Catholic Theatre and Drama : Critical Essays

by Wetmore, Kevin J., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780786447411
• ISBN10: 0786447419
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-07-15
• Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc Pub

Summary

The relationship between the Catholic Church and theatre has a long and complicated history. This collection of fourteen critical essays seeks to demystify the ties--both practical and ideological--that have long bound Catholicism to theatrical production. This volume offers insights into medieval theatre, Jesuit drama, ballet and opera, modern stagings of medieval liturgical drama, Lorca and Lope de Vega as Catholic playwrights, Italian Catholic women's drama, catholic playwrighting and acting, and the unique challenges of teaching theatre in Catholic universities. A great addition to both Catholic and theatre studies.

Author Biography

Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr., is an associate professor of theatre and cinema at Loyola Marymount University and the author of ten books on theatre and cinema. In addition to his scholarly work, he is an actor, director, and stage combat choreographer. He lives in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction: What Is Catholic Theatre?	p. 1
History
Female Spirituality, Female Sexuality and Re-Viewing ôRe-Viewing Hrotsvitö: The Plays of Hrotsvit von Gandersheim as Counterdiscursive Inversion of the Church Fathers	p. 17
Not Just a University Theatre: The Significance of Jesuit School Drama in Continental Europe, 1540-1773	p. 29
Shakespeare as Catholic Dramatist in The Tempest	p. 45
Orthodoxy and Technique: Jesuit Ballet in the Post-Reformation Period	p. 67
Little Mothers, Mischievous Boys, and Good Little Christians: Characters in Children's Parlor Plays in America, 1858-1903	p. 75
Religious Tragedy: García Lorca's Unfinished Play About Christ	p. 104
Catholic Theatre for Women in Post-War Italy: Education, Morality, and Social Change	p. 125
Practice
Saints as Subject and Agenda: Notes on Catholic Playwriting	p. 143
Magi Liturgical Dramas Performed in Worship: Two Case Studies of Interpretations of Medieval Liturgical Drama	p. 146
Opera News: Jesuits, Catholic Imagination, and the Staging of Cultural Conversations	p. 162
Ancient Ritual, Modern Drama: Catholic Worship and Playwriting Pedagogy	p. 181
Genesius in the City of Angels: Lope de Vega as a Catholic Playwright in a Bilingual Production of Lo fingido verdadero	p. 197
The Genesian Effect: Performing Damien Deepens an Actor's Faith	p. 208
Publicity, Props and Playtext in a Franciscan Setting: The Practical Teaching of Everyman in a Small Catholic School	p. 213
About the Contributors	p. 221
Index	p. 223
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