Theater and Cultural Politics for a New World : An Anthology

Theater and Cultural Politics for a New World presents a radical re-examination of the ways in which demographic shifts will impact theater and performance culture in the twenty-first century. Editor Chinua Thelwell brings together the revealing insights of artists, scholars, and organizers to produce a unique intersectional conversation about the transformative potential of theater. Opening with a case study of the New WORLD Theater and moving on to a fascinating range of essays, the book looks at five main themes: Changing demographics Future aesthetics Making institutional space Critical multiculturalism Polyculturalism Theater and Cultural Politics for a New World - Front Cover......Page 1 Theater and Cultural Politics for a New World......Page 2 Title Page ......Page 4 Copyright Page ......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Notes on contributors......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 Notes......Page 19 PART I: New WORLD Theater......Page 20 Chapter 1: Fertile ground: how New WORLD Theater began......Page 22 Notes......Page 33 1. It’s about difference......Page 35 2. Getting out of the way......Page 37 3. Concentric circles and the further margin......Page 38 4. Working with the given circumstances......Page 39 6. Commitment to the unknown......Page 40 7. Relevance......Page 42 9. It’s not about the money: lead with the art......Page 44 10. Transforming space......Page 46 11. Imagine the future......Page 48 Notes......Page 50 Chapter 3: “Imagining” and “restaging” otherwise: New WORLD Theater, memory work, and multiculturalist critique......Page 51 Notes......Page 58 Third World Studies......Page 60 Ethnic studies......Page 62 Social formation......Page 66 Notes......Page 70 Chapter 5: All the stage’s a world: the organization of international, multicultural, and global theater companies in the US......Page 73 The International: La MaMa Experimental Theater Club......Page 74 The multicultural: New WORLD Theater......Page 76 The global: Silk Road Project......Page 81 Notes......Page 84 Chapter 6: Homes at the ends of the WORLD: repertoires of access and agency out of New WORLD Theater (1979–2009)......Page 86 Notes......Page 93 Chapter 7: Imagining a “New WORLD”: Asian American women playwrights’ archives in western Massachusetts......Page 95 The management of race in American theater......Page 96 Genealogies, archives, politics......Page 97 A New WORLD, a new archive: global theater in rural Massachusetts......Page 99 From object to archive: a sampling of the works in the Uno Collection......Page 103 Coda......Page 105 Acknowledgments......Page 106 Notes......Page 107 PART II: New world futures: changing demographics, polyculturalism, and Future Aesthetics......Page 110 A story . . .......Page 112 Cornerstone: discovering the unknown......Page 113 New WORLD: defining choice......Page 116 INTAR: the lure of authenticity......Page 119 Chapter 9: Who tells your story? Hamilton, Future Aesthetics, and Haiti......Page 122 Notes......Page 130 Chapter 10: Life as primary text: Youth Speaks through the new world......Page 135 Note......Page 147 Chapter 11: Hip Hop as pedagogy: the Hip Hop Theatre Initiative......Page 148 HHED, HHPED, and multiple intelligences......Page 149 The Hip Hop Theatre Initiative: Youth Voices First......Page 151 Multiple intelligences, Hip Hop, and the “elements”......Page 153 A Hip Hop cultural intelligence......Page 155 Hip Hop as pedagogy: a jumping-off point......Page 156 In and Out of the Classroom: a case study......Page 159 Conclusion......Page 160 Notes......Page 161 Chapter 12: An uncharted persistence: alternative minoritarian theater in austere Chicago......Page 165 Tensions and concepts......Page 166 An epistemology wept: Albany Park Theater Project and Northside Theater in Chicago......Page 168 Placemaking the Northside: Accept Variety......Page 172 A polycultural loop: Silk Road Rising and Downtown Chicago Theater......Page 175 Notes......Page 178 Chapter 13: Whose space is it anyway?......Page 181 Notes......Page 185 Chapter 14: A future for American Indian theater?......Page 186 Casinos and post-casinos......Page 187 Act two......Page 188 More uses of techno......Page 190 Renewed and re-focused creativity......Page 191 Creating our own methods of sustainability......Page 192 Creating sustainability, continued . . .......Page 193 Honoring and supporting our artists......Page 194 Renewing the vision......Page 195 Chapter 15: Culture, ethnicity and the inherent theater of hip-hop......Page 196 Notes......Page 209 Chapter 16: We are not alone: a community of common values......Page 211 Creating a Network of Ensemble Theaters......Page 212 A community of practice......Page 214 Toward systems of influence......Page 217 Notes......Page 221 Chapter 17: Tear the pages out......Page 223 Note......Page 230 Chapter 18: “Not a prophecy, but description”: rethinking multiculturalism in the “post-racial” moment......Page 231 Notes......Page 241 Afterword......Page 243 Index......Page 245 Introduction / Chinua Thelwell -- New World Theater. Fertile Ground: How New World Theater Began / Elizabeth Méndez Berry -- Steps Towards A New World / Roberta Uno -- Imagining And Restaging Otherwise: New World Theater, Memory Work, And Multiculturalist Critique / Cathy J. Schlund-vials -- Third World Studies / Gary Y. Okihiro -- All The Stage's A World: The Organzation Of International, Multicultural, And Global Theater Companies In The Us / Esther Kim Lee -- Homes At The Ends Of The World: Repertoires Of Access And Agency Out Of New World Theater (1979-2009) / Paul Bonin-rodriguez -- Imagining A New World: Asian American Women Playwrights' Archives In Western Massachusetts / Lucy Mae San Pablo Burns -- New World Futures: Changing Demographics, Polyculturalism, And Future Aesthetics. Beyond Demographics: Cornerstone, New World, Intar, And The Theater Of The Possible / Michael John Garcés -- Who Tells Your Story? Hamilton, Future Aesthetics, And Haiti / Chinua Thelwell -- Life As Primary Text: Youth Speaks Through The New World / James Kass -- Hip Hop As Pedagogy: The Hip Hop Theatre Initiative / Daniel Banks -- An Uncharted Persistence: Alternative Minoritarian Theater In Austere Chicago / Jasmine Mahmoud -- Whose Space Is It Anyway? / Will Power -- A Future For American Indian Theater? / Hanay Geiogamah -- Culture, Ethnicity And The Inherent Theater Of Hip-hop / Joseph Schloss -- We Are Not Alone: A Community Of Common Values / Mark Valdez -- Tear The Pages Out / Lê Thi Diem Thúy -- Not A Prophecy, But Description: Rethinking Multiculturalism In The Post-racial Moment / Jeff Chang -- Afterword / Bill Rauch. Chinua Thelwell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Theater and Cultural Politics for a New World presents a radical re-examination of the ways in which demographic shifts will impact theatre and performance culture in the 21st century. Editor Chinua Thelwell brings together the revealing insights of artists, scholars and organisers to produce a unique intersectional conversation about the transformative potential of theatre.