DC Theater Arts: Theater-lovers everywhere can keep up with their reading with a selection of four publications offering a range of topics for all ages and interests, from a child’s introduction to a Shakespeare classic and a little-known endeavor of a musical theater legend to the collected works of a Black playwright and the long saga of blackface minstrelsy in America.
3 comments:
All of the books included in this article seem very interesting and I like the inclusion of different ages. I think that Darkology should be required reading (and/or a similar book or other education on black face and minstrelsy) for anyone who is interested in their job being theater or other entertainment. This is because minstrelsy is deeply connected to American theater history and that must be understood when you are working in a theater. I also think it seems really good that they are not only uncovering the history of black face minstrelsy but also what came after, because that is crucial to the story. I did some learning about minstrelsy in a class in high school but I am very interested in getting this book once it is published because I want to have a more comprehensive and theater specific understanding of the history.
I have recently been on a mission to improve my attention span. I have deleted all social media and shifted to media that is longer and slower. Something I have recently rediscovered is audio books and reading on my kindle. I thought all four of these books were interesting. The one that caught my attention was the struggle continues. I have recently been into non fiction and specifically stories about and from successful people. I think one of the most valuable information and learning comes from others' stories and viewpoints. I like the idea that this book combines the author's thoughts and her plays. I think that is a really interesting combination and provides a lot of opportunity for perspective shifts. I could also see it being something I revisit and use for different purposes. I tend to avoid books about theatre because I spend so much time with it already but this is one that caught my attention.
I did skip over the first book because it was geared towards kids, but I do find it interesting that kids have such access to so many different topics! Starting with Matching Minds with Sondheim, I love puzzles so much! Plus combined with the archival research of an autobiography, this book sounds right up my alley. I like the interaction that Sondheim suggests with his audience through giving them puzzles to solve as well! On to The Struggle Continues, I love that it is a combination of essays, because I feel this allows for a bunch of different perspectives to come together to explain a takeaway. I also would love to read a Black playwright’s essays about community work, as I have been super interested in how theater works with its community. Finally with Darkology, I just need to start off by saying that 20 years of research is an unfathomable amount of information. I will definitely be reading this, if not for the depth that this much research provides, for the detailed history of minstrel shows’ integration into American history and politics.
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