAINTOP (Laurence Olivier Award, 2010)
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, GLORIA (Critics Circle Theatre Award, 2017)
Michael R. Jackson, A STRANGE LOOP (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 2020)
James Ijames, FAT HAM (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 2022)
(with nods throughout to Lin-Manuel Miranda, HAMILTON, Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 2016)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Critical Discussion Posts, Two Short Papers, and Final Op-Ed Essay. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is scheduled to be held online. All Winter Session students should expect some readings and assignments to be due during winter break, prior to the beginning of Winter Session class meetings. Syllabi for Winter Session courses will be posted to https://www.wesleyan.edu/wintersession/courses.html as soon as they are available. |
| Instructor(s): McMahon,Rashida Times: .MTWRF. 10:00AM-12:00PM; .MTWRF. 01:00PM-03:00PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 10 | | SR major: 2 | JR major: 2 | | |
| Seats Available: 5 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 1 | FR: 1 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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