Studies in Drama: Theater and Science in a Time of War

Assignments

SES #	Topics	ASSIGNMENTS
1	Introduction - To an Experiment and a Century Objectives: To provide some basic grounding in the historical period, to establish the parameters of this subject, and to adapt our plan to fit the interests of our student participants.
2	Discussion of Brecht’s Galileo Objectives: To examine one twentieth-century playwright’s artistic practice, to establish our abilities and approaches as readers of drama, and to consider the reasons for writing historical drama set in the seventeenth century.
3	Galileo in Historical Perspective: Developing Questions	Preliminary self-assessment due
4	Discussion of King Lear
5	The Changes Across a Century: The Example of Tate’s King Lear
6	Discussion with Historian of Science Arne Hessenbruch
7	John Ford’s The Broken Heart Optional Event: Literature presentation by playwright Max Hafler: “Faustus: Adapting and Directing the Elizabethan Bad Boy, Christopher Marlowe.”
8	Guest Scholar
9	Discussion of Brome’s The Antipodes and Caroline Theater
10	Discussion of Shirley’s The Cardinal
11	Visit from Prof. Mary Campbell, Poet and Author of Wonder and Science
12	Visit from Prof. Ellen Harris on Davenant and Music	5-page paper/research write-up due
13	Prof. Sonenberg’s Solo Day
14	The Civil War, in History and Art	Topics for theatrical experiments due
15	Churchill’s Light Shining in Buckinghamshire
16	Poetry, Language, Wit
17	Discussion of Two Versions of Hydriotaphia
18-19	Experiments, Round One
20	Reports and Discussion
21-22	Reports and Break-outs
23-24	That Which Needs Doing	10-page paper/project due
25-26	Experiments, Round Two	Concluding self-assessment due