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A study of African Amer­i­can dra­matic lit­er­a­ture to ex­plore the com­plex ways in which the black ex­pe­ri­ence is con­structed and pre­sented by play­wrights. Stu­dents may have an op­por­tu­nity to ex­pe­ri­ence a the­atri­cal pro­duc­tion in New York City. More specif­i­cally, this course is di­vided into dis­tinct sec­tions. It in­cludes a his­tor­i­cal overview of early Black the­atre through­out the di­as­pora. It con­sid­ers how mid-twen­ti­eth cen­tury play­wrights like Lor­raine Hans­berry, James Bald­win, Leroi Jones/Amiri Baraka, and Ntozake Shange shape the aes­thet­ics and dis­courses within Black the­atre, and in doing so, cre­ate tra­jec­to­ries for con­tem­po­rary Black play­wrights, who also ex­plore the so­cial, po­lit­i­cal and cul­tural ex­pe­ri­ences of Africana peo­ple.

A study of African American dramatic literature to explore the complex ways in which the black experience is constructed and presented by playwrights. Students may have an opportunity to experience a theatrical production in New York City. More specifically, this course is divided into distinct sections. It includes a historical overview of early Black theatre throughout the diaspora. It considers how mid-twentieth century playwrights like Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, Leroi Jones/Amiri Baraka, and Ntozake Shange shape the aesthetics and discourses within Black theatre, and in doing so, create trajectories for contemporary Black playwrights, who also explore the social, political and cultural experiences of Africana people.