What does dramaturge mean in theatre?

Dramaturgs are experts in the study of plays, musicals, or operas. It is their job to provide the cast and crew with vital knowledge, research, and interpretation about the theatrical work in question so that they are—in turn—better equipped to do their jobs.

What was the African Theatre’s famous Shakespeare production?

From its inception, the African Company utilised Shakespeare as an important tool for shaping a vital space for black audiences and artists alike. The African Grove Theatre’s first season opened with Richard III. King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello followed.

What is the Black theater movement?

Black theatre, in the United States, dramatic movement encompassing plays written by, for, and about African Americans.

What is notable about the African Grove theatre?

The African Grove Theater at Houston Street had three hundred seats for the audience. It was the most successful Black Theater opened to date. The theater put on a variety of shows, including Shakespearean plays with an all-Black cast. There, James Hewlett became the first Black man on record to play Othello.

What skills do you need to be a dramaturg?

Dramaturgy often gives you the opportunity to incorporate skills beyond your trained discipline into your practice. Think about your knowledge of music, of history, of art, of design, of tennis, of medieval warfare–all of these fields may prove useful in the dissection of a play or film you work on.

What was the name of the first Broadway play produced by an African American playwright?

Shuffle Along marked the first full-fledged Broadway musical with an all-black cast, playwright, composer and lyricist. The show was a hit, running for about 484 nights on Broadway, a record at the time, according to The New York Times. Shuffle recently came back into the mainstream when George C.

When did African Grove Theater close?

One source says that the theatre was “mysteriously burned to the ground in 1826”. “There are no records of the African Grove Theater after 1823.” The theatre was founded by William Alexander Brown, a pioneering actor and playwright from the West Indies.

Why is black Theater Important?

Black theatre boasts award-winning playwrights, actors, directors, choreographers, designers, and theatre companies. It refined and redefined the popular minstrel tradition-America’s first pure form of entertainment. It helped to originate and shape America’s musical comedy format.

What are some traditions that you have seen or heard about in black theatre?

Some of these traditions included the oral telling of folktales, improvisation, songs and dances like the get down and ring shout. In the early years of the slave trade, Africans were only able to put on private performances at plantations and the homes of their owners.

What happened to the African Grove Theatre?

After a few years, city officials shut down the African Grove, because of complaints about conduct: conduct that was normal among working-class white New York theatre audiences of the time was considered unacceptably boisterous when displayed by blacks.

Where was the African Grove Theatre?

The first African Grove Theater was located on Mercer Street near Houston. It was built on the second floor of a two-story house with a large tea garden in back. This illustration of Ira Aldridge was originally published in 1887.