THEA-355: Environmental Theatre

Environmental theatre began in the 1960s in response to the social and political climate of the time. Performers and performance groups pushed the boundaries of what was traditionally thought of as theatre, and as a result, restructured and reinvigorated the fundamental understanding of what performance was and its function within society. Environmental theatre continues to be a powerful vehicle for social commentary. The objective of this course is three-fold: to introduce the student to the cultural, social, and political richness of environmental theatre, including site-specific performance; to provide a historical understanding of the period by highlighting how the original practitioners and their works were directly influenced by cultural events of the time; and, to involve the student in the process of creating and performing their own individual and group site-specific environmental performance piece. FILA general education: fine arts and music. Offered alternate years.