American Avant-Garde Theatre - A History

This stunning contribution to the field of theatre history is the first in-depth look at avant-garde theatre in the United States from the early 1950s to the 1990s. American Avant-Garde Theatre offers a definition of the avant-garde, and looks at its origins and theoretical foundations by examining:
*Gertrude Stein
*John Cage
*The Beat writers
*Avant-garde cinema
*Abstract Expressionism
*Minimalism
There are fascinating discussions and illustrations of the productions of the Living Theatre, the Wooster Group, Open Theatre, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre and Performance Group. among many others. Aronson also examines why avant-garde theatre declined and virtually disappeared at the end of the twentieth century.

List of contents

List of Plates. Preface. Acknowledgements. Chapter 1. Origins of the Avant-Garde Chapter 2. Theories and Foundations Chapter 3. Off Broadway, Happenings, and the Living Thatre Chapter 4. The 1960's: Collectives and Rituals Chapter 5. Smith, Wilson and Foreman Chapter 6. Performance Art (and the origins of the Wooster Group) Chapter 7. The Wooster Group, Reza Abdoh, and the End of the Avant-Garde. Conclusion. Bibliography.

About the author

Arnold Aronson is Professor of Theatre at Columbia University, USA.

Summary

This book offers the first in-depth look at avant-garde theatre in the United States from the early 1950s to the 1990s looking at its origins and its theoretical foundations through an examination of literature, cinema and art.

Product details

• Authors: Arnold Aronson, Aronson Arnold
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 28.09.2000
• EAN: 9780415025805
• ISBN: 978-0-415-02580-5
• No. of pages: 257
• Weight: 498 g
• Series: Theatre Production Studies
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; USA, History: specific events & topics, HISTORY / General, PERFORMING ARTS / Theater / General, PERFORMING ARTS / Theater / History & Criticism, Theatre Studies, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, United States of America, USA, History: specific events and topics, c 1945 to c 2000 (Post-war period), History of Performing Arts