Women, Collective Creation, and Devised Performance : The Rise of Women Theatre Artists in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries

This book explores the role and centrality of women in the development of collaborative theatre practice, alongside the significance of collective creation and devising in the development of the modern theatre. Tracing a web of women theatremakers in Europe and North America, this book explores the connections between early twentieth century collective theatre practices such as workers theatre and the dramatic play movement, and the subsequent spread of theatrical devising. Chapters investigate the work of the Settlement Houses, total theatre in 1920s’ France, the mid-century avant-garde and New Left collectives, the nomadic performances of Europe’s transnational theatre troupes, street-theatre protests, and contemporary devising. In so doing, the book further elucidates a history of modern theatre begun in __A History of Collective Creation__ (2013) and __Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance__ (2013), in which the seemingly marginal and disparate practices of collective creation and devising are revealed as central—and women theatremakers revealed as progenitors of these practices. Part I: First Wave, 1900-1945. Toward A New History Of Women In The Modern Theatre : An Introduction / Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva And Scott Proudfit ; Raising The Curtain On Suzanne Bing's Life In The Theatre / Jane Baldwin ; From Neva Boyd To Viola Spolin : How Social Group Work In 1920s' Settlement Houses Defined Collective Creation In 1960s' Theatres / Scott Proudfit ; A Democratic Legacy : Hallie Flanagan And The Vassar Experimental Theatre / Elizabeth A. Osborne ; Alexandra Remizova : An Actors' Director / Andrei Malaev-babel --^ Part Ii: Second Wave, 1945-1985. Mnouchkine & Co. : Constructing A Collective / David Calder ; Ruth Maleczech, Joanne Akalaitis, And The Mabou Mines Family Aesthetic / Jessica Silsby Brater ; Hers And His : Carolyn Swift, Alan Simpson, And Collective Creation At Dublin's Pike Theatre / Siobhán O'gorman ; From The Center To The Heartland : The Collective, Collaborative Conscience Of Jo Ann Schmidman, Megan Terry, Sora Kimberlain, And The Omaha Magic Theatre (1968-1998) / Anne Fletcher ; Historiographing A Feminist Utopia : Collective Creation, History, And Feminist Theatre In Canada / Michelle Macarthur ; Monstrous Regiment : The Gendered Politics Of Collaboration, Writing, And Authorship In The Uk From The 1970s Onwards / Sarah Sigal --^ Part Iii: Third Wave, 1985-present. Judith Malina And The Living Theatre : Storming The Barricades And Creating Collectively / Cindy Rosenthal ; Bryony Lavery : Nerves Of Steel And A Forgiving Heart / Karen Morash ; Women, Transmission, And Creative Agency In The Grotowski Diaspora / Virginie Magnat ; The Women Of Odin Teatret : Creativity, Challenge, Legacy / Adam J. Ledger ; Doing What Comes Naturally? : Women And Devising In The Uk Today / Alex Mermikides And Jackie Smart ; Devising Downtown : Collective Creation And Female Leadership In Contemporary New York / Rachel Anderson-rabern ; (the Waters) Between Africa And America : Revelations In Process, Theatrical-jazz, And Sharon Bridgforth's River See / Nia O. Witherspoon ; Hands Like Starfish/feet Like Moons : Disabled Women's Theatre Collectives / Victoria Lewis ; Pussy Riot And Performance As Social Practice : Collectivity, Collaboration, And Communal Bond / Julia Listengarten. Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva, Scott Proudfit, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xx Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Toward a New History of Women in the Modern Theatre – an Introduction....Pages 3-28 Raising the Curtain on Suzanne Bing’s Life in the Theatre....Pages 29-50 From Neva Boyd to Viola Spolin: How Social Group Work in 1920s’ Settlement Houses Defined Collective Creation in 1960s’ Theatres....Pages 51-65 A Democratic Legacy: Hallie Flanagan and the Vassar Experimental Theatre....Pages 67-80 Alexandra Remizova: An “Actors’ Director”....Pages 81-97 Front Matter....Pages 99-99 Mnouchkine & Co.: Constructing a Collective....Pages 101-114 Ruth Maleczech, JoAnne Akalaitis, and the Mabou Mines Family Aesthetic....Pages 115-128 “Hers and His”: Carolyn Swift, Alan Simpson, and Collective Creation at Dublin’s Pike Theatre....Pages 129-144 From the Center to the Heartland: The Collective, Collaborative Conscience of Jo Ann Schmidman, Megan Terry, Sora Kimberlain, and the Omaha Magic Theatre (1968–1998)....Pages 145-160 Historiographing a Feminist Utopia: Collective Creation, History, and Feminist Theatre in Canada....Pages 161-176 Monstrous Regiment: The Gendered Politics of Collaboration, Writing, and Authorship in the UK from the 1970s Onwards....Pages 177-190 Front Matter....Pages 191-191 Judith Malina and the Living Theatre: Storming the Barricades and Creating Collectively....Pages 193-206 Bryony Lavery: Nerves of Steel and a Forgiving Heart....Pages 207-220 Women, Transmission, and Creative Agency in the Grotowski Diaspora....Pages 221-235 The Women of Odin Teatret: Creativity, Challenge, Legacy....Pages 237-251 Doing What Comes Naturally?: Women and Devising in the UK Today....Pages 253-267 Devising Downtown: Collective Creation and Female Leadership in Contemporary New York....Pages 269-282 (The Waters) Between Africa and America: Revelations in Process, Theatrical-Jazz, and Sharon Bridgforth’s River See ....Pages 283-299 Hands like starfish/Feet like moons: Disabled Women’s Theatre Collectives....Pages 301-316 Pussy Riot and Performance as Social Practice: Collectivity, Collaboration, and Communal Bond....Pages 317-330 Back Matter....Pages 331-348