Feminist Theatre Then & Now – Celebrating 50 Years of women theatre makers in the UK and Ireland and their battle to make their voices heard, have their work produced professionally, and promote social justice. Here, the pioneers and leading lights of the newly energised feminist theatre movement continue to fight for an equitable, diverse and inclusive theatre which speaks for all. In 30+ essays, covering three generations, the interviews and essays in this book give important insight into the lived experience of women working in theatre and what it takes to rise in an industry where race, gender, class and parenthood can be serious obstacles to success. Interviews and essays by playwrights, directors, producers and actors including: Asian Women’s Theatre in Britain by Rukhsana Ahmad Derby Theatre by Sarah Brigham Interview with Moira Buffini Intersectional Feminism at Work by Kelly Burke The Personal was very Political by Clair Chapwell Behind The Lines by Alison Child How Feminism has Influenced my Playwriting by April de Angelis Interview with Suzanne Gorman Clean Break by Anna Herrmann Interview with Hannah Khalil The Women in Theatre Lab by Polly Kemp and Jennifer Tuckett Persistence, Expression and Evolution by Peta Lily Interview with Roberta Livingston Ecofeminism by Bibi Lucille The Third World of Irish Women by Jaki McCarrick Monstrous Regiment by Mary McCusker Open Clasp Theatre by Catrina McHugh Interview with Suzie Miller Interview with Ann Mitchell Interview with Rebecca Mordan Interview with Amy Ng Untold Stories by Maeve O’Neill Girls’ Night Out by Rachel O’Regan Interview with Kaite O’Reilly Sphinx by Sue Parrish and Susan McGoun Interview with Julia Pascal Out of the Attic – WTW by Cheryl Robson and Anna Birch Scylla’s Bite by Rebekah Smith and Abbie Lowe Interview with Dame Rosemary Squire Women in their own Words by Lucy Stevens Stella Quines & After by Gerda Stevenson Differences Matter by SuAndi Theatre from a Lesbian Perspective by Clare Summerskill Interview with Imy Wyatt Corner Index Reviews “On the 50th anniversary of the first Women’s Theatre festival and the explosion of work by women that has built in quantity, wealth and diversity since then this is an important new book celebrating and giving voice to many of the key contributors to that rich history and exciting present. “ – Susan Croft, Director – Unfinished Histories “Fascinating histories and perspectives from a selection of feminist theatre practitioners fighting to achieve equality over half a century of patriarchy.” – Lisa Goldman, Writer & Director “A necessary read for drama students and anyone interested in our cultural history. Highly recommended.” – Beatie Edney, Actor & Director “The interview and essay structure of the book makes its near 300 pages easily digestible and the editor has quite carefully avoided a chronological structure. The intermingled ‘then’ and ‘now’ approach works remarkably well, a continual reminder of how past, present and future are feeding into one another all the time. While the book is strong on the impacts of earlier feminist theatremakers, the very similar or partially evolved restrictions that today’s women are still facing are given equivalent weight. It becomes a meaningful arrangement in which a wide range of voices are heard without singling out or forgetting eras or areas of the industry, making room for everything from clowning to lesbian theatre, exploring how all forms of feminist theatre from West End platforms to grassroots activism always blends the political and the personal onstage and off.” – Maryam Philpott, The Reviews Hub

Theatre has long been considered a feminine interest for which women consistently purchase the majority of tickets, while the shows they are seeing typically are written and brought to the stage by men. Furthermore, the stories these productions tell are often about men, and the complex leading roles in these shows are written for and performed by male actors. Despite this imbalance, the feminist voice presses to be heard and has done so with more success than ever before. In From Aphra Behn to Fun Home: A Cultural History of Feminist Theatre, Carey Purcell traces the evolution of these important artists and productions over several centuries. After examining the roots of feminist theatre in early Greek plays and looking at occasional works produced before the twentieth century, Purcell then identifies the key players and productions that have emerged over the last several decades. This book covers the heyday of the second wave feminist movement—which saw the growth of female-centric theatre groups—and highlights the work of playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Pam Gems, and Wendy Wasserstein. Other prominent artists discussed here include playwrights Paula Vogel Lynn and Tony-award winning directors Garry Hynes and Julie Taymor. The volume also examines diversity in contemporary feminist theatre—with discussions of such playwrights as Young Jean Lee and Lynn Nottage—and a look toward the future. Purcell explores the very nature of feminist theater—does it qualify if a play is written by a woman or does it just need to feature strong female characters?—as well as how notable activist work for feminism has played a pivotal role in theatre. An engaging survey of female artists on stage and behind the scenes, From Aphra Behn to Fun Home will be of interest to theatregoers and anyone interested in the invaluable contributions of women in the performing arts.

In tracing black feminism in contemporary drama by black women playwrights, Lisa M. Anderson reviews the history of black feminism through analysis of plays by Pearl Cleage, Glenda Dickerson, Breena Clarke, Kia Corthron, Suzan-Lori Parks, Sharon Bridgforth, and Shirlene Holmes.Black Feminism in Contemporary Dramarepresents a cross section of women who have diverse writing and performance styles and generational differences that highlight the artistic and political breadth of black feminist theater. Anderson closely investigates each play's construction and the context of its production, including how the play critiques, shifts, or alters dominant culture stereotypes; how it positions goals of the "community"; and how it engages with the concept of art's function. She not only discusses what shapes the black feminism of these writers but also points out how the meaning of the term black feminism shifts among them.

Extends the feminist analysis of representation to the realm of performance

Without William Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. But without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever! After the death of their friend and mentor, the two actors are determined to compile the First Folio and preserve the words that shaped their lives. They’ll just have to borrow, beg, and band together to get it done. Amidst the noise and color of Elizabethan London, THE BOOK OF WILL finds an unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter, and sheds new light on a man you may think you know.

Feminist Theaters in the USA is a fresh, informative portrait of a key era in feminist and theater history It is vital reading for feminist students, theater historians and theater practitioners. Their continued movement forward will be challenged and enriched by this timely look back at the trials and accomplishments of their predecessors. Canning interviews over thirty women who took part in the dynamic feminist theater of the 1970s and 1980s. They provide first-hand accounts of the excitement, struggles and innovations which formed their experience. From this foundation Cannning constructs a compelling combination of historical survey, critique and celebration which explores: * The history of the groups and their formation * The politics which shaped their work * Their methods and creative processes * The productions they brought to the stage * The reception from critics and audiences

This book brings together the fields of theatre, gender studies, and psychology/sociology in order to explore the relationships between what happens when women engage in violence, how the events and their reception intercept with cultural understandings of gender, how plays thoughtfully depict this topic, and how their productions impact audiences. Truthful portrayals force consideration of both the startling reality of women's violence — not how it's been sensationalized or demonized or sexualized, but how it is — and what parameters, what possibilities, should exist for its enactment in life and live theatre. These women appear in a wide array of contexts: they are mothers, daughters, lovers, streetfighters, boxers, soldiers, and dominatrixes. Who they are and why they choose to use violence varies dramatically. They stage resistance and challenge normative expectations for women. This fascinating and balanced study will appeal to anyone interested in gender/feminism issues and theatre.