AJ17070 The American Century on Stage and Screen: History, Literature and Performance

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Gene Joseph Terruso (lecturer), Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 17:30–19:05 G24
Prerequisites (in Czech)
AJ01002 Practical English II
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/35, only registered: 0/35, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course will explore the American experience through the prism of historic events, as they were depicted onstage and screen, during the 20th century. American plays, films and their creators of the last 100 years will be considered, with a focus on the coming of age of the American nation, theatre and cinema during the course of what has become known as “The American Century.” The course will provide a retrospective view of our writers and their efforts to draw themes and storylines from the major issues of this century -- global war, economic depression, nuclear power, intolerance, encroaching technology, etc. It will also attempt to trace the influence of fashion, philosophy and social dynamics on the dramatic contexts given to these issues.
Syllabus
  • February 21/22* - From Minstrel Shows to “Beyond the Horizon:” Pre-war; Creative Influences; The Industrial Revolution; Abstraction; The Family; Playwrights: O'Neill.

    February 28/March 1* From “Over There!” to Over Here: 1920-35 - Films: Wings; A Farewell to Arms; Theatre - Mannered Comedy, Theatre of and for the Street; George Kelly, Maxwell Anderson, Elmer Rice, Philip Barry; Discussion: THE HAIRY APE, THE ADDING MACHINE, THE LITTLE FOXES, STREET SCENE

    March 7/8* From Boom to Gloom: 1935-45 Films: The Sting, Paper Moon, Cinderella Man, Grapes of Wrath. The Depression; Socialism; The Group Theatre; WPA; - Kauffman and Hart; Clifford Odets, Lillian Hellman, Thornton Wilder, William Saroyan, Discussion: Of MICE AND MEN, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU.

    March 14/15* - VIEWING ASSIGNMENT – ALL MY SONS and DEATH OF A SALESMAN; QUIZ #1

    March 21/22* From Berlin to Broadway: 1945-55 Films: Mr Roberts, Best Years of Our Lives, Saving Private Ryan. Nationalism vs. Social Conscience; Playwrights - Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Laurents, William lnge; Discussion and Quiz: MR ROBERTS, HOME OF THE BRAVE, ALL MY SONS

    March 28/29* From Hiroshima to Suburbia; Victory and Retreat: 1950-59 Films: The Front, Guilty by Suspicion, Dr Strangelove, Fail Safe. The Cold War; Prosperity; McCarthyism; Civil Rights; Playwrights - Lorraine Hansberry, Edward Albee, Arthur Kopit, Neil Simon. Discussion: THE CRUCIBLE, ARE YOU NOW?

    April 4/5* From Williams to Willson: The Musical: 1960-65 Films: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Come Back Little Sheba, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The Middle Class, Mad Men and Big Daddy; Discussion: THE ZOO STORY, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? FIRST PAPER DUE

    April 11/12* - OFF – Mid-Term Break

    April 18/19* From Existentialism to Experimentalism: 1965-70 Films: The Graduate, Hair, Streamers, Dutchman.The Fading American Dream; Black Rage. Playwrights: Sam Shephard; Amiri Baraka, Michael Gelber, Megan Terry, Jean Claude van ltallie. Discussion: A RAISIN IN THE SUN, DUTCHMAN, A DELICATE BALANCE, STREAMERS. QUIZ #2

    April 25/26* From You to “Me”: The Seventies: Proliferation of Style 1970-80 Films: Prisoner of 2nd Avenue, Little Murders. Sexual Revolution; Lifestyles; Playwrights: Lanford Wilson, Terrence McNally, John Guare, Israel Horovitz, John Ford Noonan, David Rabe, Jason Miller, Robert Patrick; Discussion: LITTLE MURDERS, PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, THE HOT L BALTIMORE, SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO

    May 2/3* From Left to Right: American Drama in the Reagan Years 1980-90 Films: As Is, Buried Child. AIDS epidemic; Tech onslaught. Playwrights: AR Gurney, Tina Howe, Beth Henley, Charles Fuller, Marsha Norman, Christopher Durang, Nicky Silver; Discussion: BURIED CHILD, AS IS, 'NIGHT MOTHER. Discussion: BEYOND THERAPY, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES. QUIZ #3.

    May 9/10* - OFF – Faculty Day

    May 16/17* The Dramatist – Fin ‘duh’ Siecle: 1990-2000 Films: Angels in America, Glengarry Glen Ross. The Playwright, Spectacle on Screen; the Millenium beckons. Playwrights: Tony Kushner, David Mamet, Horton Foote, August Wilson, Jane Martin, Wendy Wasserstein, Lee Blessing. Discussion: ANGELS IN AMERICA, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

    _____ The Playwright, the Screen and the New Millenium: Playwrights 2000-to present: Jon Robin Baitz, Susan Lori-Parks, Douglas Carter Beane, John Patrick Shanley, Rebecca Gilman, Teresa Rebeck, Melanie Marnich

    _____ FINAL EXAM/FINAL PAPER DUE

    *Dates followed by asterisk are Wednesday meetings for Master level class. Titles in BOLD are plays/films for which portions will be screened in class.
Teaching methods
Lectures, discussions, student presentation projects, film, slides, and videos.
Assessment methods
Class participation, quizzes/exams and papers.
Grading Breakdown:
Participation 25%
First Quiz 15%
Second Quiz 15%
Third Quiz 15%
Paper 15%
Final Exam 15%
No late work will be accepted. Excess absence and/or lateness will impact a student’s final grade.
Language of instruction
English
Teacher's information
http://www.phil.muni.cz/plonedata/wkaa/Dokumenty/ostatni/SYLLABUS_-_ACSS.pdf
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